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Social and Cultural Events …. …………………….. page 02

www.ambwashingtondc.esteri.it Volume Two | Issue Four October-December 2007 | Part One

From the left: H.E. Giovanni Castellaneta, Ambassador of Italy to the United States, with Dr. Diana Bracco, President and CEO of the Bracco Group, Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Lila Castellaneta, wife of Ambassador Castellaneta, and T.H. Letizia Moratti, Mayor of Milan. (Photo by Vicky Pombo)

edited and designed by Silvia Limoncini , Simona Massobrio, and Caterina Ghiselli

Embassy Cultural Counselor Silvia Limoncini with David Alan

Brown, Curator of Italian Paintings at the National Gallery of Art

Embassy hosts Reception for the Closing of the Exhibition Dedi-cated to Desiderio da Settignano

at the National Gallery of Art

October 5, 2007

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On Friday October 5th, 2007, the Cultural Affairs Office of the Embassy of Italy hosted a cocktail reception on the occasion of the conclusion of the exhibition “Desiderio da Settignano; Sculptor of Renaissance Florence”. The exhibition, the first to be completely dedicated to the Renaissance Italian sculptor, was held at the National Gallery of Art, form July 1st until October 8th, 2007, and was organized in cooperation with the Louvre Museum (Paris) and the Museo Nazionale del Bargello (Florence). Desiderio da Settignano, of whom very few works still survive, is famous for popularizing a new kind of low relief, for having invented portraiture of children, and for having enriched with delicacy of expression and senti-ment the traditional religious imagery. Among the guests, were several representatives from the National Gallery of Art: Dodge Thompson, Chief of Exhibitions, David Alan Brown, Curator of Italian Paintings, Nicholas Penny, Senior Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts, Elizabeth Cropper, Dean of the Center for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts. Among the other participants were Marc Bormand, Curator of the Louvre Museum and Maria Grazia Vaccari, Deputy Di-rector at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello.

Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta with Ambassador Selwa

Roosvelt, former Chief of Protocol of the White House

Social and Cultural Events

The First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Laura Bush, attends Reception at the Residence of Italian Ambassador and Mrs. Castellaneta following a Filarmonica della Scala concert at Strathmore Hall On October 10, 2007 the Music Center at Strathmore, hosted the long-awaited concert by the Filarmonica della Scala, under the expert direction of Maestro Riccardo Chailly, part of their United States and Canada Tour. An exclusively Italian program was performed, with pieces by Ottorino Respighi, Nino Rota and Rossini. The concert was attended by the First Lady of the United States Laura Bush, who together with the many other prestigious guests, expressed her appreciation with a standing ovation. The enthusiastic applause served as proof of the success encountered in “bringing to the United States both the excellence of Italy and of Milan, as well as of our deep friendship with the United States”, as the Mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti, said during a press conference which preceded the concert. Among the guests at the concert were H.E. the Italian Ambassador, Giovanni Castellaneta, and Mrs. Castellaneta, Mrs. Diana Bracco, main sponsor of the Filarmonica tour, Mr. Ronald Spogli, U.S. Ambassador

Mrs. Castellaneta escorting the First Lady into the Reception at Villa Firenze

Filarmonica della Scala

October 10, 2007

From the left: H.E. Giovanni Castellaneta, Ambassador of Italy to the United States,

Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, and Mrs. Lila Castellaneta, wife of Ambassador

Castellaneta during the Reception at Villa Firenze (Photos by Vicky Pombo)

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to Italy, U.S. Su-preme Court Justice, Samuel Alito and Mrs. Alito, Ms. Fran-ces Fragos Town-send, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterror-ism, and T.H. Letizia Moratti, Mayor of Milan. The First Lady, and the other guests as well as the orchestra were later welcomed at Villa Firenze, Am-bassador Castel-laneta’s official resi-dence, for a recep-tion for over 200 people hosted by Ambassador and Mrs. Castellaneta.

The Members of the Filarmonica della Scala at the Reception (Photo by Vicky Pombo)

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The Afternoon Press Conference: Dr. Diana Bracco,

President and CEO of the Bracco Group, T.H. Letizia Moratti, Mayor of Milan, and

Maestro Riccardo Chailly

On the left: Ms. Frances

Fragos Townsend, Assistant to the

President for Homeland Security and

Counterterrorism, with a friend. On the right U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Samuel Alito

with Mrs. Martha-Ann Bomgardner-Alito

(Photo by Vicky Pombo)

Signature of a Letter of Intent between RAI, the Embassy of Italy and fifty-two American Universities

October 12, 2007

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On Friday October 12, 2007, the Embassy of Italy in Washington, RAI, the Italian National Television

Network, and fifty-two American universities signed a Letter of Intent on the use of document archives owned by RAI and the Luce Institute for the teaching of the Italian language.

The Signature represents the culmination of a process which began in May 2006 on an experimental

basis with six prestigious American universities; now it is extended to fifty-two additional universities. This result has been possible thanks to the rediscovery of our language by an increasing and heteroge-

neous American public. In particular, the Italian language is becoming a more and more frequent choice for American students pursuing their academic degrees.

As a matter of fact, in 2006 Italy was the first country chosen by Americans for studying abroad in Eu-

rope, second only to Great Britain.

On the left:: Representatives of the Signing Universities

Below : First Counselor Marco Mancini, Consul of Italy to

Washington

Professor Luigi De Sanctis, Director of the Embassy of Italy’s Education Office

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Reception in Honor of the National Italian American Foundation Gala

October 12, 2007

Ambassador Castellaneta Entertaining Some of the Reception Guests

Mrs. Lila Castellaneta with Guests

In the picture on the left: The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi with Ambassador and Mrs. Castellaneta

In the picture on the right: The Speaker Greeting Some of the Other Guests

Senator Franco Danieli, Deputy

Minister for Italians Abroad with H.E.

Ambassador Giovanni

Castellaneta and Embassy Cultural Counselor Silvia

Limoncini

Meeting of the Directors of the Italian Cultural Institutes in the United States

October 13, 2007

On Saturday October 13, 2007, the Directors of Italian Cultural Institutes in the United States also held a meet-ing at the Embassy. The meeting gathered the Director of the Institute in Chicago, Dr. Tina Cervone, the Direc-tor of the Institute in Los Angeles, Dr. Francesca Valente, the departing Director of New York Institute, Dr. Claudio Angelini, and the incoming Director, Prof. Renato Miracco, the Director of the Institute in San Fran-cisco, Dr. Onofrio Speciale and Dr. Rita Venturelli, Director of the Institute in Washington, DC. The meeting, during which the planning of Italian cultural events schedule for the year 2008 was discussed, was chaired by Counselor Silvia Limoncini and was opened by H.E. Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta. Senator Franco Danieli, Deputy Minister for Italians Abroad, Ambassador Umberto Vattani, President of ICE (Italian Trade Commission), and First Counselor Luca Ferrari, Press, Cultural and Congressional Affairs Coordinator were in attendance.

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The Directors of the Italian Cultural Institutes in the United States

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Kidsave Miracles Gala

October 25, 2007

The very young orator, John Warnke

“It’s not ok for children to grow up without parents”. On October 25th, 2007, the Embassy of Italy hosted the Miracles Gala of Kidsave, an organization with the goal of encouraging adoptions of children between the ages of 6 and 18 who live in orphanages. After a silent auction, His Excellency, Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta, welcomed the hosts and affirmed His admira-tion for Kidsave and its mission. According to his words, “children are the most feeble and unprotected part of our society, but also the most important, because they repre-sent our present and our future. They are the mirror in which we all reflect ourselves.” The Ambassador thanked the founders of Kidsave, Terry Baugh and Randy Thompson also on behalf of Mrs. Castel-laneta and of the Embassy. Special guests for the evening were, among others, Christine Warnke and Paul Oxley, Presidents of the program, the actress Valerie Harper, Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota, Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Representative Danny K. Davis of Illinois, and the Master of Ceremonies, Doug Hill, ABC 7 Chief Meteorolo-gist. On the stage with the Ambassador, the very young speaker John Warnke who spoke of his experience as a child who was adopted thanks to Kidsave. The Embassy hopes that this gala will be the first step for a future of cooperation with Kidsave.

In the picture above: Christine Warnke, President of the Program; in the picture below, from the left:

Actress Valerie Harper, Terri Brax-ton, Ambassador Giovanni

Castellaneta, and Barbara Harrison

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Italian Armed Forces Day

November 2, 2007

In celebration of the November 4th festivity of Italian Armed Forces Day, the Embassy of Italy held a reception on Friday, November 2nd, 2007. The celebration was hosted by Ambassa-dor Giovanni Castellaneta and by General Mirco Zuliani. About 850 people attended the event, and among them were many political and military notables from the United States and other countries accredited in the US. Marshall Billigslea, Deputy Undersec-retary of the Navy, was the evening keynote speaker.

Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy, Marshall Billigslea speaking

America’s Polo Cup Reception

November 15, 2007

On November 15th, the Embassy of Italy hosted the first of a se-ries of events connected with “America’s Polo Cup”, which, this year, will be played between Italy and the United States. During the ceremony the Italian team which will face the United States in the fashion and culinary competition on May 9, 2008. Mrs. Lila Castellaneta announced that for Italy, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, star of the public television series, will be the Mas-ter of Ceremonies. The chef, a Michelin Culinary Guide star, will be Fortunato Nicotra, while the fashion designer will be Re-nato Balestra. Following these announcements, co-chair Michele Salahi said “if we can’t win on Friday night, we will be victorious Saturday on the polo field!”

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The Cup

displayed in the Embassy Atrium

Mrs. Lila Castellaneta, wife od Ambassador

Castellaneta, speaking at the Polo Cup Event

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AVSI Conference

November 27, 2007

On November 27th, AVSI International held a cocktail reception at the Embassy of Italy. The event was meant to close a conference on a support program for children who become orphans due to HIV in three African countries funded by USAid. The Confer-ence was held the same day at George Washington Uni-versity. The AVSI Foundation is an Italian not for profit organiza-tion for International cooperation, established in 1972 and recognized as an NGO by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1973. It is now committed in 111 medium and long-range projects in 39 countries in Africa, Latin Amer-ica, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia in the fields of health, hygiene, children’s welfare, education, profes-sional training, restoration of marginal urban areas, agri-culture, the environment and food safety. The AVSI Foun-dation is a leader in humanitarian crisis management. It is also an institution authorized by the Italian Government Commission for International Adoptions, to supervise the procedures for international adoptions.

Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta with some of the guests

In the Picture Above a View of the Conference and in the Picture to

the Left a moment of the Presentation

Centenary Commemoration Ceremony for the Monongah Mining Tragedy

December 6, 2007

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One hundred years have passed from the day in which an explosion rocked two mines in Monongah, a tiny village in West Virginia. Many of the 362 miners who were killed in the disaster were immigrants who were working to provide a better future for their families in the United States. 171 Italian were killed in the trag-edy. In addition, unfortunately they often took their children and young apprentices with them to work in the mine. These names are not re-corded in the Fairmont Coal Company register. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the disaster and showe what the fallen men of Monongah mean to them, a delegation of the Italian Government, headed by the Italian Am-bassador to Washington, H.E. Giovanni Castel-laneta, and which also included the President of the Region of Molise and a group of Italian offi-cials representing the regions of origin of the deceased miners, reached Monongah last De-cember 6th. Also present for the ceremony was the Governor of West Virginia, Joe Manchin III, also of Italian origin. The Italian government offered to pay for re-construction work at the cemetery, where our countrymen are buried and donated a monu-ment to their memory. The Italian delegation carried a wreath to the new monument Mount Calvary Cemetery. On behalf of the Italian Deputy-Minister for Italians Abroad, T.H. Franco Danieli, Ambassa-dor Castellaneta awarded the gold medal for civilian merit, granted by Mr. President of Italy, to the Remembrance Committee. Inaugurating the new memorial, Ambassador Castellaneta said “…It was a moving tribute to the sacrifice of many hard-working Italian men and women. Yesterday we celebrated at the Embassy of Italy the Italian draftsman of the new aircraft sold to Pentagon. Nowadays, the conception of the “Italian Abroad” has shifted from that of the immigrant miners to that of engineers, thanks to the sacrifice of many countrymen such as those who died in Monongah”.

A Photograph of the Caskets at the Time of the Tragedy

The Italian delegation, led by Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta, carrying the wreath

to the new monument Mount Calvary Cemetery—Photograph by Billy Wolfe for

the Charleston Daily Mail

Several Italian government officials look at the graves of

miners who died in the 1907 mine Disaster Photograph by Billy

Wolfe for the Charleston Daily Mail

Young Professionals Party December 7, 2007

On Friday December 7th the Embassy of Italy hosted a black tie gala organ-ized by the “Young Professionals Italian Cultural Society”, which was recently renamed “Things To Do”. This buffet style reception was held in celebration of the upcoming holi-days through food, opera, and mov-ies chosen in honor of the heritage of the elegant venue. Two opera singers performed pieces from the Baroque period through to the Ro-mantic period and to Contemporary music. About five-hundred people attended the gala and enjoyed the live orches-tra, the dancing, and the socializing. This event contributed to the cele-bration of the holidays for hospital-ized children, with toys personally delivered by Santa.

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Inauguration of the Richard-Ginori Exhibition

December 11, 2007

As a tribute to the Presi-dent of the Italian Repub-lic, T. H. Giorgio Napoli-tano, who inaugurated it, the Embassy of Italy is hosting a rare exhibition that traces back the stages of production of the Richard-Ginori ce-ramics, from 1737 until 1937 with a collection of about 120 pieces. The exhibition, presented for the first time in the United States, is inspired by the marquis Ginori’s original inspiration of dis-playing for the public the most beautiful and sophis-ticated pieces of his pro-duction. Also, this expo-sition represents a recog-nition of the Museo di Doccia in Sesto Fioren-tino, not far from Flor-ence, which, with more than 700 works, gathers a large historical collection of majolica and porcelain.

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AARP International Dinner

December 13, 2007

On December 13th the Embassy of Italy hosted a cocktail and a sit-down dinner organized by AARP International. The leadership of the organiza-tion and several representatives of the Washington diplomatic community came together for the evening at the Embassy to discuss the challenges faced by the aging populations around the world and to celebrate the rela-tionship that AARP developed with Italy and other nations over nearly 50 years.

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