eNotizie - April 2012
Don’t Miss NIAF’s East Coast Gala – April 12 Less than two weeks until NIAF’s 2012 East Coast Gala! Time is running out to buy your tickets and show your support! Promising to be the premier Italian American celebration in New York City this year, the dinner will be held Thursday, April 12, at the legendary Italian Renaissance-inspired Cipriani 42nd Street, one of New York City’s most notable event venues. Not only a good time, it’ll be a priceless networking opportunity. The honorees are Maria Bartiromo, CNBC anchor, Emmy Award-winning journalist and member of NIAF’s Board of Directors; Art Certosimo, senior executive vice president of BNY Mellon; Frank D’Amelio, executive vice president, business operations and chief financial officer of Pfizer Inc.; Chazz Palminteri, writer, director, producer and Academy Award-nominated actor; and Donna M. Rapaccioli, Ph.D., dean of the Gabelli School of Business and dean of the business faculty at Fordham University. NIAF Board Member Gerard LaRocca is chairing the gala. Hon. Patricia de Stacy Harrison, NIAF Vice Chair and President and CEO for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, will serve as the mistress of ceremonies. The evening’s entertainment includes performances by famed Italo-Australian singer ALFIO and former American Idol contestant Pia Toscano, who last July released her first hit single “This Time.”
NIAF Reception: Author Talk & Book Signing in D.C. On Thursday, May 3, NIAF member and author Piero Rivolta will discuss his remarkable life and new novel, “Journey Beyond 2012” (New Chapter Publisher), an evocative story about how the Mayan apocalyptic prophesies affect the lives of three characters. Born in Italy in the family of automobile manufacturers, Rivolta moved in 1980 to Sarasota, Fla., where he has prospered as a real estate developer, yacht builder, and author. This is the first event of the Victoria J. Mastrobuono Speakers Series. Time: 6-8 p.m. Location: NIAF headquarters at 1860 19th St. NW, Washington, D.C. Reception (wine with hors d’oeuvres) starting at 6 p.m., followed by the talk by the author and book sale and signing. Italian food specialties catered by Casa Nonna.
Please welcome five new members elected to NIAF’s Board of Directors: Hon. Capri S. Cafaro, minority leader of the Ohio Senate; Enrico Gaglioti, managing director at The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.; Frank Giordano, president of Atlantic Trailer Leasing Corp.; Joseph D. Lonardo, a partner in the Washington office of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP; and Mark Valente III, president of Valente & Associates. Attenzione: Apply for NIAF Grants Applications for 2012-2013 NIAF Grants are now available online at www.niaf.org/grants. The deadline for submitting a proposal for a grant project that supports NIAF’s mission in promoting Italian American heritage and culture is June 30. For more information on NIAF’s scholarship and grant programs, contact Alexandra Dall, adall@niaf.org or 202-939-3118. To establish a NIAF scholarship and or grant, contact Alice Bernardi, NIAF director of finance, at abernardi@niaf.org or 202-939-3111. Plan Now for NIAF’s West Coast Gala Circle June 21 on your calendar for NIAF’s West Coast Gala in San Francisco. This year’s California-dreamin’ dinner and celebration will be held at The Fairmont San Francisco Hotel. For more information, contact Jerry Jones at 202-939-3102 or jerry@niaf.org.  Kick-Off Reception for New York Golf Tournament
Always an exciting event, this reception takes place at The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, located at 46th Street and 12th Avenue in New York City, on June 13, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., to promote the upcoming NIAF 8th Annual New York Golf Tournament at the Old Westbury Golf & Country Club. The Golf Tournament itself takes place August 13. For more information, contact Nick Caiazzo at nicholas.caiazzo@wilsonelser.com. New Alliance NIAF announced recently that it joining forces with the Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere in Staten Island, N.Y., to bring that foundation’s successful Italian arts and cultural programming—from Italian language and culinary programming to art exhibits, music and stage performances and film screenings--to NIAF’s membership nationally. Stay tuned for upcoming events. National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame Awards  The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame has announced its 2012 Sportsman of the Year Award and Athlete of the Year Awards. The recipients are longtime NIAF friend Jim Corno, Comcast SportsNet Chicago President, and Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, respectively.
The organization is “dedicated to preserving honorable values through sports,” says its Chairman and Founder George Randazzo, who has gathered a treasure trove of Italian American sports artifacts and history at the Chicago-based NIASHF where the recipients will be honored at a semi-formal dinner on Saturday, April 21. Cocktails 6-7 p.m., followed by dinner and awards presentation. 1431 W. Taylor St., Chicago, Ill. For more information and to buy tickets, call 312-226-5566 or email kelly@niashf.org. Study in Italy This Summer and Fall  Of all the study-abroad programs that lead to Rome, only one is an American university located along the banks of the Tiber River. John Cabot University, an American university in Rome’s historic and quaint neighborhood of Trastevere, has been welcoming study-abroad students since 1972. Credits transfer back to your home university. All classes are taught in English and include Art History, Business, Classics, English Literature, Mathematics, Science, Political Science, and more.
The campus is an international setting with students from Italy and more than 50 countries. Work study and scholarships are available. The university is extending its offer of a free meal plan for summer and fall sessions to students who mention “NIAF” in their applications. Online applications are available. For more information, visit www.johncabot.edu or call the university’s U.S. office at 866-457-6160. Italy’s Uffizi Gallery Sends Angels to America The U.S. tour of “Offering of the Angels: Tapestries and Paintings from the Uffizi Gallery” is currently showing 43 paintings and two tapestries from such Baroque and Renaissance masters as Botticelli, Liberi and Tintoretto, at the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale until April 8. This magnificent exhibit then travels to the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., from April 21 through August 10. It makes only two other stops before returning to Florence in March, 2012. See the spring issue of NIAF’s Ambassador magazine for a review of the exhibit! For more information, visit MOAFL’s website and the Michener Art Museum’s website. Rare Film Festival in NYC “La Vita è Cinema: The Films of Nanni Moretti,” a comprehensive retrospective of the acclaimed Italian auteur, including all his feature films and two of his short films, continues its screenings through Thursday, April 5, at IFC Center at 323 Sixth Ave. at West Third Street in New York City. Called by critic Andrew Sarris “perhaps the leading cinematic satirist of our time,” Moretti is one of the few of his generation of la commedia all'italiana filmmakers still making movies. His latest film, “We Have A Pope,” a hit at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, opens April 6. For more information and the festival’s film schedules, visit this website or call 212-924-7771. Documentary Films of Marco Bertozzi in San Diego “An evening with Marco Bertozzi: Film and roundtable discussion” takes place April 13 at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego. Following a 7 p.m. screening of his 2012 film “Refugees in Cinecittà,” director Marco Bertozzi will join in a roundtable discussion on the new trends in documentary film. The evening is sponsored by the San Diego Italian Film Festival and the Museum of Photographic Arts, with support from the House of Italy and the Italian Cultural Center. Suggested donation: $5. For more information and a schedule of other Bertozzi films screening during the film festival this month, visit this website. Castiglione at The National Gallery of Art The National Gallery is showcasing approximately 80 works on paper by the Italian baroque master Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (1609–1664), as well as works by his contemporaries and followers. The exhibition, “The Baroque Genius of Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione,” will be on view in the West Building of the National Gallery of Art, Ground Floor, through July 8. For more information, visit this website. Good Reads If you missed it, read “Mario Put on Your Toga,” a recent article in The Economist that discusses how Italy’s new and impressive Prime Minister Mario Monti has changed domestic and European politics. http://econ.st/AnZdOp  Don’t forget to check out prolific novelist David Baldacci’s latest, “The Innocent,” a suspense thriller about a hit man who runs into trouble taking out America’s most ruthless enemies. Baldacci’s new novel hits bookstores and online booksellers April 17. For more information, visit http://davidbaldacci.com.
And, for a poignant look back at Italy’s 150th Anniversary last year, and its meaning for Italian Americans, take a look at “Reflections of an American of Italian Ancestry on the Occasion of The 150th Anniversary of The Republic,” by NIAF President Joseph V. Del Raso, at www.niaf.org/news/index.asp?id=892. Take a Stroll on NIAF’s Walk of Honor Now you can pay tribute in a heart-felt and lasting way to your, grandparents and ancestors who sacrificed so much in search of a better life by purchasing a commemorative NIAF Walk of Honor brick, custom engraved in their honor or memory, and placed at the entrance of The Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Building, NIAF’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Not only will your Walk of Honor brick become a permanent icon paying homage to you and your family’s contribution to Italian heritage, it will further help NIAF in its mission to promote and preserve our culture. The first phase of setting the commemorative bricks has already taken place; the next phase begins the summer of 2012. Order now! Commemorative bricks start at $250. Click Here to order your brick online. For more information please email WalkOfHonor@niaf.org. Join NIAF Today! Like what you read in E-News? Become a member of NIAF today and start participating! Starting at just $45 per year, you can become a member of our national organization and help us to fulfill our mission of preserving the great Italian heritage that is a pillar of the United States. We need your support to keep our message strong, so please visit www.niaf.org/membership and sign up today! Enjoy the many benefits of membership, such as invitations to exclusive events, opportunities to network with prominent political and business leaders, a voice in our fight against stereotypes, cultural and educational events, and so much more! Become a member now! Auguri!
Book Your 2012 Trips to Italy with NIAF Cruise the Mediterranean, spend leisurely days touring the Italy’s scenic regions, or customize your Italian vacation... Announcing Spring 2012 Travel Packages to Italy! The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) continues its popular travel programs to Italy by offering four nine-day/seven-night tours departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City beginning in March 2012:   
For information and reservations, contact: Marianna Pisano at mpisano@unitours.com or call 800-777-7432. When making reservation, mention the promo code: NIAF.  10-day Mediterranean Cruise in 2012
NIAF and Trek Tours Ltd. are pleased to present a 10-day Mediterranean Cruise with dates from spring through summer 2012. Fly round-trip to Rome and cruise the Mediterranean on the classic MS Noordam to Livorno, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Mallorca, Tunis and Carthage, Palermo and Naples. Joyous patterns of tile work will enliven your path as you experience Renaissance art, see the latest fashions and enjoy the flavor of fresh Italian bread dipped in estate-pressed olive oil. Pre- and post-cruise vacation packages are available to extend your voyage in Rome. For details or to book your cruise, visit www.niaf.org and click “Travel,” or contact Pam Salimeno at NIAF’s partner, Trek Tours, at 1-800-370-0357. Custom Design Your Vacation to Italy!  Famous for its first-class, fully-escorted tours for 67 years, Perillo Tours is now offering exclusive services to those who would prefer to travel independently or on small hosted tours. Visit Perillo’s ItalyVacations.com for its new one-stop shop to book your flights, hotels, car rentals, train tickets, sightseeing, museum passes, cooking classes, villa rentals, family travel, wedding planning and so much more!
Perillo Tour’s team of experts can custom design your entire trip over the phone! Plus, Perillo’s website is full of information, fun to browse, and filled with tremendous travel deals. And Perillo is giving NIAF members $100 off – just mention the promo code NIAFPT when you book. NIAF receives a donation with every trip you book! Please visit www.ItalyVacation.com or call 1-800-ITALY-25 today to book your dream vacation to Italy!  
Alitalia invites NIAF members to save 10 percent on their next flight to Italy! Try Classica Plus, Alitalia’s Premium Economy Class, this summer and discover a new way to travel. You will enjoy a completely private cabin where you can relax in your roomy seat and enjoy the many in-flight entertainment options or plug in your laptop and catch up on work. For a limited time, Classica Plus round-trip fares for summer travel start at just $1998, including all taxes and fees. Enjoy all the benefits and services Classica Plus has to offer! Visit the Alitalia website today! Interested in sponsoring an upcoming edition of E-News? For more information, contact Don Oldenburg at don@niaf.org. and edited by Don Oldenburg enews@niaf.org |
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