FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Natalie Wulderk
nwulderk@niaf.org
+1-202-939-3117

RSVP Deadline October 28

(Washington, D.C. – October 27, 2020) The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) will celebrate its 45^th Anniversary Gala virtually on Saturday, October 31, 2020. The deadline to register to attend the virtual Gala is Wednesday, October 28. As this is a live event only, there will not be a recording of the Gala shared with the attendees or the public.

Thousands have already registered to attend the Gala where the Foundation will exclusively honor Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Fauci will be presented with NIAF’s 2020 Leonardo da Vinci Award for Leadership in Health and Science live during the Gala.

“It is truly inspirational that thousands are joining NIAF at our virtual 45^th Anniversary Gala to recognize and thank Dr. Fauci for his extraordinary contribution to lifesaving health research and for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said NIAF Chairman The Honorable Patricia de Stacy Harrison. “We aim for our Gala to convey our deep gratitude to Dr. Fauci; the dozens of public figures and leaders from the United States and Italy participating in this special evening will be a testament to our appreciation for his leadership.”

Throughout the NIAF Gala evening, special segments will include: an exclusive interview between NIAF Chairman Harrison and Dr. Fauci; PBS Frontline covering the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy; celebrity Chef Mary Ann Esposito’s Fauci Fettucine recipe cooking demonstration; and special appearances from “Friends of Fauci” comprised of more than 40 celebrities. Some of the participating celebrities are Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Anjelica Huston, Andrea Bocelli, Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, Alan Alda, Michael Douglas, Patti LuPone, Joe Mantegna, Isabella Rossellini, John Turturro, Mario Andretti, Marisa Tomei, Mike Piazza, Franco Harris, Connie Francis, Leon Panetta, Frankie Valli, Lidia Bastianich, Dick Vermeil, Dion DiMucci, Giuliana DePandi-Rancic, Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Bono, Dionne Warwick, and Neil Sedaka, among other surprise guests.

NIAF is the nation’s premier Italian American organization serving as a bridge between the United States and Italy, strengthening mutual understanding through governmental, economic and cultural ties. Education is the core of our mission as we provide scholarships and grants to institutions and high achieving students to further their education in all fields and connect to their heritage.

As a membership benefit, NIAF Sustaining Members and higher will receive a free invitation upon registration. Those who would like to register for our virtual Gala as a non-NIAF Member can purchase a ticket today and receive a one-year Sustaining Membership for supporting NIAF’s Virtual Gala. For those who would prefer to remain a non-NIAF Member and still attend, the ticket price costs $100. Deadline to register for the Gala is October 28 at midnight. Refunds will not be administered to registrants if they missed the event or watched it live.

Please consider joining the Foundation and Dr. Fauci by registering for a virtual gala ticket. Only one registration link is needed per household and cannot be shared with anyone else. For membership and registration details, visit: www.niaf.org/gala.

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and protecting the Italian American heritage and culture. To learn more about the Foundation and become a member, please visit www.niaf.org.