FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106202/939-3106 or 202/939-3106 elissa@niaf.org

VISUALLY IMPAIRED H.S. STUDENT TO ATTEND ANDREA BOCELLI CONCERT

**Kanak Gupta of Davie to Meet Italian Tenor Compliments of the NIAF**

(WASHINGTON, DC- March 19, 2001) Visually-impaired teen, Kanak Gupta, a sophomore in the program for the gifted at NOVA High School in Davie, will attend the Andrea Bocelli concert and meet the Italian tenor on Thursday evening, March 22 at the National Car Rental Center. The tickets are compliments of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), the nation’s leading advocacy group for Americans of Italian descent.

The Foundation will also host a private reception immediately following Bocelli’s concert in which Gupta and four high school music students at New World School of the Arts in Miami will also meet Bocelli. The concert is part of Bocelli’s Spring 2001 North America Tour.

Kanak Gupta, an eagle scout in Troop 103 and member of the Lion’s Youth Club, has collected and repaired over 2,000 pairs of eye glasses and redistributed them to people in need. He also sends clothing to orphaned children in India through the CRY program. Gupta has participated in the Talent Identification Program (TIP) at Duke University and is a counselor for the National Conference for Community & Justice.

“My son (Kanak Gupta) became visually impaired two years ago due to Steven Johnson Syndrome, a negative response to medication. He is so excited to meet Bocelli who serves as a model for those visually challenged,” said Karen Gupta. “The NIAF is pleased to donate tickets to such an outstanding young American,” said Arthur Furia, NIAF regional vice president in the Southeast and an attorney with Holtzman, Equals & Furia of Miami.

“Our students work hard every day and make sacrifices because they are dedicated to their art. What an inspiration it is for them to be able to meet someone like Andrea Bocelli, who has reached the absolute top of his profession, ” said Ellery Brown, principal at New World School for the Arts .

In October 2000, Andrea Bocelli received the National Italian American Foundation’s Year 2000 U.S./Italy Friendship Award during the NIAF gala awards dinner in Washington, DC . President Clinton, Muhammad Ali and over 3,100 prominent Italians and Italian American leaders in business, sports, entertainment, the professions, and government attended the dinner. Bocelli also performed via satellite with the Boccherino Institute Youth Orchestra from Lucca, Italy during the NIAF gala in honor of the Foundation’s 25^th anniversary.

The NIAF has secured 100 of some of the best concert seats in the house. The special NIAF concert tickets are being sold at their face value of $350 per person. For tickets, please contact: Lisa Pitocco at 202/387-060 x 40.