L'Italo-Americano

THURS DAY,   APRIL  25,   2013  Italy voted its "new" President, Giorgio Napolitano Continued from page 1 Napolitano was born in Naples on June 29, 1925, the son of a high-profile city lawyer. A theatre and cinema enthusiast, Napolitano's initial bid to study literature at Naples University was thwarted by his father, who instead forced his son into taking law. During the Second World War, Napolitano suspended his studies, joining an anti-Fascist underground organization in 1942. A year later, his excellent English allowed him to act as an interpreter when Allied forces entered Naples. Before his re-election, Napolitano had repeatedly ruled out serving a second term. "I am convinced that the founding fathers conceived the role of President of the Republic as measured in seven year terms. There are age factors and its limitations to consider," Napolitano said in March. But then he had yielded to the appeals out of a sense of responsibility toward the nation. His election received a standing ovation from MPs and plaudits from abroad. President Obama was one of the first to congratulate with Italian President. The octogenarian president said he would stay in office as long as he was able at his swearing-in as president for the second time on Monday. The 87-year-old president said he would carry out his seven-year mandate according to the stipulations of the law and "as long as my strength allows me". His first inauguration speech in front of the Parliament was one of the most moving and firm that has been pronounced by an Italian president. Napolitano addressed without any doubt all the main issues that have brought Italy to a difficult political and economical situation, praising (or forcing) the Parliament to find a way to work together. He called on Italy to meet its obligations on debt and finances, while working to "advance the united Europe...to re-launch the dynamism and the spirit of solidarity". "Napolitano's words were the most exemplary and extraordinary that I have ever heard in 20 years," right wing leader Silvio Berlusconi said. On the same line was the troubled center-left Democratic Party's leader Pier Luigi Bersani, "Napolitano said what he had to say with exceptional efficacy". Entering his second term, the president is once again faced with a list of problems he expected to pass on to a successor. At the top is a near three-way tie after elections in late February that produced no clear winner and a hung parliament, now in its ninth week without a government. Second on Napolitano's list of daunting challenges is the Italian economy, which after more than a year of tough austerity measures has now to avoid a recession. Italy set to rent historic monuments to boost tourism and save unused heritage Continued from page 1 Disused castles, fortresses, prisons and islands in Italy are to be converted into luxury hotels Italy plans to rent out a few pieces of its cultural heritage to the highest bidder in an effort to generate more revenues. The initiative will switch castles, monasteries and even prisons into luxury hotels. This appear to be a totally new step after the Uffizi Gallery in Florence started to rent out its space for fashion shows. Italian state property firm L'Agenzia del Demanio has listed 63 properties that will be leased to private companies for development. L'Italo-Americano Of those, 28 are already in the start-up process. "We will put out the tender notices by the end of the year," Stefano Scalera, director of the Italian state property agency, said during an introductory meeting in Rome. Right now, the leases are planned to run for 50 years, at a price that is not set yet. If the project will be successful, it may be expanded to include much more sites. The initiative, presented in Rome, does not just aim at reducing the 2 trillion euros ($2.7 trillion) debt but also revitalize and inject new energy into the Italian tourist industry as the economic crisis continues to escalate in the country. Furthermore, the project will be a force promoting sites that are actually abandoned or have fallen into disrepair. "It is a project to promote the effective management of Italian cultural heritage which includes properties that are rarely used or have fallen into disuse," the agency said. The lease will also ensure the sites will finally receive general and specific maintenance over the period of the agreement. As for other countries, the economic crisis has also hit Italy's tourist industry. In the Bel Paese tourism accounts for almost 10 percent of the nation's GDP, and Rome is hoping to make that figure grow even more, or at least keep it as it was before the beginning of the crisis. For decades tourism has been considered a fundamental industry for the country. Nonetheless, not much has been done to ensure that. The new initiative may now be envisioned as a part of a bigger action plan aiming at reverse that trend. So make sure you check your hotel next time you travel to Italy, you could find yourself sleeping into a luxury medieval castle. PAGE  15 Apr. 25, Thurs.-The Garibaldina Society Pasta Platter Dinner Dance. The Garibaldina Society Women's Extension cordially invites you to the Pasta Platter Dinner Dance. Cocktails 4pm, Dinner 5pm sharp!, Dancing 6-8pm. Pasta dinner includes Salad, Pasta, Sausage, Glass of Wine & Dessert. Dancing. Dress Casual. $10 Members- $12 Guests. For reservations: Jean Giacomelli (626) 281-6639. Apr. 27, Sat.- Scalabrini Discernment House Seminary Fund Raiser Banquet at Casa Italiana. Mass 5:00 pm; St. Peter's Italian Church, Banquet 6:00 pm. Reservations: 323-2258119, ext 10. Apr. 27, Sat.-The LGB Italian Language Meetup Group invites you to an evening of dinner and dancing. The events begins at 6 :00pm, dinner at 7:00pm. Cost is $45.00 PP. At Costa Mesa Country Club, in Costa Mesa. For more details contact marioguard @cox.net or 949-533-9272. Apr. 28, Sun.-An evening of Italian & Ethiopian food and music to benefit Fregenet School, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 5:00-8:00 p.m. Your $50 donation to attend this event includes a raffle ticket for delightful prizes. Where: on the patio of St. Alban's Church (580 Hilgard Ave., Westwood). Reservation by prepayment only. Make your $50 donation at http://fregenetfoundation.org/act/donate OR send check, made payable to "The Fregenet Foundation" (memo: April 28 Fundraiser) to: The Fregenet Foundation, 901 S. Flower St., Unit 411, Los Angeles, CA 90015. For information call (310) 474-1698. Apr. 28, Sun.-POINTers (Italian genealogy group) Luncheon 1:00pm to 5:00pm at Salvatore Italian Restaurant (125 N. 6th St., Montebello, CA 90640). For reservations and information call Diane at (310) 645-9442 May 4, Sat.: Grandsons of Italy in America Meeting at Victorio's Ristorante, 10901 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, 11:30 a.m. For info call (805) 529-9726. May 5, Sun.-Santo Padre Pio Society- Rosario a San Padre Pio at St. Peter's Italian Church (1039 N. Broadway, Los Angeles), 10:30 a.m. For information please call President Maria Bruno at (818) 241-4672. May 8, Wed.-St. Anthony Dinner Meeting 6:30 pm at Casa Italiana. Reservations: Johnny: 213-250-2464. May 10, Fri.-San Trifone Society Dinner Meeting. 6pm mass followed by dinner and meeting at Casa Italiana. Dinner is $15 per person. For information call Mike Foschetti (323) 257-0302. May 16, Thurs.-Federated Italo-Americans of Southern California General Meeting at Casa Italiana (1051 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012). 7:00pm Dinner ($15 pp), 8:00pm Meeting. Please RSVP by Monday before meeting to: Maria Borgese (818) 846-5764, Palmie Crispie (818) 246-5749 or annpotenza@aol.com. May 17, Fri.- Santa Lucia Society Dinner Meeting 6:30 pm at Casa Italiana. Mass 6:00 pm St. Peter's Italian Church; Reservations: 323-257-2182. May 18, Sat.- OCAIW Meeting-11:00am Zito Grill (17320 17th Street, Tustin) $25.00 Program to be determined. Call Linda 714.812.4410 May 18, Sat.: Grandsons of Italy in America Meeting at Victorio's Ristorante, 10901 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, 11:30 a.m. For info call (805) 529-9726. May 18, Sat.-Italian Woman's Club- We will be celebrating our 90th Anniversary at the Castaway (1250 E. Harvard Rd., Burbank, CA, 818-848-6691) at 11:00 a.m. For information, please contact Rosa Di Masi Stevens (310) 339-9799. May 20, Mon.- ICF Branch #67 Dinner Meeting 6pm at Casa Italiana (1051 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, 90012). $15.00 per person. For reservations contact: Nick M. D'Egidio (President) (562) 947-2819, Guy Masciotra (Life Member Emeritus, Past President) (818) 848-1862, or Pat Mages (Recording Secretary) (805) 492-9658. May 22, Wed.-Abruzzesi & Molisani di California Dinner Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Villa Scalabrini. The cost of the dinner is $15.00. For reservations, please call Adelio Di Gregorio at (818) 985-0951 or Sam Petrilli at (818) 768-1956. June 1, Sat.: Grandsons of Italy in America Meeting at Victorio's Ristorante, 10901 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, 11:30 a.m. For info call (805) 529-9726. June 2, Sun.-Santo Padre Pio Society- Rosario a San Padre Pio at St. Peter 's Italian Church (1039 N. Broadway, Los Angeles), 10:30 a.m. For information please call President Maria Bruno at (818) 241-4672.

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