L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 4 J une 2nd, 1946, s e v e n t y - s e v e n years ago, marked a h i s t o r i c a l moment that Italy celebrates as its National D a y . T h e p i c t u r e - w h i c h later became a "symbol" of the event and was published on Il Nuovo Corriere della S e r a - p o r t r a y s a y o u n g woman under the headline " T h e I t a l i a n R e p u b l i c i s born." "On that day, Italy was born: a unique land of cul- ture and innovation, beauty and talent and, as Federico Fellini used to say about life, the perfect combination of magic and pasta!" Italian Consul General Raffaella Valentini says as she takes t h e s t a g e a t t h e P e t e r s e n Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. With her was Ital- i a n - A m e r i c a n a c t o r M i l o Ventimiglia, who attended the event as the Master of the Ceremony. "And the very choice of this location to cele- brate the Italian Republic Day was no accident: the Petersen Automotive Muse- um constitutes that positive synthesis of tradition and innovation that well repre- sents the image of the coun- try we want to put forward," the Consul General added. June 2nd, 1946 marked also the first occasion when Italian men and women par- ticipated equally in a democ- ratic vote. Today, in 2023, many things have changed, amid a complex process of m o d e r n i z a t i o n i n I t a l i a n S o c i e t y . " A c h a n g e I a m p r o u d t o s h a r e w i t h y o u tonight is the inspiring coin- cidence of the first woman Prime Minister, Honorable Giorgia Meloni, and the first female Italian Ambassador to the United States, Marian- gela Zappia, both of whom I had the privilege to work with," Consul Valentini con- tinues; "I mention them with pride, as a symbol and inspi- ration for all young girls, Ital- ians and Americans, dream- i n g o f b r e a k i n g t h e g l a s s ceilings, which are still so numerous." To this end, the celebra- tion obtained the support and participation of Italian excellences operating in this reality: from IGT to Ferrari, from Essilor Luxottica to I T A A i r w a y s , f r o m C o n - sorzio Parmigiano Reggiano to Franciacorta, from Fer- rero to Caffé Vergnano, just t o n a m e a f e w o f t h e 3 1 sponsors. The event had also the participation of Italian researchers and scientists from JPL-NASA, who pre- The Italian Republic Day in LA, between tradition and innovation SILVIA NITTOLI From left, ICE Director Alessandra Rainaldi, IIC Director Emanuele Amendola, Consul General Raffaella Valentini and Consul Lorenza Errighi (Photo: Lorenzo Diego) Continued to page 6 LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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