L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano T h e C o n s u l a t e General of Italy in Los Angeles, i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e l o c a l institutions of the Sistema Italia (Italian Cultural Insti- tute, Italian Trade Agency, IACCW, ENIT), celebrated the seventy-ninth anniversary of the Italian Republic with a glamorous event high above Beverly Hills, set against the refined backdrop of the pres- tigious Casa Lago estate. More than 500 guests gath- e r e d f o r t h e c e l e b r a t i o n , including prominent mem- bers of the Italian and Italian- American community in Los Angeles and Southern Cali- fornia. Guests were welcomed by the Consul General of Italy, Raffaella Valentini, and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, the evening's guest of honor, who proudly paid tribute to his Ischian roots. "A special thanks for being here, also to my friends and colleagues, Consuls General based in Los Angeles, repre- senting the third largest con- sular corps in the world after New York and Hong Kong," o p e n e d C o n s u l V a l e n t i n i . "Seventy-nine years ago, on J u n e 2 n d , 1 9 4 6 , a f t e r t h e ashes of World War II had settled, the Italian people made a bold and defining choice: they chose to become a Republic. It was a declara- tion not only of political iden- tity but of hope – hope in d e m o c r a c y , i n a f u t u r e shaped by the people, in free- dom." Quoting one of Italy's founding fathers, she contin- u e d : " P i e t r o C a l a m a n d r e i c a p t u r e d t h i s s e n t i m e n t b e a u t i f u l l y w h e n h e s a i d , 'Freedom is like air. You realize how precious it is only when it begins to be m i s s i n g . ' T h a t l e s s o n endures tonight as we cele- brate the rebirth from silence to voice, from oppression to participation. We honor not just our past, but our duty to protect these values—in Italy, i n E u r o p e , i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , a n d a r o u n d t h e world." Jimmy Kimmel, whose f a m i l y h a i l s f r o m I s c h i a , brought humor and heart to the occasion. "This is, in case y o u d o n ' t k n o w , t h e 7 9 t h anniversary of the Italian Republic, and I'm proud to be a new member of it. Just g o t c i t i z e n s h i p ! " h e a n n o u n c e d . " M y b e l o v e d grandmother, Edith, used to say to me, 'Hai il cervello di u n c r i c e t o . ' I d o n ' t k n o w what it means, but she said it t o m e a l l t h e t i m e , " h e laughed. Kimmel expressed h e a r t f e l t g r a t i t u d e t o t h e Consulate: "I was fortunate enough to meet our wonder- ful friends from the Italian consulate – Raffaella, Loren- z a , a n d E m a n u e l a – w h o helped make our dream of becoming Italian citizens come true." Reflecting on his h e r i t a g e , h e a d d e d , " M y grandfather's family is from I s c h i a . H i s n a m e w a s S a l Iacono. His parents, Vincen- zo Iacono and Maria Lom- bardi, left their town Casam- icciola after an earthquake in 1 8 8 3 k i l l e d m o s t o f t h e i r family. Now we've moved to Los Angeles, a town also con- stantly threatened by earth- quakes. One thing about our family, we never learn our lessons." He concluded on a tender note: "We love Italy, we love Italian people, and now we are Italian people. We are honored to be here celebrating this 79th anniver- sary with you." T h e e v e n i n g a l s o w e l - comed notable figures from local institutions, entertain- m e n t , b u s i n e s s , s c i e n c e , sports, and culture. Among them was Hon. Christian Di Sanzo, the Italian parlia- mentary representative for North and Central America, who delivered a stirring mes- sage of solidarity. "I chose to be here today to show my support for the Italian com- munity, especially this year, after the fires that impacted many. The Italian communi- ty in Los Angeles is one of the largest in the US, and some- times we forget it. I think traffic keeps us apart," he joked. "As a member of Par- liament, I want to ensure that Italy sees you, sees the efforts you make to preserve our heritage." Reflecting on the significance of the day, Di Sanzo noted, "Today is the 79th anniversary of the Ital- i a n R e p u b l i c , a h i s t o r i c moment when Italians were g i v e n a c h o i c e b e t w e e n monarchy and republic. And they chose democracy. It was also the first time Italian women could vote." He urged the community never to take that choice for granted: "We honor the lives lost in the struggle that led to June 2, 1946. We must commit our- selves daily to the values of democracy." He concluded: "Today, we celebrate not only o u r c o u n t r y b u t a l s o t h e a c h i e v e m e n t s o f I t a l i a n s around the world—including right here in Los Angeles. We a r e p r o u d o f w h o w e a r e , where we came from, and how far we've come." After the institutional cer- e m o n y , g u e s t s e n j o y e d a fashion show by the Italian brand Genny, which has a boutique in Beverly Hills. Culinary excellence was on full display, with Eataly lead- ing the catering, showcasing Italy's rich food and wine heritage. Signature drinks flowed, courtesy of Aperol Spritz, Campari, and Ferrari Trento bubbles. Wines were o f f e r e d b y G a e t a n o d ' A c - quino, a historic Italian wine importer in Los Angeles. A s w e e t f i n i s h c a m e f r o m Patrizia Pasqualetti's arti- sanal gelato. The glamour d i d n ' t s t o p t h e r e — L a m - borghini, a sponsor of the celebration, exhibited its sleek new models alongside T r i c o l o r e V e s p a s a n d a n iconic MV Agusta motorcy- cle, adding a touch of Italian horsepower to the evening. The event was made possible thanks to a wide network of sponsors, including Eagle Productions, Essilor Luxotti- ca, Florim, ITA Airways, Ital- ian Heritage Foundation, Landi Technologies, Leonar- do, Muse Capital, Panorama, and K Productions, as well as the dedicated support of the Little Italy of Los Angeles Association (LILAA). SILVIA NITTOLI From the left: Giosafat Riganò, director of ICE; Consul Lorenza Errighi; Consul General Raffaella Valentini; Bryan Alessi, Jimmy Kimmel; and Emanuele Amendola, Director IIC LA (Photo: James Rivas) Jimmy Kimmel joins LA's Italian community to celebrate Republic Day Consul General Raffaella Valentini addresses the public (Photo: James Rivas) LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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