Video credit: Janet Donovan
In between the gelato, limoncello, rigatoni and mozzarella, 2300 guests poured into the Italian Embassy to celebrate all things Italian.
“Today we celebrate Italy’s National Day and the 67th Anniversary of the Republic,” said Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero.
“Always a joyful and meaningful event; an event we feel most keenly, and proudly, both at home and abroad.
As the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, said on June 2nd, our National Day, [and I quote]: “on this Anniversary, Italy must project an image of dignity, self-awareness and constructive will” (..) in “our conviction that we will overcome present difficulties.
Laura Bisogniero, Nancy Pelosi, Claudio Bisogniero
This day offers us also another welcome opportunity: to celebrate the solid friendship that exists between the United States and Italy. …a relationship founded on the presence in this country of over 25 million Americans of Italian origin and more than 200,000 Italians who call the US their home….Italians and Italian-Americans who have helped make this country the great Nation that it is today.
This provides us with a unique window of opportunity to showcase our culture – as we are doing with our initiative “2013 – Year of Italian Culture in the United States”
