“Action is needed now. Together we can make a difference.” (Remarks by Claudio Bisogniero, Italy’s Ambassador to the US, in a video-message at the Italian Athletic Club of San Francisco on Feb. 13)
February 13 was an unforgettable day for the Italian community in the Bay Area. They paid heed to our cry for support to the Italian language launched in the past weeks. In three separate events in San Francisco they came together to proclaim their commitment for the bella lingua and to donate generously for a turnaround in the teaching of Italian in Northern California. Ambassador Bisogniero joined us with video-messages from Washington DC covered with snow, as his flights were cancelled. Mayor Lee honored us with his presence and publicly stated his commitment. Top Silicon Valley executives presented us with big donations. In Italian we say: Il buon giorno si vede dal mattino, that is “you can see from the morning how good a day will turn out to be.” Judging from this start, there’s no doubt that our campaign for Italian will turn out to be a success!
(Mayor Lee addressing the Italian Athletic Club in San Francisco, North Beach between Italian Carabinieri in uniform)
220 Italians and Italian Americans joined the luncheon organized by the Italian Athletic Club and La Scintilla at the Club in Washington Square. Angela Alioto was the beloved Master of Ceremony, many key Italian American Associations of the Bay were represented by their Presidents. Mayor Ed Lee was escorted to the podium by our Carabinieri. I may need you guys when I go talk to the Board of Supervisors, he quipped, noting their imposing presence. In his video message Ambassador Bisogniero thanked him for his incredible support to the Italians in the City throughout the Year of Italian Culture 2013. He said Italians don’t have to rest on their laurels now, as “every year is the year of Italian culture.” The teaching of Italian is declining in Northern California although children would like to learn it. It is the responsibility of the Italian community to get together and take action now, by supporting the “Adopt an Italian Language Student” campaign. Mayor Lee said that ethnic and linguistic diversity is what makes San Francisco San Francisco. That’s why everybody wants to live here!, he noted. He said he will support the Italians in their campaign. The City, he also added, is contributing to the project of Piazza San Francisco near the Shrine of St. Francis. Grazie caro Sindaco!
During the event, Italian Community Services, the Italian Athletic Club and the Italian Athletic Club Foundation gave Comites of San Francisco, which is collecting the funds for Italian, very generous donations. Valeria Barbero told the audience what the new task force for the promotion of AP Italian is planning to undertake.
(Stephen Luczo of Seagate in a picture with the Mayor of Cammarata, in Sicily, where his grandmother Rosalia comes from).
In the evening, 90 distinguished Italian entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley gathered for a special gala dinner, followed by a preview of Eduardo de Filippo’s Napoli Milionaria at the American Conservatory Theater. Most of the big Italian names of the high-tech world and a few Italophiles were gathered in the room – each of them had donated generously for the cause of Italian. Aldo Cocchiglia of M31 USA was the main sponsor. The inventor of the microprocessor Federico Faggin was there with his wife Elvia, the founders of Logitech Pierluigi Zappacosta and Giacomo Marini joined us with their wives (Enrica D’Ettorre, Pierluigi’s wife, is also a top executive). In the room sat also, among others, Paul Matteucci, Rick Belluzzo, Mario Rosati, Carlo di Ruocco (founder of Mr. Espresso), author of “Sins and CEOs” Richard Moran, Antonio Valla, Matteo Daste, Claudio Tarchi, Lucio Gomiero, Jeff Capaccio, Dennis Donohue, Flavio Bonomi; Grazia Bennett and Permira’s Nic Volpe. Stephen Luczo of Seagate was with his small kids at home, in bed with a flu, but he honored us with the stunning gift of a $ 100,000 check. Jaws dropped in admiration and gratitude. What a shining example of an American of Italian descent who want to give back to his own homeland!
La Scuola Internazionale di San Francisco was repeatedly praised by Ambassador Bisogniero, as well as their leaders Valentina Imbeni, Director, and Claudia Volpi, President of the Board. They are expanding into an International Baccalaureate k-12 program, with a new facility to be opened in the September 2014 in the building of the old Sacred Heart Grammar School on Fell Street. On February 13, board members and friends of La Scuola gathered to celebrate their achievements and plan for the future. Their benefit gala will take place on March 8th: do no miss it. La Scuola is a sign of how the commitment and the leadership of the Italian community can actively promote Italian culture and bring it back to center-stage in San Francisco. Bravissimi.