National News

The Italian Heritage & Culture Committee of New York has chosen “Michelangelo, An Italian Genius” as its annual theme, in celebration of the 550th anniversary of the birth of the Renaissance master. For the rest of the year, the IHCC-NY will host, coordinate and publicize theme-related presentations, symposiums, exhibits, seminars, a student essay contest, proclamations at every level of government, and assorted tributes. Informational material including posters, bookmarks and booklets will be distributed free of charge to educational, cultural and public institutions. Founded in 1976, the IHCC-NY is a volunteer group of community leaders dedicated to promoting, presenting and preserving …

The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court unanimously ruled 7-0 that former Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney didn’t have the power four years ago to replace Columbus Day as an official city holiday with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The court found that former Mayor Kenney violated the city charter. “The power to establish, change or eliminate official city holidays is essentially a legislative power,” Judge Patricia McCullough wrote in a unanimous 21-page opinion. “This unanimous decision affirms both the rule of law and the value of our Italian American heritage,” declared George Bochetto, national counsel for the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations …

The National Italian American Foundation and Aspen Institute Italia have signed an agreement aimed at promoting and strengthening relations between the United States and Italy. Titled “USA and Italy: Common History, Common Values, Common Future,” the three-year partnership will feature a series of meetings on economic, institutional and values-based themes to be held alternately in Italy and the United States. Aspen Institute Italia and NIAF will collaborate to determine the format, agenda and organizational structure for each event. The agreement was penned at the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C., by NIAF President and CEO Robert Allegrini and Aspen Institute Ex …

Robert M. Ferrito, national president of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America’s Commission for Social Justice, sent a letter of thanks to Nevada Governor Joseph Lombardo, who vetoed a bill that would have formally replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in the state’s calendar. “We believe in diversity and tolerance by addition, not by subtraction or substitution,” Ferrito wrote. “We urge you to continue supporting Italian Americans and our heritage in this battle that has been unjustly thrust upon us, and we also urge and fully support you to recognize the contributions Native Americans made to …

The Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum is backing five budding directors whose films bring to life stories of family memories, immigrant dreams, Hollywood stereotypes and a surreal quest for the perfect plate of pasta. Maky Rupert, director of “St. Joseph”; Katerina Munis, director of “Tiramisu”; Michael Mastronardi, director of “Forgotten Flavors”; Adriano Valentini, director of “Pasta di Niente”; and Luke Salvatore Petronella, director of “Luigi Lookalike,” will receive $10,000 grants to produce their films. Once the films are completed, a selection committee will choose one winner to receive an additional $10,000 and a spot in the AGBO Storytellers Collective, …