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PRESIDENT BUSH, PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI
SALUTE SONS OF ITALY;
REAFFIRM STRONG US-ITALY ALLIANCE
IN WAR ON TERRORISM
Press
Contact: Kylie Cafiero, (202) 547-2900 kcafiero@osia.org
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2004
President
George W. Bush and Italy's Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi praised Italian Americans, the Sons
of Italy and the strong alliance between Italy
and the United States during the Sons of Italy
Foundation (SIF) gala, May 19 in Washington,
D.C.
The evening marked the first time a sitting
U.S. president and a prime minister of Italy
attended a major non-profit event in America
together. They came for the 16th anniversary
of the SIF’s National Education & Leadership
Awards (NELA) Gala held this year at the Grand
Hyatt Hotel.
Addressing the military efforts of
Italy and the U.S. in Iraq, President Bush said, "At
this crucial moment in history, America and Italy
are standing together as proud friends and strong
allies in the cause of freedom."
"We will not be intimated by thugs and assassins.
We will win this essential victory in the war
on terror," he told an enthusiastic audience
of 900 guests who gave him three a long, standing
ovations during his speech.
The President also
commented on the contributions of Mother Frances
Cabrini, Marine Sgt. John Basilone and former
New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia, among others.
They and millions of Italian Americans like them "brought
to our country strength of character, a deep
faith in God, love of family and an appreciation
of freedom. Without question, America is a better place for the influence of
the sons and daughters of Italy," he said.
 In another historic first that evening,
Prime Minister Berlusconi received the first Sons of Italy International Man
of Courage award for his support of the U.S. in its war against terrorism. It
was presented by SIF President Paul Polo and OSIA National President Joseph Sciame.
Mr.
Berlusconi spoke in Italian with his remarks simultaneously translated for the
guests who were all supplied with headsets. He began by expressing gratitude
to the U.S. for the sacrifice of young American military in World War II "that
saved the world from totalitarianism." He said that thanks to the post-war U.S.
Marshall Plan, Italy was able to rebuild itself, becoming the sixth most important
economic leader in the world today.
The presence of 3,000 Italian troops in Iraq
makes Italy is the third nation after the U.S. and Great Britain to have the
most troops in that war-torn country. "We
have the duty to assume our share of responsibility to help the weaker people
in the world," Berlusconi said.
 The prime minister praised the Sons of Italy for
its efforts to promote the study of Italian in American schools and thanked its
members "for what you are
doing in America." He said that normally he does not accept awards, but has
made two recent exceptions to his rule. One was the Distinguished Statesman Award
which he received last year from the Jewish Anti-Defamation League. The other
was this evening's SIF award, which he dedicated "to all the Italian soldiers
who are fighting in Iraq."
In addition to Mr. Berlusconi, this year’s honorees
were Joseph J. Grano, chairman of UBS Financial Services; Frances
M. Visco, Esq.,
president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and John J. DeGioia,
Ph.D.,
president of Georgetown University.
The event helped the SIF raise nearly one
million dollars for scholarships, medical research, disaster relief and cultural
programs. Since 1959, the SIF has given more than $87 million to these causes.
Dinner
chairmen were Charles Gargano, who heads the Empire State Development
Corporation and Robert F. Corrao, chairman and CEO of Sports
Impact, Inc. The evening's hosts were Paul S. Polo and Joseph
Sciame, respectively the president and chairman
of the Sons of Italy Foundation.
 U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the House
Minority Leader was a guest speaker. She noted that her parents used to take
her to their Sons of Italy lodge meetings when she was a child. "As Italian
Americans, we were raised to be patriotic and proud of our heritage," she said.
Other
guests included the U.S. ambassador to Italy Mel Sembler; Italy's
ambassador to the U.S. Sergio Vento; AIDS researcher and former
NELA honoree, Anthony
Fauci, M.D.; labor leaders Martin Maddaloni and John
Sweeney; Terry McAuliffe, chair
of the Democratic National Committee; Undersecretary of State Pat de
Stacy Harrison;
Lee Jones of the College Board; James Zogby of
the Arab American Institute; and
Gordon Mansfield, deputy secretary of the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
From the Congress, guests included U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro(D-CT); Nick
Lampson (D-TX); John Larson (D-CT); and U.S. Senators Joseph
Lieberman(D-CT); Rick Santorum (R-PA); and Patrick
Tiberi (R-OH) well as leaders from
business and the arts.
Among the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) supporters
were members and officers from the Grand Lodges of California, Florida, Massachusetts,
Maryland, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania;
members of several filial lodges including the George Washington Lodge
#2038 and the Italia Mia
Lodge #2796 both of Virginia;
as well as members of the OSIA national executive board.
Master of Ceremonies
was Chuck Conconi, Editor-at-Large at Washingtonian magazine.
Tenor Michael
Amanteand the troupe "100 Years of Broadway" performed
and the very Rev. David M. O'Connell, president of the Catholic
University of America, gave the benediction. Among the event's main sponsors
were Alitalia, Banfi Vintners and UBS Financial Services.
The SIF is the philanthropic
arm of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), the largest and oldest national
organization for men and women of Italian heritage in the United States. Italian
Americans are the nation’s fifth largest ethnic
group, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
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