Celebrating National Italian American heritage month with free Italian language classes in Orange County

Sponsor: The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)

When: Saturday afternoons in October beginning October 2, 2010

Where: St. Andrew’s Center in Orange County, Calif. Media

Contacts: Elissa Ruffino, 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org Natasha Borato, 202/939/3116 or natasha@niaf.org

Program Contact: Riccardo Skeem, 202/939-3107 or rskeem@niaf.org

To celebrate National Italian American Heritage Month, the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is hosting a series of five beginner Italian language classes taught by Italian teachers at the St. Andrew’s Center in Orange County, Calif. Participants must register to receive class details. To register, visit www.niaf.org/october. Space is limited and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

The language classes are free and open to the public. The language classes are free and open to the public. Interested in online Italian language courses, go to http://www.arnix.it/agreements/niaf.php. The year 2010 marks the 21st anniversary of the 1989 proclamation by President George H. W. Bush designating October as National Italian American Heritage Month.

According to the United States Census 2000, California has a popu- lation of 1,450,884 Italian Americans, 4.3 percent of the population.