Italian Ambassador to the United States, Giovanni Castellaneta, and newly appointed Consul General in Los Angeles, Nicola Faganello, visit San Diego

On Tuesday, August 21, a gala reception to honor the Italian Ambassador to the US, Giovanni Castellaneta was held at Salvatore’s Restaurant. The reception was attended by about 100 leaders of the Italian American community of San Diego as well as Nicola Faganello, the new Consul General in Los Angeles. Castellaneta was introduced by the Honorary Consul to San Diego, Roberto Ruocco.

The Ambassador spoke of the millions of Italians who left their homeland to seek opportunity in the US. Of how these immigrants helped build this great country and how the descendants of these immigrants, including many of those that attended the reception, are now, in a sense, discovering Italy. These descendants are traveling to Italy, and are studying Italian at the Italian Community Center, in Little Italy, UCSD, SD State, and elsewhere. Surprisingly, quite a few are now seeking dual United States-Italy citizenship.

Consul General Nicola Faganello spoke about the dynamic Italian American Community in San Diego.
There were many leaders of this Community in attendance: Richard Tomasello, President of the House of Italy, and Laura Bianconcini, President of the Italian Community Center. Others included Tom Cesarini, Director of Convivio, James Hills president of the Italian American Civic Association, Checchino Masullo, President of the Sons of Italy, and Bernadette Tarantino, President of Trinacria.

Victor Laruccia, representing Cinema Sud--spoke informally of another sign that the community of Italian Americans is coming together—the First Italian Film Festival of San Diego. The festival, named Cinema Sud, consists of a series of 13 films, provided by the Italian government, through the Consulate in Los Angeles. The films were made in the southern regions of Italy, the areas where most of the immigrants to the US originated—Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicilia, and Sardegna. In addition to the films there will be two conferences and a gala dinner and screening.

The films, all free except on gala night, will be shown at the beautiful theatre of the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park, San Diego in October. See www.cinemasud.com for details.
Joseph Annino

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