Articles by: Giulio Terzi

  • Farewell to All the Italians in America


     Fellow Italians, I bid you and the United States farewell as I continue, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, my service for the Government and go represent my country with the pride I have often seen in the facial expressions and I have often heard in the words of all the Italians in America.

     
    At this time I warmly salute you all: the Italian-American community, the elected representatives in the United States, the associations that have sustained the activities of the Embassy in Washington and its consular net with great diligence, and all the friends of Italy.
     
    I tackle this new appointment with gratitude for the trust the President of Italy and the Prime Minister have in me, knowing that, by acting as a Minister of the Republic, I will always be able to count on the extraordinary heritage of friendship, historical, cultural, economic and human ties between Italy and the United States. Those ties that the Italian-American community represents at its best.


     
     
    We have accomplished a lot together. I cherish two specific memories: the celebrations held in the past months for the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, sealed by President’s Obama proclamation on March 17th, and most of all by President Napolitano’s visit to celebrate with you “Italy’s birthday”; and the return of the Advanced Placement program and of courses of Italian in American classes. A heritage, I am certain, the Italian-American community will continue to help grow, supporting, as always, all the activities started in the last months. Goodbye
  • Arte e Cultura

    La nostra comunità, la nostra lingua: il ruolo degli italiani d'America


    Quest'anno ha consacrato ottobre come “Italian Heritage Month” negli USA. A Washington, Camera e Senato hanno gia’ in agenda la proposta, grazie a un’iniziativa della comunita' italo-americana sostenuta dall'Ambasciata. Il Presidente Obama, nel chiedersi “cosa sarebbe l’America senza i contributi dell’Italia e degli italo-americani”, si e’ detto onorato di celebrare l’Italian American Heritage Month insieme ai 150 anni dell’unificazione dell’Italia.
    Sono attestazioni di amicizia straordinarie perche’ vengono dalle piu’ alte Istituzioni e perche’ si accompagnano alla partecipazione popolare senza precedenti che in tutti gli Stati Uniti ha caratterizzato le iniziative di queste settimane. E’ ancora forte il ricordo delle decine di migliaia di persone sulla Quinta Strada a New York per il Columbus Day. E analoghi sentimenti di orgoglio e soddisfazione mi sono stati riportati dai nostri Consoli che in questi mesi hanno organizzato gli oltre 130 eventi di Italy@150.

     
    E’ a questo orgoglio italiano che faccio appello nel chiedere alla comunita’ italo-americana negli USA di sostenere ancora una volta l’azione del Governo italiano per diffondere l’insegnamento della nostra lingua nelle scuole americane a un anno dall’accordo che, grazie al vostro contributo, ha riportato l’italiano nel programma Advanced Placement.
    Abbiamo creato le premesse facendo del 2011 un anno tutto italiano negli USA, segnato da passaggi altamente significativi, come il proclama del Presidente Obama per il “compleanno dell’Italia” il 17 marzo e la visita a New York del Presidente Napolitano. Abbiamo nuovi strumenti per portare l’italiano piu’ vicino ai giovani, e giovanissimi, americani anche attraverso i social network: da qualche mese e’ attivo il sito www.usspeaksitalian.org, un foro di discussione creato dall’Osservatorio sulla Lingua Italiana per studenti, famiglie e insegnanti; abbiamo lanciato il portale Italy4Kids, per far conoscere di piu’ l’Italia, la sua lingua e la sua cultura anche ai piu’ piccoli.

     
    Adesso abbiamo bisogno di voi: parlate, incontrate, spiegate le opportunita’ che l’italiano offre agli studenti; chiedete a presidi, insegnanti, genitori delle vostre scuole di conoscere l’AP Italian e i suoi vantaggi, utilizzando informazioni e contatti contenuti nella brochure preparata per l’avvio dei corsi a settembre.

     
    Parliamo italiano e parliamo dell’italiano.
    (*) Ambasciatore d’Italia a Washington
     
  • Facts & Stories

    Our Community, Our Language: What Italian Americans Can Do


    This year has turned October into the Italian Heritage Month in the United States. In Washington, the House and the Senate have submitted a resolution to this effect in response to an initiative put forward by the Italian-American community with the support of the Embassy. President Obama, in asking “what would America be without the contributions of Italy and Italian Americans,” said he was proud to celebrate Italian American Heritage Month as well as the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification.

     
    They are affirmations of an extraordinary friendship. They come from the highest of authorities and match the unprecedented public participation throughout the United States in the events of recent weeks. I still have vivid memory of the tens of thousands of people along 5th Avenue in New York on Columbus Day. I received reports of similar manifestations of pride and satisfaction from our Consuls that organized over 130 events for Italy@150.
     
    I am calling on this very Italian pride when I ask the Italian-American community in the United States to once again support the Italian government’s efforts to disseminate the teaching of our language in American schools one year after we signed the agreement which,  thanks to your contribution,  reinstated Italian in the Advanced Placement program.
     
    We set the scene by making 2011 an all Italian year in the United States marked by very significant moments such as President Obama’s proclamation for “Italy’s birthday” on March 17 and President Napolitano’s visit to New York.  We have new tools to bring Italian closer to young Americans also through social networks: the website www.usspeaksitalian.org, a forum for discussion created by the Osservatorio sulla Lingua Italiana for students, families, and teachers has been active for several months now; we launched a portal, Italy4Kids, so  that children and young people can learn more about Italy, its language,  and its culture.
     
    Now we need you: get together, talk, discuss the opportunities that learning Italian offers; tell your school’s principals, teachers, and parents to learn more about Advanced Placement Program (AP) Italian and its advantages, using the information and the contacts in the brochure that has been prepared for the introduction of courses in September.
     
    Let’s speak Italian and let’s talk about it.
     
     
    (*) Ambassador of Italy to Washington. Minister of Foreign Affairs since Nov 16, 2011.