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“America freed Italy, and the last, as
President George W. Bush stated, has contributed to make America great.
We do not have to be afraid of a competition between Europe and the
United States; on the contrary, the union between these two important
forces is a great chance to cooperate to achieve important economic,
cultural, social and above all peaceful objectives.” These words of
Dr. Ernesto Carpintieri, President of the European Academy for
Economic and Cultural Relations, defined our determined commitment to
approach these two continents. This new endeavor which started about
two years ago has begun a new and important chapter in October 2003.
PHILADELPHIA
A.E.R.E.C.’s district of Pennsylvania is governed by Amato L. Berardi,
a very active and successful representative of the local Italian
community, who is committed to fostering Italian-American cooperation.
On October 22, 2003,
 he
organized a reception at Drexel University in Philadelphia, honoring
A.E.R.E.C.’s delegation and a group of representatives of the Region
of Molise. On this occasion, the Consul General of Italy in
Philadelphia H.E. Lorenzo Mott and the governor of Molise Hon. Michele
Iorio joined the A.E.R.E.C.’s Academic Senate. Mr. Chuck Pennoni (Chairman
of the Board and Founder of Pennoni & Associates), Mr. Anthony Di
Sandro (President of First Penn Bank), Mr. Joseph Cascerceri (Senior
Vice President of Drexel University), the Hon. Ronald Donatucci (Register
of Wills), Dr. Pasquale Nestico (President of Filitalia National), Mr.
Fernando Raucci (conductor) Mr. Enzo Pontarelli (Counselor of the
Molise Region), Mr. Matthew DiDomenico (Vice President of NIAF), Cav.
Vincenzo Centofanti (Counselor of the General Counsel of Italians
abroad) and Mr. Ernesto Denofa
 (Ambassador
of the Team Pennsylvania Foundation) became members of the Academy.
The International Award “Italiani Operosi nel Mondo” (Industrious
Italians in the world), instituted by the National Body for the
Development of Commerce, Industry and Handicraft, which A.E.R.E.C. is
a part of, was conferred upon Mr. Fabrizio Maria Cortese (television
author) and Mr. Alfredo Orlando (Journalist).
In the afternoon, Amato L. Berardi organized a reception honoring,
Mrs. Renee Amoore, a renowned entrepreneur and member of the European
Academy for Economic and Cultural Relations. On this occasion Mr.
Berardi presented A.E.R.E.C. and its activities to a group of very
distinguished individuals including; Mr. Frank Gillihan, Mr. Joseph
Pellecchia, Mr. Tonino Perna, Dr. Pierantonio Russo (Chief of
Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Missouri), Mr. Nick De
Benedictis (President of Philadelphia Suburban Water Company), Mr.
Pasquale Deon and Mr. Aldo Lamberti (owner of the Lamberti Italian
restaurants). These individuals all became members of the Academy. The
International Award “Donna di Successo” (successful woman) was
conferred upon Ms. Rebecca Matthias (President of Mothers Work, Inc.)
and Ms. Carol Tamburino (renowned builder and entrepreneur), while the
award “Italiani operosi nel mondo” was consigned to Mr. Peter
Ciarrocchi (owner of Chickie’s and Pete’s) and to Mr. Dominic
Cipollini (Owner of Keystone Signs Comp.).
The day after, we met and had lunch at the Union League of
Philadelphia, the most exclusive and renowned Club of Philadelphia,
the delegation met Anna Verna, President of the City Council of
Philadelphia who joined the Academy with enthusiasm followed by the
attorney Mr. Dante Mattioni.
The delegation was also received by the
Consul General of Italy Lorenzo Mott. The meeting was held in order to
study carefully the opportunities which are very important for
A.E.R.E.C.’s Commission for International Affairs concerning the
internationalization of Italian business and the International
cooperation. The Consul illustrated the possibilities in Philadelphia
and in Pennsylvania and declared his availability in assisting those
Academicians who are interested in making business in Pennsylvania.
WASHINGTON
On October, 24 the delegation arrived in Washington.
Their first appointment was with the Director of the Italian Cultural
Institute Dr. Martin Stiglio who illustrated the activities of the
Institute in representing and divulging the Italian culture in
Washington. In fact, its premises housed at that moment an exhibition
of Italian artists. He also expressed his interest in co-operating
with our Academy with which he has been in contact for more than a
year.
In the evening the Presidents participated in a private reception at
the residence of the Italian Ambassador H.E. Sergio Vento where they
met several representatives of the National Italian American
Foundation and of the Italian diplomatic and politic society.
On Saturday, finally the special event AEREC’s representatives came
for to Washington: the annual NIAF Gala Convention. Once again, they
were impressed by the quantity of distinguished individuals coming
from every part of the United States and from Italy and pleased to
meet old acquaintances. This year the Italian honorees were the
President of the Italian Chamber Pierferdinando Casini and the actor
Roberto Benigni who performed with a long address in English exciting
enthusiasm and amusement among the present.
 The morning
after, the Presidents accompanied by the Governor of Molise Michele
Iorio, the counselor Enzo Pontarelli and the President of AEREC’s
district of Philadelphia Amato Berardi met once again the Ambassador
Sergio Vento at his private residence in order to discuss economic and
diplomatic co-operation. On this occasion, His Excellency who
expressed high appreciation and interest for the activities and
achievements of our Academy joined officially the Academic Senate.
New York
October 27, Academic Convocation at the Italian Cultural
Institute.
The Vice Director Melita Palestini welcomed the participants: “It is
an honor for us to receive the European Academy for Economic and
Cultural Relations many representatives of the Italian entrepreneurial,
commercial, cultural and political societies are member of and which
aggregates and keeps them united in common projects. I also notice
that there is a representative of the Italian beauty (Carmelina
Berardi, editor’s note), so we can say that the representation is
complete in every field. We are very happy also because the function
of our Institute is to divulge the Italian language and culture but in
our commitment we also need the support of the commercial, industrial
and entrepreneurial sectors. Only in this way, Italy will be able to
continue to represent abroad the image it has actually today: a
country which is completely different from what it was during
immigration in the United States, that is to say poor with many social
and economic difficulties. Today the United States import much from
Italy in the commercial and industrial as well as cultural sector. I
have lived in New York for few months coming from Sao Paolo where I
directed the Italian Cultural Institute in Brazil, but I noticed that
our language as well as our culture are very loved by the Americans to
such an extent that among the many languages here our one is only
second to Spanish, for not much, topping French. The Italians and
Italy are extremely appreciated and respected in this country and this
moment is favorable also for the Academy for the ever-growing
divulgation of the qualities of Italy.”
The importance of the combination commerce-culture was also at the
center of the address of Dr. Roberto Luongo, Director of the Italian
Trade Commission: “Italy is so well-known in the United States quite
thanks to this combination which allowed us to gain success, i.e. 14
billions of commercial surplus with the United States. We are present
here with fashion, furnishing, wine and food but also with the great
brands and cars, without considering the technological sector and the
massive presence of scientists. As to the technological sector, I
discovered with surprise during a workshop that Camozzi, a company of
Brescia, has purchased an important American company of the sector.
For our parts, we have been committed to the divulgation of the
Italian culture and economy in the United States co-operating with the
Consulate General, with the Italian Cultural Institute and, for some
time, also with the European Academy for Economic and Cultural
Relations.”
Dr. Bartolomucci, commercial executive of the permanent mission of
Italy to the United Nations, represented the Italian Ambassador to the
United Nations, H.E. Marcello Spatafora, who in these hours was
engaged together with the Consul General in New York Antonio Bandini
to the visit of the President of the Italian Chamber in the United
States. “In the foregoing speeches I heard about internationalization
of business. I wish to remember the potential exporters of Italian
products here present that there are various opportunities to
establish oneself in this country offered for this purpose by the
channels of the Chambers of Commerce and by the Italian Trade
Commission. As my commercial office at the United Nations is concerned,
we are committed to two important projects: the UNO program “Oil for
food” and the “Procurement”. As you might know, the UNO resolution 671
had imposed economic sanctions to IRAQ prohibiting to export goods. My
office, on the basis of the following resolution 986, allowed Iraq to
sell oil in exchange for the purchase of pharmaceutical products and
of spare parts for the oil industry. 3,4 billions of barrels of crude
oil corresponding to 63 billions Dollars have been sold. These figures
were controlled by our office as the program provided that all Italian
companies that contracted orders from Iraq had to pass by our office.
Italy filled 1712 orders for 1800 billions of Dollars. The other
project “Procurement” concerns the commercial relations with UNO: in
this case Italy holds the 2° place after the United States with 182
billions of Dollars.”
In his address, President Carpintieri thanked first of all Dr.
Palestini for her hospitality, the other authorities present and the
Academicians who joined the convention from Italy in order to welcome
the new members of our Institution. He cited the fundamental phases of
the Academy and reassumed the general purposes and objects stressing
the relation with the United States: “The Academy initially was
founded to unite European individuals; then we met great interest in
the Italians towards the United States and vice versa, so that we
decided to widen our sphere of action in a moment in which the
brotherhood between the two countries was very strong and we have the
intention to strengthen it still further with our contribution. This
is the reason why we welcome with joy American individuals who
distinguished themselves with intellect and professional competence.”
President Carpintieri thanked to Amato Berardi, reassuming shortly the
most important events of AEREC’s mission in the United States. At last,
he remembered the humanitarian projects of the Academy: “I talked
about AEREC’s commitment to foster business among its members but the
humanitarian objects around the world of its department Missione
Futuro Onlus are not less important. We can’t assist unmoved the death
of someone in the world. We ourselves have to thank the African
children because they make us feel stronger and worthier of being
called human beings.”
The neo Academicians that joined the Academy on October 27 were John
D. Bonanno, renowned plastic surgeon and major shareholder of an
important computer industry, Anthony T. Catanese, President of
Northstar Aviation, pilot and patent holder in the aviation sector,
Carmen DiRienzo, attorney at law and Vice President of Thirteen/WNET,
one of the most followed national television channels, Raffaele
Petrilli, builder and entrepreneur in the oil and investment banking
sector, Patricia Santangelo, editor and President of an advertising
company, Vittorio Barranca, industrialist in the agroindustrial and
coffee sector.
The International award “Donna di successo” (successful woman) which
is conceded to a narrow circle of women who achieved success in the
professional and cultural field, was conferred upon Annamaria Mandara,
renowned designer e producer of famous labels, and upon our
Academician Yvonne Lodico, attorney at law and UNO counselor. The
special award, sponsored by the homonymous newspaper, “Primavisione
cinematografica” was conferred upon Carmelina Berardi for having
represented the Italian beauty at “Miss Mondo Italia 2003”.
A gala dinner at the Italian restaurant VIVOLO, one of the most
renowned in New York, concluded this Academic Convocation and also
AEREC’s most recent mission in the United States with a doubtless
positive outcome that testifies the recognition of the Academy on
behalf of the most prestigious Italian representations in the United
States and which opens many doors for the important projects AEREC
will organize in the future.
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