by Anthony J. Tamburri

This past summer New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio returned to his maternal family roots in Italy. The Mayor's grandparents immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s: his grandmother Anna Briganti was from Grassano (Basilicata, Matera Province), and his grandfather Giovanni De Blasio from the town of Sant'Agata de' Goti (Campania, Benevento Province). When the Mayor and his wife and their two children visited in July, he was made an honorary citizen of Sant'Agata de' Goti, a city of some 11,000 residents.

For the first time since Mayor De Blasio assumed office, a number of large-scale color photographs of Sant'Agata will be on display at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, and an opening reception for the exhibition will take place on Tuesday, October 14 at 5:00 p.m. In attendance will be s number of Italian dignitaries:

Massimo La Franco, Vice President of the Province of Naples

Pietro Foglia, President of the Regional Council of Campania

Biagio Iacolare, Member, Regional Council of Campania

Ugo de Flaviis, Member, Regional Council of Campania

General Luigi Parise, Director, NATO Base, La Spezia

Gianni Capalbi, President, GAL, Province of Matera

Corrado Giardina, Esq., President, Terra Nostra Association

We are hopeful that Mayor de Blasio's schedule will allow him to attend. The event is free and open to the public. The photographs will be on view in the Institute's Conference Room throughout the fall semester.

Arrivederci a martedì!