by Jinger Bennett- LaGuardia

On our 10th anniversary of celebrating the Italian Cultural festival, Ferragosto, our hearts are heavy. This morning we lost a pillar in the Italian community, Giovanni Maschero, former Consul of Italy for Salt Lake City.

A very warm, giving man, and active member in the Italian community, Giovanni made sure to befriend, and welcome Italians and those that love Italians. He worked very closely with the Italian community and former Mayor Rocky Anderson to establish the first Italian Center open to everyone to learn about Italian history and culture. He also worked closely with the creation of the first Italian festival and each subsequent festival thereafter, the bocce Association, and worked with Mayor Anderson to get the bocce courts in Pioneer park. He was there helping to hold the bocce tournaments, he was always involved with the free Italian lecture series held in the City County Building open to everyone. Giovanni could also be found in the City County Building Monday nights and Saturday mornings teaching Italian classes to the community.

In 2002, he worked with Mayor Anderson to create a Friendship City with Torino, Italy that later became a full-fledged Sister City relationship with Torino and was there along with Mayor Anderson to sign the official papers. Giovanni was always excited to meet the exchange students from Italy and make them feel welcome and part of the Salt Lake community. Many Italian exchange students looked up to Giovanni as their American "Papa". Giovanni would do his best to help play matchmaker for some of the eligible bachelors hoping to meet a nice girl. He received the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity and the title of Cavaliere (Knight) from the Italian Republic.

We have so much recognition of Utah's Italian legacy and tradition thanks to Giovanni Maschero's leadership. We will deeply miss you, Giovanni Maschero