Celebrate la Festa della Repubblica in New York!

June 2nd is a special day in New York, as Italy celebrates “La Festa della Repubblica” to remember when seventy years ago, Italian men and - for the first time - Italian women went to the polls to choose the form of government that the country would have in the aftermath of World War II.


For several years the Italian institutions in New York have opened their doors to celebrate their national day in the buildings that house them on 690 Park Avenue, landmarks not only for Italian residents, but also for the very many newyorkers who love Italy.


This year’s program celebrates "Italy in New York" and will be focused on the ever growing and passionate love story between Italy and New York City, so beautifully simbolised in the cover made by the Italian graphical artist Lorenzo Mattotti in 2010 for the New Yorker and which beautifully serves also as a cover for this special event that will be held Thursday June 2nd in Park Avenue 690 at the Consulate General of Italy in New York.


The Consulate General will exhibit prestigious works of art and objects from the history of design and the Italian costume. Pieces from the world-famous contemporary painter, Francesco Clemente, and designer, Gaetano Pesce, are on display, along with the famous Salvatore Ferragamo’s 9/11 collection, created in response to the horrors of September 11, 2001. Also on display are Marilyn Monroe’s and Andy Warhol’s Ferragamo shoes, Antonio Pio Saracino’s silk and digital tapestry made in Venice by Rubelli, the prestigious company that made famous around the world the fabric of silk. Four stunning Ferraris will be parked in front of the Consulate’s main entrance.


Visitors will thus enjoy the privilege of a powerful display of an unusual combination of recent and more traditional artistic and technological Italian wonders that mirrors the tireless creativity of Italy of today in New York.


To enhance the importance of this day the Consulate General will host initiatives that mark the Italian presence in New York in terms of solidarity, community's sense of belonging and values that are at its basis, civic engagement: a presentation of "Daybreak" by Friends of Foundation Telethon-Italy and the screening of documentaries produced by I-Italy on "Grandparents&Grandchildren in Italian America". To conclude the day, the Pulitzer Price winner Jhumpa Lahiri - who has written her last book in Italian - will do a reading of articles of the first part of Italian Constitution on fundamental principles.


Media&press are welcome to preview the exhibit on June 2nd at 3pm, at the Consulate General of Italy, located at 690 Park Avenue New York. 

For info and registration  >>