2016 is a particularly special year because it marks the 40th anniversary of the Italian Heritage & Culture Committee of New York, Inc. [2] as well as the 40th annual raising of both the Italian and American flags which will take place this Friday, September 30th at the Mother Italy Statue at Poses Park on Hunter College campus at 4PM. Following the tradition of the flags, a reception will take place close by at the Italian Consulate [3]. This event serves as a formal kick-off ceremony commemorating Columbus Day, Italian-American heritage month, and four decades of Italian culture. IHCC-NY will also be honoring Francesco Genuardi, the new Consul General of Italy in New York.

40 years ago, Dr. Angelo Gimondo, who was the Superintendent of Schools at the time, created a week-long celebration of Italian heritage and culture. Less than ten years after that, it was expanded to a whole month full of events praising all the contributions Italian-American immigrants have made to society, especially in the Tri-State area. Fast forward to today and there are hundreds of occasions held in honor of the Italian-American community throughout October. Something that started as a small project by a group of educators has turned into a fully developed concept which now involves prominent figures in American society who come from an Italian descent, such as the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio [4], and the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo [5]. 

Given that this is the 40th anniversary of the Italian Heritage & Culture Committee of New York, Inc., this year’s poster shows the various themes that have been presented throughout the years. From its humble beginnings to the huge organization that it is now, IHCC-NY welcomes everyone to be a part of their journey. Whether you are of Italian descent or not, each and every one of us can appreciate the things Italian Americans have done, and will continue to do, to transform our society for the better.