Remarks delivered by Gianluca Nigro at the Festa della Repubblica

Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Signori e signore, buona sera. What a beautiful night this is, in such a delightful venue here in Virginia, with such a truly fantastic crowd of diverse and wonderful individuals and families. Look around at our brilliant company. We are all truly blessed. I want to start by thanking the Abruzzo Molise Heritage Society for inviting me to be here with you all tonight. And for this opportunity to speak to you all about my heritage, my studies, and about the history of this festival - thank you as well, I am humbled, and I am proud. My grandfather, Peppino Sceppa, of Campolieto, Campobasso in Molise, would be proud too. Your society has welcomed me with open arms, and has allowed me to embrace the regions of Abruzzo and Molise even more strongly than ever before, and for that, I am forever thankful. All four of my grandparents, including my father, set out on a journey some decades ago to lay the foundation for their future descendants to prosper in this land of hope. Since embracing my Italian heritage and roots at a young age, I have found a sense of self-motivation that has led me to where I am today, that has put me in a position to prosper. I capitalized on that long, but not lost, dream, and I have ever since been on a mission to make the most of it. I stand here today, a 21-year-old first generation Italian American from Massachusetts, a rising senior at The George Washington University, and president of the GW Società di Cultura Italiana. Amongst the many accolades which I have so proudly achieved thus far, this latter accomplishment is the one that I cherish most highly. As I consider my future with just a year to spare before my second appearance in a cap and gown, I try and picture where the coming decades will take me. Despite the uncertainties surrounding the many variables that will compose my future identity, I can think of now but a few features that will undoubtedly remain true until the end. Indubitably, I can say here today with absolute positivity that an incessant representation of the red, white, and green will lay etched upon my side in whatever I do, and wherever I go. La Festa della Repubblica, the festival of our republic, means quite a lot literally, and even more figuratively. We gather here today as Italian Americans, every single one of us. Off the boat, first generation, second, third, fourth, and so on… We all share certain things in common. We fight day in day out for our families, for our friends, and for our loved ones who have already passed on. We fight this fight in hopes of incorporating into our daily routine our love of others and our love of life, and every June 2nd, we come together as individuals to reflect on our unity as Italians. That important nation, that paese that makes us who we are— that’s what this holiday allows us to remember. La Festa della Repubblica celebrates a moment in history that took place not so long ago. A moment more recent than the era of omnipotent Roman Empire, than the world changing Renaissance period, and then the 19th century unification of Italy. A moment, though, equally as important as those in history. A moment that brought Italians together, much like its belated anniversary is doing in this very building tonight. As most of you well know, La Festa della Repubblica, also referred to as the Italian National Day and Republic Day, is celebrated on June 2nd each year. This day commemorates the institutional referendum which was held by universal suffrage in 1946, in which we Italians were called upon to carry out 6 our civic duty at the polls to decide on our future form of government. Following the Second World War and the fall of fascism—a period of horror, tragedy, and sadness—we decided to make a change for the better by making our voices heard. With 12,700,000 votes in favor of forming a republic, and 10,700,000 in favor of maintaining the long-lasting monarchy, we as Italians sent the male descendants of the House of Savoy into exile, marking the end of the King Era in Italy. To commemorate this day there, much like we are celebrating here tonight, Italians organize a massive annual military parade in Rome around the Altare della Patria, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic in his role as Supreme Commander of the Italian Armed Forces. Although the region of Abruzzi e Molise voted 56.9% in favor of keeping the monarchy, our people accepted the result, and we worked together with our fellow Italians to build towards an era of peace during postwar period, much like we as Abruzzesi e Molisani have always done. Holidays such as La Festa della Repubblica are important not only insofar as recognizing the long and triumphant history of Italy, but equally as important for the fact that they force us to recollect on our culture and our heritage, while allowing us to sit together around a dinner table with close friends, good food, and delicious wine. So please join me in celebrating what will be a beautiful evening, and in welcoming our friends and family here tonight. Thanks again for your hospitality, for your time, and for listening to what I had to say. I am looking forward to meeting many of you tonight over the course of the next couple of hours, and to hopping back on stage briefly again before we part for the evening. Thank you, and please join me in welcoming Reverend Stephen Vaccaro to the stage for a powerful invocation before our dinner.