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# 70 •OCTOBER 19 , 2015
rees, both from the United States and
Italy. At the 1994 event, Giorgio Armani, the arts and fashion honoree, summed up the value of his NIAF Award
by saying, “I feel as though I am an Italian American because America was
the first country to understand and like
my approach to fashion. It is America
that has always inspired me with its
energy, its enthusiasm, and its young
spirit.” Clearly, NIAF was continuing
to grow in its role as an international
champion for Italian culture.
To better serve that role and build a
more permanent network of advocates, NIAF began to host its yearly Media Forums, bringing together Italian
Americans from all walks of the journalistic life to discuss topics of importance to the Foundation and the
Italian American community at large.
These programs continue to this day
as the NIAF-Frank J. Guarini Media
Forums and represent some of NIAF’s
most important and productive outreach in cities across America. Using this
expansive national network, and working in partnership with other Italian
American groups, NIAF has played an
increasing role in the Conference of
Presidents of Major Italian American
Organizations. For example, NIAF’s
underwriting the cooperative effort to
create the Una Storia Segreta, a historical exhibit documenting the internment, exclusion and restrictions placed on naturalized Italian citizens and
Italian Americans during World War II,
was particularly successful in helping
passage of the Wartime Violation of
Italian Americans Civil Liberties Act of
2000.
At this time, the Foundation also
expanded its programing to engage
young Italian Americans in their community, its institutions, and the promotion of the Italian Culture in America.
The year 1997 saw the launch of the
Foundation’s new website, www.NIAF.
org, which today is one of the most
highly–tracked online resources for
Italian Americans, drawing millions of
visitors to NIAF.
Continuing this modernizing trend,
new programs such as Students-To-Leaders, Graduates-To-Leaders,
and NIAF Youth Retreats, brought stuFrank Guarini
WE THE ITALIANS | 33
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