00:02As Prime Minister of Italy, it is a genuine honor to pay my tribute for the 50th anniversary
00:07of the National Italian American Foundation.
00:10What a wonderful gathering of people that testify the wonderful friendship between Italy and the United States.
00:18I'm really sad not to be with you in person tonight.
00:22Believe me, when I say there is nowhere else I would rather be.
00:26But there are too many things to do here for the country we all love.
00:3050 years.
00:32Think about it.
00:33For half a century, NAIAF has been the unwavering voice, the beating heart, and the strong backbone of the Italian American community.
00:42And I want to start by offering my deepest congratulations to the President, the Chairman, the Board of Staff,
00:49and every single member who has built this incredible bridge between our two great nations.
00:55You deserve a big round of applause.
00:58We are here to celebrate the DNA of opportunity, a heritage forged in the toughest neighborhoods,
01:05built on honest work and sustained by unshakable belief in family, faith, and the future.
01:11Your ancestors didn't just come to America.
01:14They helped build and shape today's America.
01:17And that tradition of excellence continues brilliantly to this day.
01:22Tonight, you are honoring an incredible group of individuals representing an exemplification of Italian and Italian-American achievement.
01:32In fact, with so many CEOs and innovators here tonight, I think it's fair to say that a significant portion of Italy's GDP is sitting right there in the Washington-Hilton.
01:44That's the kind of power that comes from Italian excellence meeting American opportunity.
01:50And speaking of excellence, we must recognize the Maestro among you, the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Entertainment,
02:00the voice of Italy to the world, my friend Andrea Bocelli.
02:04Maestro, I remember so clearly when you recently sang at the conclusion of the G7 Summit in Puglia.
02:10Your powerful voice reminded world leaders what true harmony sounds like.
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