Ambassador - National Italian American Foundation

F O U N D AT I O N F O C U S
W W W . N I A F . O R G
6
On April 10, 2012, two days
before NIAF’s spectacular
East Coast Gala, the Foundation
launched its 2012 series of
the Frank J. Guarini/NIAF Media
Forums in New York City. NIAF
President Joseph V. Del Raso, Esq.,
hosted the event at the Manhattan
offices of Pepper Hamilton, his
law firm located in The New York
Times Building.
Topic of discussion: Today’s
manufacturing and trade policies
of the United States, Italy and
China, and their impact on the
future global economy.
In his opening remarks, NIAF
Chairman Emeritus Frank J.
Guarini said the forum’s topic
was appropriate and timely for
NIAF whose mission includes raising
awareness about “Italy’s
unique position on the world
stage” and encouraging close
Ambassador
Frank J. Guarini
addresses the
New York City
Media Forum
NIAF’s 2012
Media Forums
Coast to Coast
By Don Oldenburg
relations between the United
States and Italy. Pointing out that
trade between East and West
dates back to early Silk Road
trade between ancient Rome and
the Chinese Empire, Guarini set
the table for an informative and
insightful discussion.
After NIAF Chief Operating
Officer John M. Viola introduced
the panelists, Stephanie Capparell,
senior special writer on The Wall
Street Journal’s International Desk,
began by examining the American
perspective on trade policies and
labor practices. She emphasized
the importance of “revenue sharing,”
the new buzzword in international
trade. Business “partnerships”
between the countries, she
said, is how to create equitable and
stable economies, describing examples
such as China’s investing in
American farming in the U.S.
Among the
journalists at
the NYC Media
Forum were
Andrea Fiano,
Riccardo Chioni
and Francesco
Tamburini.
NYC Media
Forum panelists
Stephanie Capparell,
Mario Platero,
Carol A. Giacomo
and Federico Rampini
Frank J. Guarini, NIAF COO John Viola and
NIAF President Joseph V. Del Raso at the
NYC Media Forum
Midwest and U.S. movie company
DreamWorks Animation building a
studio in Shanghai.
Veteran Italian journalist
Mario Platero, U.S. bureau chief
of Il Sole 24 Ore, questioned,
“How can Italy improve economic
ties with China and have direct
investments in the United States?”
His answer was echoed by that of
other panelists: While Italy has
established trade growth through
its fashion and food industries,
future economic prosperity will
depend on exporting more of its
high-tech products and machinery.
In fact, Italian high-tech partnerships
already are on the
ground in the United States, he
said, from Fiat’s Chrysler venture
and Italian rocketry manufacturing
for NASA to the Zamperla
Group’s facelift of Brooklyn’s
Coney Island amusement park.