There were Eight (8) Italians Abroad Recipients. Two (2) are Canadian, Two (2) are US, and one each from Venezuela, Austria, Brazil, and Argentina.

They include a Canadian Supreme Court Judge, Exec. GM of Quantas Airlines, and
poet and author Joseph Tusiani, winner of the prestigious Greenwood Prize, well known in the States for his many English translations of Latin classics.

But also one of the recipients is Joe Pesci. Yes, he was an Oscar Award Winner in 1991, but it was only for Supporting Actor, and in "Goodfellas", a Mobster movie!!

This is Bizarre!!!! :( And Mirko, while your at it, why don't you consider giving the Award not only for those people who have accomplished much for themselves, BUT for those who have contributed greatly to the advancement to their Italian Culture and Heritage, unselfishly!!!!!!!

Minister for Italians Abroad Mirko Tremaglia presents the fourth edition of
"Premio per gli Italiani nel Mondo" world recipients of prestigious award.

Tandem
Corriere Canadese Weekend
July 18 - July 25, 2004

"Unfortunately, politicians do not understand the greatness and the magnitude of the work done by Italians abroad. This is the main purpose of my job, giving new voice to our compatriots who live far from Italy and honoured their country of origin."

With these words, Minister for Italians Abroad Mirko Tremaglia presented the fourth edition of "Premio per gli Italiani nel Mondo", a prize established by Fondazione Marzio Tremaglia, at Rome's Palazzo Chigi last week.

The event was promoted by the Ministry for Italians Abroad, in collaboration with the Prime Minister's Office, Region Lazio, and Ministry for Cultural Heritage, and took place in Rome, at the Vittoriano Complex, broadcast in Italy and abroad by RAI and RAI International.

The presentation press conference was attended by host Paola Saluzzi, actresses Bianca Guaccero and Ornella Muti, and many of the "Excellent Italians" who were presented with the prize.

The prize itself celebrates and recognizes the work and social commitment of Italians who live abroad. "People," remarked Tremaglia, "forced to leave their own country looking for fortune, suffering all sorts of injustice, discrimination and abuse. Great people with strong morals, defending the traditions of their land and always longing to return home."

These people managed to distinguish themselves in many fields: entrepreneurship, art, fashion, culture, sports, cinema, music, science. The prize goes to people who succeeded and excelled in each of these fields.

"As I often work abroad," said Ornella Muti, "I am very well aware of the importance, occasional difficulty, but anyway significance of saying, I'm Italian. That's why I consider it a privilege having been chosen as godmother of this event."

The winners of the 2004 edition are: journalist Gaetano Bafile (Venezuela), founder of La voce d'Italia, a periodical that this year turned 50; John Borghetti (Austria), born in Marta (Viterbo) and current Executive General Manager of Quantas; Roberto Antonio Busato, President of Brazil's Law Society; journalist Elena Caprile (Canada), editor in chief of Corriere Canadese, a daily that also turned 50 this year; Maximiliano Guerra (Argentina), in 1988 star dancer of London Festival Ballet; Frank Iacobucci (Canada), one of the eight judges of the Supreme Court of Canada; actor Joe Pesci (USA), Oscar winner in 1991 for Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas; poet and author Joseph Tusiani, winner of the prestigious Greenwood Prize, professor at City University, chairman of the American Poetry Society, well known in the States for his many English translations of Latin classics.

Two Italians received posthumous prizes: Primo Carnera, one of Italy's strongest boxers, and Friulian Bruno Zoratto, founder of the periodicals Nuova and Oltreconfine.
Special recognition was given to Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli, who were the first to climb to the top of Mount K2 in 1954, and to actors F. Murray Abraham, the Italian-Syrian Oscar winner for Amadeus, and Paul Sorvino, of Neapolitan origins.
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