In January 1976, Il Circolo, The Italian Cultural Society of the Palm Beaches was born. The founders chose the name Il Circolo, which literally means “the circle.” This expression was originally used during the Italian Renaissance to indicate an organization of scholars who gathered to cultivate the arts and literature.
Il Circolo was incorporated as a nonprofit organization on April 6, 1977, and has sponsored numerous cultural and social events, directed and organized under the a board of Directors since it's inception
Italian culture is part of the mosaic of our daily lives, influencing our vision of art, beauty, fashion, design, architecture, cuisine, nature, language, poetry, philosophy, thought, opera, and music. Since the beginning, annual scholarships have been given to qualified students to study in Italy. In addition, Il Circolo has been a major supporter of Florida Atlantic University’s Italian Studies Program, one of only two major programs in the Florida State University System.
Il Circolo has contributed to a program related to Italian usage in the Arts at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Donations have also been made to the highly specialized Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts. Furthermore, Il Circolo contributes to the support of Italian language courses at public and private schools.
Involvement in the arts is epitomized by Il Circolo’s annual support of Palm Beach Opera's young arts program.
It is possible for individuals and organizations to give even greater support to Il Circolo’s programs in higher education and Italian culture through their individual gifts of cash, securities, bequests and other forms of tax-deductible contributions directly to Il Circolo, Inc.
Each season we celebrate these achievements at our annual gala by recognizing and honoring a distinguished person who has contributed to the enhancement of the community and mankind. The proceeds from the gala make it possible to continue our ongoing commitment to educational programs and scholarships for the study and appreciation of Italian language and culture. These achievements are a great source of pride for Il Circolo and the Italian-American community.
Italian-Israeli Cooperation
Israeli-Italian research centers join forces to fight COVID announces Afeka College
After a particularly difficult few months in which the two countries have faced the challenges of the epidemic with the rest of the world, all eyes are now directed to technological solutions to lead the next step in fighting the Corona epidemic.
The initial outline for a groundbreaking Italian-Israeli collaboration was at the center of the meeting today between the Italian ambassador to Israel, Mr. Gianluigi Benedetti, and President of Afeka Tel-Aviv Academic College of Engineering, Prof. Ami Moyal, and their teams.
Top-level academic centers, the Israeli "ACLP - Afeka Center for Language Processing" located in "Afeka Tel Aviv Academic College for Engineering" and the "Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore" are working together to develop solutions using their competencies on speech processing and artificial intelligence into clinical practice.
Summer and Fall of 2020 are an interim period that requires rapid readiness for another eruption. Therefore, this cooperation between the two countries may be a key factor in the international fight against the corona epidemic. New technological tools, allowing pre-diagnostic detection of corona potential carriers through the analysis of patients' voice, speech and coughing will be subjected to clinical trials sharing the same protocol. The recruitment of patients and the trials will involve both Italian and Israeli hospitals, such as the "Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli" in Rome, Italy and the "Rabin Medical Centre, near Tel Aviv, Israel
The Italian Ambassador in Israel, Gianluigi Benedetti, stressed that "The cooperation between these two centers of excellence is one of the several fruitful results of the long-term intensive contacts between the Italian and Israeli scientific communities, further strengthened since the very first stage of the pandemic."
Prof. Ami Moyal, President of Afeka Tel-Aviv Academic College of Engineering, stated: "We are looking forward to a successful cooperation between our institutes, and our countries, in developing technology-based tools that will assist our citizens, countries and humanity in the fight against corona virus and together save lives. The expected result of the collaboration should provide us tools for dealing with future outbreaks of corona and other viruses."
Flavia Milano - Delray Beach, December 2018
Angela Galassi - Boca Raton, December 2018
March - Marzo 2018
La Bella Figura - 42nd Annual Gala
Il Circolo Presenta il 42 esimo Gala, 18 Marzo 2018 presso il famosissimo Hotel the Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida. Intitolato “La Bella Figura” per incorporare lo stile che contraddistingue gli italiani. Sala decorata con raffinatezza, candelabbra in cristallo, candele in avorio, tovaglia con filo d`oro, rose avorio, forchette in argento e bicchieri di cristallo. Band che vola dalla California per l`evento, servizio raffinatissimo. Copertina del programma il Teatro S. Carlo di Napoli. Ospiti importantissimi, abiti lunghi, e interviste di giornali nazionali e internatzionali.
Il Circolo e` un’ associazione fondata da Padre Maestrini
nel 1946 . La missione del circolo e` preservare e promuovere la cultura
Italiana, missione che viene attuata finanziando Universita`, scuole, e compagnie
teatrali dedicate agli studi della lingua, musica, e arte italiana in generale.
Presidente : Paul
Finizio, Presidente Esecutivo Sally Valenti, Vice Predidente Matt Rocco. Gli
organizzatori dell` evento Matt Rocco e Antonietta Brancaccio Balzano(la quale
serve come amministratrice delegata dal 2014).
Matt Rocco nato e cresciuto in Sud Florida, di origine abruzzese(Nonno nato a Rocca Pia.) Matt e` il Presidente della South Florida Manufacter Association, la piu` importante risorsa delle imprese negli Stati Uniti.
Antonietta Brancaccio Balzano, nata e cresciuta a Napoli. Trasferita in USA nel 2005 dove esercita la profesione di avvocato presso Brancaccio & Associates uno studio fondato dalla stessa Antonietta(conta ben 3 studi in Florida e 2 in Italia). Antonietta dedica il suo tempo all`aassociazione in quanto Italiana orgogliosa delle sue origini e della sua cultura.
Il circolo onora personaggi che si sono fatti strada in USA e che portano il nome dell`Italia alto nel mondo:
Franco Harris, figlio di madre Italiana e padre Americano,campione di football Americano e considerato una leggenda dell NFL(Squadra di Serie A perintenderci)
Adriana Trigiani famosissima scrittrice di novelle fiction e non fiction e produttrice di famosi film che hanno vinto prestigious premi , tra cui Queens of the Big Time. E` stata definita la migliore scrittrice dal New York Times.
Carlo De Antonis di origine Sarda. Considerato tra I tenori piu` ambiti al mondo. Ha conquistato il cuore degli Americani classificandosi tra I candidati piu` amati nello show Americans got talent nel 2017. Allievo del maestro Pavarotti, Carlo ha deliziato gli ospiti del Gala con due magnifiche performance: O` Sole mio e Nessun Dorma.
Il Vescovo di Palm Beach Barbarito ha ringraziato il Circolo ufficialmente con una lettera sottolineando l`importanza della missione di cui il Circolo va fiero e ringraziando gli organizzatori, Matt e Antonetta, per il magnifico risultato alla cerimonia erano presenti la Console Generale Gloria Bellelli e suo marito Luigi, il famoso avvovato Mario De Orchis( 95 anni,che ha ricevuto un premio per la dedizione e la passion con cui ha svolto la sua professione), la famiglia Scarpa, la famiglia del Raso, la famiglia Salomone, la famiglia Finizio( tutte famiglie molto influenti).
Tra gli sponsors riconosciamo il Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria di Sorrento, e Hotel Castel Nero in Toscana, che hanno donato soggiorni negli hotel. Tra I donator dell` asta dal vivo: Il tenore Carlo De Antonis che ha offerto di cantare per un evento gratuitamente, la scrittice Adriana Trigiani che ha offerto di scrivere una novella incentrata sulla vita del vincitore. L` asta condotta da Paul Finizio. Il circolo ha cosi` raccolto fondi per beneficiare studenti che ambiscono ad approfondire gli studi della cultura italiana. Quest`anno il Gala ha anche beneficiato una causa importante, l’ emergenza dela terra dei fuochi nel sud Italia. Voluto specificvamente dall`organizzatrice Antonietta Brancaccio Balzano per i non dimentica I problem che affliggono il nostro paese. L`associazione Noi Genitori di Tutti beneficiera` del grande risultato.
Il Circolo, the Italian Cultural Society, held its 42nd anniversary gala at the Breakers on March 18, 2018. La Bella Figura as it was titled, is an expression meaning making a good impression. As pointed out in Bishop Barbarito’s letter to the organization, “Whether it was going to church, going to school, visiting relatives or friends, we had to dress properly,speak properly, and thus express la bella figura. We tried to make our parents and grandparents proud by making a good impression.” This theme was the focus of the evening’s gala.
Leaving the spectacular Tuscan cocktail hour held in the courtyard, guests were welcomed at the entrance to the Mediterranean Ballroom by Chairman Matt Rocco and his Co-chair Antonella Brancaccio-Balzano. A welcome from President Paul Finizio, singing of the Italian and American national anthems by Carlos De Antonis, greetings from the Chairs and the Bishop’s invocation delivered by Sally Valenti started the fesivities before the sumptuous dinner was served. Music by the Antony “Nino” Lane Band pleased diners and also encouraged guests to the dance floor throughout the night.
All stopped as 95 year-old World War II veteran, Mario De Orchis, was wheel-chaired by his son, Dr. Douglas De Orchis, to the stage area to be awarded Lifetime Honoree of Il Circolo. Born in Italy, and eventually educated at Columbia Law School, Mario held a unique position during the war; teaching Italian to a class of 50 generals in Algiers. After the war, his fluency in Italian was the key to his being hired to defend lawsuits related to Italian maritime. This experience led him to form his own law firm, De Orchis and Partners in the Wall Street area. Humble in his demeaner, to know Mario, is to love him.
The honorees, Franco Harris, Adriana Trigiani and Carlos De Antonis emotionally expressed their pride in being Italian and how their traditional up-bringing hepled to bring them to this point of notoriety.
When the auctioning of several items and two outstanding trips to Italy, one to Sorrento and the other to Tuscany were completed, dessert was served and the dancing resumed.
Il Circolo thanks all who attended, donated, assisted and helped us makeLa Bella Figura.Visit www.ilcircoloflorida.org for pictures of the event and more information.
