News — On November 16, 2023, at 5:15 P.M., the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania will be the venue for a talk by Professor Amedeo Arena from the University of Naples Federico II entitled “The Filangieri-Franklin Correspondence: An Enlightening Dialogue Between Italy and the USA.” This talk is set to explore the historically significant exchanges between the Neapolitan Enlightenment philosopher Gaetano Filangieri and Benjamin Franklin, which occurred from 1782 to 1788. The focus of this exploration is to illuminate the rich, cross-cultural dialogue contributing to the national identities of both Italy and the United States.
Organized by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) through the Dr. A. Kenneth Ciongoli Colloquium Endowment, this event is sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Italian Consulate General in Philadelphia, the American Philosophical Society, the Museo Civico Filangieri in Naples, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Sbarro Health Research Organization, and the Accademia Filangieri Della Porta.
Opening remarks will be delivered by Cristiana Mele, the Consul General of Italy in Philadelphia; Robert Allegrini and Julia Kennedy, respectively President and Director of Scholarships of the National Italian American Foundation; Antonio Giordano, CEO of Sbarro Health Research Organization & NIAF Board Member; and David Brigham, CEO & Librarian of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Ann E. Moyer, Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, will act as moderator.
Antonio Giordano said “As an Italian American professor and CEO of the Sbarro Health Research Organization, which is active both in USA and in Italy, I am proud to participate in this talk, which celebrates the deep and lasting ties between Italy and the United States. Figures like Philip Mazzei, Cesare Beccaria, and above all Gaetano Filangieri have a profound significance for the Italian American Community. Over the last few years, I have had the pleasure of participating in several talks delivered by Professor Arena on this subject. I am eagerly anticipating the new insights he will unveil this time, further enriching the intricate mosaic of cultural relations between Italy and the United States”.
Julia Kennedy said “NIAF is proud to offer Professor Arena’s lecture through the NIAF Dr. A Kenneth Ciongoli Colloquium Endowment. The endowment’s namesake, NIAF Chair Emeritus Dr. A. Kenneth Ciongoli, was a proud University of Pennsylvania alumnus who was committed to promoting the global impact of Italians and Italian Americans on western civilization. It is a true pleasure for NIAF to bring this lecture series to Dr. Ciongoli’s beloved alma mater and ensure that Filangieri’s influence on our Founding Fathers is duly recognized.”
David R. Brigham said “the correspondence between Gaetano Filangieri and Benjamin Franklin demonstrates the importance of men of letters in spreading Enlightenment ideas that joined people together across national boundaries in a common pursuit of constitutional governments that are fair, just, and inclusive. They set an example for how science and philosophy could transcend the limits of nationalism to promote the shared cause of humanity.”
Amedeo Arena said, “Filangieri considered Philadelphia ‘the sanctuary of virtues,’ the ‘homeland of heroes,’ and ‘the only place where he could be happy.’ He even wanted to join Franklin in Philadelphia to contribute to the making of the US Constitution. That voyage never took place, and Filangieri and Franklin, two towering figures of the Enlightenment, never met. However, their exchange of letters reveals a deeper correspondence, a profound commonality of ideals and values, which have come to shape the identities of both Italy and the USA. Therefore, I am extremely honored to present my work on the Filangieri-Franklin Correspondence at the University of Pennsylvania, founded by none other than Franklin himself."
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About the Sbarro Health Research Organization
The Sbarro Health Research Organization () is non-profit charity committed to funding excellence in basic genetic research to cure and diagnose cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other chronic illnesses and to foster the training of young doctors in a spirit of professionalism and humanism. To learn more about the SHRO please visit .
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