Civic and religious ceremonies honor the memory of slain Judge Giovanni Falcone

The memory of Judge Giovanni Falcone, who was assassinated by the Sicilian mafia 32 years ago, was honored with a civic ceremony and reception at Casa Italiana Hall. Francesco Isgro, president of the Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center Inc., welcomed participants and introduced guest speaker Michela Carboniero, First Counselor of the Italian Embassy, and Special Guest Speaker, Lt Colonel Pierangelo Iannicca, Assistant Defense and Defense Cooperation Attache at the Embassy. Before the ceremony, a memorial mass was held at Holy Rosary Church.

Raffaele Bonito, Pasquale Briscese, Michela Carboniero, Francesco Isgro, Pierangelo Iannicca

In his remarks at Casa Italiana, Col. Iannicca noted that by "commemorating Giovanni Falcone we are sharing the values of courage, justice, peace and freedom, which were the principles in which Giovanni Falcone believed very much. That bomb killed a man but not his values."

The civic ceremony and reception was hosted by the Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center Inc./Italian American Museum of Washington DC, and was co-sponsored by nearly all the area's Italian and Italian American groups: the Lido Civic Club, the principal sponsor, and by the National Italian American Foundation, the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, the Abruzzo and Molise Heritage Society, National Organization of Italian American Women, Donne Italiane che Vivono all’Estero, COMITES DoC, Italians in DC, Casa Italiana Language School, Italian Cultural Society, and Holy Rosary Church.