Italian American Herald - July 2022

IN MEMORIAM
Beloved DJ Sid Mark remembered
PAGE 3
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JULY 2022
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Legendary car collector Dr. Fred Simeone dies at 86
By Al Kemp Managing editor
Dr. Fred Simeone, retired chief of neurosurgery at Pennsylvania Hospital who channeled his passion for racing into perhaps the finest collection of exotic automobiles in the world, died June 11 at age 86.
The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum announced Dr. Simeone’s death on its website June 12.
“Late last evening, as the first rays of light began to appear on the Mulsanne Straight, we
See SIMEONE - page 12
Voyage into knowledge
Museum dedicated to foster respect for Italy’s diverse religious history
Sala del Male (Hall of Evil) depicts the choice between good and evil. A sculpture of Adam and Eve are among the exhibits.
By Jeanne Outlaw-Cannavo
Italy is officially a secular state with freedom of religion guaranteed under the 1947 constitution of the Italian Republic. Italy’s status as a secular state was further confirmed on Feb. 19, 1984, when Italy and the Vatican signed a concordat under which Roman Catholicism ceased to be the state
religion of Italy.
To honor Italy’s rich history of different
religious influences, Il Museo Interreligioso, (The Museum of the Three Religions) was established in the town of Bertinoro in the region of Emilia-Romagna. It was a result of the desire to increase understanding of the three monotheistic religions: Christi- anity, Judaism, and Islam. This voyage into
religious knowledge is fundamental in Italy, which is a society undergoing major trans- formation. It has helped develop dialogue, understanding and respect between all citizens of Italy. There are differences between the three religions but also many similarities in how people of these religions
See MUSEUM - page 4
Bold steps toward unity push alliance into global spotlight
By Al Kemp Managing editor
Just weeks after returning from a summit with leaders of the Italian government as well as Vatican officials, an alliance of major Italian-American groups in the United States has announced plans for a national youth summit in Florida in early 2023.
The events have catapulted the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO) into the spotlight with a renewed sense of
urgency after the election of Basil M. Russo as group president in October 2020. Russo is a prominent Cleveland attorney and former appellate judge in Ohio.
The impetus for the group’s flurry
of activity, Russo said, is to overcome a longstanding “disconnect” of social, cultural and civic ties in the Italian-American community.
“The biggest problem that has confronted Italian Americans and their organizations for generations is they never learned how to work together,” he said.
“As a result, our community couldn’t accomplish anything important at the national level because we were unable
to amplify or unify our voice. Last year, I had COPOMIAO sponsor three National Italian American Summit Meetings that brought hundreds of Italian American organizations together. We formed six national committees so that we could finally begin working together in a spirit of national unity.”
COPOMIAO has ramped up its outreach
See ALLIANCE - page 9
Vol. 9 / No. 7