On April 17th, the 500th anniversary of Giovanni Da Verrazzano's discovery of New York Harbor, NIAF held a private screening of the upcoming documentary “Giovanni da Verrazzano: From the Renaissance to New York City” at the Paley Center in NYC! 

After the film presentation, guests were treated to a panel discussion featuring the film’s director and co-writer Giuseppe Pedersoli, producer Alan Friedman, the Governor of Tuscany Eugenio Giani, the Commander of the Italian Military Geography Institute of Florence General Massimo Panizzi, and Marquis Bernardo Gondi, descendent of the family which financed a large part of the voyages of Giovanni Da Verrazzano.

Many VIPs were in the attendance including Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy Giorgio Mulé, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Susan Donoghue, Mayor of the City of Palermo Roberto Lagalla, President of the region Friuli Venezia Giulia Massimiliano Fedriga, Ambassador Damiano Beleffi of the Permanent Mission of San Marino to the United Nations, and a special video message from the Minister of Culture of Italy, Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano.

NIAF was proud to support this groundbreaking documentary in celebration of the 500th anniversary of Verrazzano’s discovery of New York Harbor.