June 2, 2020. The #Italystaystrong fundraising campaign launched by the Embassy of Italy in Washington and by the Italian Scientists and Scholars in North America Foundation (ISSNAF, www.issnf.org), and supported by an intense promotional activity run by the diplomatic-consular network in the United States went beyond the target of half a million dollars.
Over 600 donations – from students to researchers, from members of the public to representatives of the Italian-American communities, from businesses to leading representatives of Silicon Valley – have enabled us to go beyond the goal of $500,000.
The funds raised will be donated in equal parts to the Lazzaro Spallanzani Institute in Rome, the Sacco Hospital in Milan and the Cotugno Hospital in Naples, all of which played a central role both in managing the emergency and in carrying out research during the pandemic in Italy. The funds will then be allocated to specific projects dedicated to research on infectious diseases with a focus on Covid-19, as part of the deep and relevant bilateral collaboration in the scientific field.
In announcing this important result, a testament to the deep bonds of friendship that unite our countries, Ambassador Varricchio noted that “US support was timely, like many times before in the history of our Republic. And even while the number of people affected by this dark evil continued to rise in the United States” the Ambassador continued “America extended a hand to Italy. We will not forget.”
“I am sure that I voice everybody’s thoughts at ISSNAF when I say that our commitment to this campaign has made us feel the strength of our ties with Italy all the more, as well as those between the scientific communities on both sides of the Atlantic. We are delighted to have helped”, said Dr. Cinzia Zuffada, President of ISSNAF.