America celebrates Columbus Day

Oct. 9, 2008 - PRLog -- A sailor on board the Pinta sighted land in the morning of 12th October 1492, and a new era of cultural exchange between America and Europe began.

Italian seaman Christopher Columbus was the first European to sail across the Atlantic Ocean and to successfully land on the American continent. He never accomplished his original goal: to find a new naval route to India. Instead, Christopher Columbus opened up exploration between Europe and America.

Columbus Day was celebrated for the first time in New York in 1792 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Columbus’ historic arrival.

In 1892, the president Benjamin Harrison declared Columbus Day a legal holiday, which still today in the United States is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Today, many large cities organize a parade, and most of all where there is a Little Italy section, celebrations abound.

Right now, in the United States people already started making preparations for Columbus Day, this year celebrated on Monday, October 13th. Once again, it will celebrate Italian pride. This year, at the 5th Avenue, Peter Pace, an Italian-American from Puglia (the heel of Italy’s boot) will lead New York parade.

Among the biggest events, on the occasion of Columbus Day celebration, “The week of Italian language” deserves special attention. It will have a special focus on all you have to know about Italy. On 10th October in fact, on the agenda is a Press Conference and Presentation of the event, followed by a Brunch with delightful Tuscan wine and food. The special event will continue in the afternoon with a special Presentation entitled "The City of Florence" a New Renaissance (From the Prestigious Past to a Great Future Projects&Perspectives) and a great Concert by “Maggio Formazione”.

The event is organized by the Italian Institute of Culture, in collaboration with The Commission for Cultural Affairs and the City of Florence, and with the support of The Italian Government Tourist Board.

Florence Tickets - New Globus Viaggi will be the official sponsor of the City of Florence to promote and support Columbus Day. New Globus Viaggi for years operates with success in the field of tourism thanks to the experience acquired, to the high quality of the offered services, and to the competence and courtesy that have always distinguished it. Since some years it became one of the main subjects that manages the group tourism in Florence and in Tuscany, obtaining the utmost trust by some of the major European and world-wide Tour Operators.

Florence Tickets enables tourists to buy Florence museums tickets online, and to have guaranteed immediate access to the masterpieces of the city without wasting time.
So… Do not waste precious time standing in line!

And for all the Italian-Americans who don’t want to lose their roots, try our FREE ONLINE Test of Italian language!

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Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci is one of Italy’s largest providers of in-country Italian courses in Italy since 1977. It is present in the most beautiful cities of Italy (Florence, Milan, Rome, Siena). Each year the company welcomes students from 60 countries in its Italian language schools.