The Magna Grecia Foundation paid tribute to one of its founders: Gino Gullace, the "Calabrian journalist who told the story of America."

A commemorative bust was donated to the Municipality of Ferruzzano (RC), Gullace’s hometown. "A great man of culture with an eye to the future, who taught us many invaluable things," said FMG President Nino Foti.

During the heartfelt event hosted at the Cardinale Colonna Gallery and moderated by journalist Paola Bottero, President Foti donated a commemorative bronze bust depicting Gullace to the municipal administration of Ferruzzano (Reggio Calabria). Gullace, who was hailed in the ‘50s as "the Calabrian journalist who told the story of America", was the first news correspondent for the publishing house Rizzoli and for the magazine Oggi.

The work was created by artist Mimmo Carteri and, in the coming weeks, will be placed on the seafront of Ferruzzano, which is actually named after Gino Gullace.

The event was attended by the FMG board of directors, including Vice-President MP Francesco Saverio Romano and Judge Antonello Colosimo, Chamber President of the Court of Auditors of the Umbria Region and President of the FMG Supervisory Board. Among the many esteemed guests and authorities who took part were Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi, General Pasquale Angelosanto, former Commander of the Special Operations Group (ROS) of the Carabinieri, Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta.

In his speech, President Nino Foti gave a personal and compelling account of who Gino Gullace was, and highlighted the importance of remembering "a great man of culture, who was also a simple man. A writer and journalist who taught us a lot and deserves the right recognition. Through his work he helped many of our compatriots who lived in America and needed to fit into the society of the time. One of the witnesses of the true, healthy and culturally rich Calabria. A man with an eye to the future, who already in the ‘50s warned us against the risks of technology that can dry up human relationships, stating that people must be the end and not the means".

Among the event attendees, deputy mayor of Ferruzzano, Nino Crea, declared: "Gino Gullace represented thousands of compatriots who left small towns to seek their fortune in America. He told the story of America in Italy and, if we fell in love with the 'American dream', we owe it to this great fellow citizen of ours. Moreover, he spoke of the greatness of Magna Graecia and our cultural heritage. By studying and rediscovering our roots, we can become great again, not only contributing to the development of our territory, but of Italy as a whole".

The ceremony was also attended by some family members of the unforgotten journalist. His niece Sabrina Maria Teresa Gullace commented on this significant event: "We are very happy and proud of the recognition given to my uncle, whose memory deserves to be kept alive. We would like to thank the Magna Grecia Foundation for such a wonderful surprise."

Biography: Gino Gullace (1918-1990) was "the Calabrian journalist who told the story of America". First news correspondent of publishing house Rizzoli in the ‘50s, and writer for the weekly Oggi, Gullace's career spanned more than five decades, working for the daily newspaper Il Giornale di Calabria, the newscast Tgr Rai, collaborating with newspapers such as La Stampa, Corriere della Sera, la Repubblica, America Oggi: over half a century of journalistic activity, writing unforgettable journalism pieces on magazines like Oggi, l'Europeo, National Geographic, and giving his utmost in telling the stories, the conquests and the new trends of the American society. But what made his sensitivity vibrate was his Calabrian and "Magna Graecia" origin together with the humility of someone who, as a young man, had to emigrate with his family to another country. Originally from Ferruzzano, he was among the first Italian news correspondents from the United States, where he became one of the brightest beacons of the Italian-American intelligentsia.