THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION OF SAVOY ORDERS 

REPORT 

2014 FESTA DELLA PRIMAVERA  RECEPTION 

AND 

PRESENTATION OF THE SAVOY FOUNDATION’S  

CHIVALRY AWARD  

June 12, 2014  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Dama di Comm. Larissa Van Duser

AMERICAN FOUNDATION OF SAVOY ORDERS

Festa della Primavera Reception– June 12, 2014 Savoy Foundation’s Chivalry Award Presentation

(Left to right) Event Chair Dama di Comm. Vivian Cardia, former Congressman The Hon. Frank Guarini, Presenter of the Chivalry Award, His Excellency Archbishop Francis Chullikatt,

Savoy Chairman of the Board Cav. Gr. Cr. Avv. Carl Morelli,

On the evening of Thursday, June 12, 2014, at The Cosmopolitan Club in New York City, the American Foundation of Savoy Orders hosted its annual spring benefit - Festa della Primavera - under the patronage of Their Royal Highnesses Prince Victor Emmanuel and Princess Marina of Savoy. The Savoy Foundation’s second annual Chivalry Award was presented to His Excellency Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations. Last year's honoree, former U.S. Congressman Frank Guarini from New Jersey, was the presenter. The reception was hosted by Event Chair and Grand Benefactor Dama di Comm. Vivian Cardia. The event raised funds for the Savoy Foundation’s charitable initiatives, in particular, Italian Language Programs in the United States.

The Chivalry Awards were inaugurated by the Savoy Foundation in 2013 to focus greater attention on standards of knightly conduct, which history dates back to the Crusades and Europe in the Middle Ages. Even in the twenty-first century, the concept of “chivalry” is still synonymous with courtesy, honor and integrity. It survives and flourishes as both a code of conduct and a way of life, embodying the highest ideals of civilization. Honorees for these awards are selected by the Savoy Foundation's Board of Directors in recognition of their outstanding service, generosity and civility in their distinguished careers and their unselfish commitment to public causes and their personal dignity, reflecting noble and ancient chivalric traditions of the Dynastic and Hereditary Orders of the Royal House of Savoy.

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The Savoy Foundation’s Chivalry Award recognized Archbishop Chullikatt’s accomplishments in diplomacy and international relations. As the Vatican’s recent Permanent Observer at the United Nations, he has championed moral standards in international humanitarian law, among which have been nuclear disarmament and the protection of Christian minorities in the Middle East and Africa. A strong advocate

for eradicating deprivation, his acceptance speech, upon receiving the 2014 Chivalry Award, emphasized the importance of the family to encourage development and to combat poverty and the need for political will to divert funding from military spending and costly armed conflict to constructive global priorities such as universal access to basic services in the Third World, particularly in Africa and Asia.

Festa della Primavera Reception

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Chivalry Award Presentation Ceremony

The Festa commenced at 6:30 pm with a splendid cocktail reception enjoyed by all attendees, while anticipating the arrival of special guest and honoree, His Excellency Archbishop Francis Chullikatt. At 7:15 pm, Dama di Comm. Vivian Cardia, Event Chair, commenced the official presentation ceremony of the Savoy Foundation’s Chivalry Award. The festivities were launched with a welcome speech by the Chairman of the Board of the Savoy Foundation, Cav. Gr. Cr. Avv. Carl Morelli, who also congratulated the honoree.

Mr. Morelli was very pleased to read a letter of greeting from His Royal Highness Prince Victor Emmanuel of Savoy. He thanked the Patrons, Benefactors and Sponsors for their generous support of this evening’s event. He also thanked the Honoree for his gracious acceptance to receive the Foundation’s second annual Chivalry Award. Dama di Comm. Vivian Cardia then introduced former Congressman Frank Guarini, last year's recipient, who read the citation and presented the Chivalry Award Diploma to His Excellency.

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In accepting his award, Archbishop Chullikatt expressed his personal gratitude for the Savoy Foundation's recognition "with confident hope that his efforts and actions in the future will deserve this high honor." He quoted Cicero: "historia magistra vitae est" (history is life's teacher) and how we are the shapers of history and how Italians have been instrumental in shaping the world and this nation's history. He also expounded on the Royal House of Savoy's contributions-its great luminaries, saints and foresight in being the custodian of the Holy Shroud and its importance in the 19th century in accomplishing the union of the Italian nation state and building peace and prosperity. Archbishop Chullikatt then delivered a remarkably important and insightful report on the humanitarian consequences of modern challenges facing the world - poverty, hunger, famine, environmental problems underdevelopment, lack of healthcare and education, expensive energy, unemployment, organized crime, piracy, human trafficking, global mushrooming of fundamentalist extremists, the persecution of Christian minorities, armed conflicts, nuclear proliferation, among others. He then outlined the world's valued "commodity" expenditures by class and culture compared to costs needed to improve the plight of the poor in the developing world. He assessed that the lack of political will has obstructed universal access to basic services in the Third World - water and sanitation, health and education - which could easily be provided if it were not for the costs of waging war and regional conflicts.

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Il Coordinatore Magistrale per le Americhe degli Ordini

Dinastici della Real Casa di Savoia

e Delegato Magistrale in Argentina  

June 12, 2014 Dear Friends and Confreres, I have the great honor and pleasure of welcoming all Confreres, Friends and Distinguished guests to this evening's “Festa della Primavera” at the Cosmopolitan Club in New York City. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the Second Annual Chivalry Award Recipient, His Excellency Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, Papal Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations for his outstanding civic service and professional excellence, which exemplify the Savoy Orders' chivalric principles and commitment to noble philanthropic ideals. I offer best wishes for an enjoyable evening and continued success. Sincerely, Cav. Gr. Cr. Dr. Sergio Pellecchi Coordinator of the Savoy Orders for the Americas and Delegate in Argentina

We are grateful that the following actively participated or contributed to this event. (*****Denoted Grand Benefactors; ****Patrons; ***Benefactors; **Grand Sponsors; *Sponsors)

Mr. Wylie A. Adames Mr. Kalman Angus-Clark

Uff. Avv. E. Wayne Bachus Dama Joan Bartilucci*

Comm. Nicholas J. Bartilucci* Uff. Avv. Louis L. Benza

Dama Gina Biancardi Comm. Dott. Stephen Billick

Mrs. Irene Bogoni**** Mr. Paul Bogoni**** Mrs. Andrea Caccese

Uff. Dott. William Caccese and guests Dama di Comm.Vivian Cardia *****

Mr. Justin Morin-Carpentier H.Exc. Archbishop Francis Chullikatt

Uff. Anthony Cipriano*** Robert Clark, Esq.

Dr. Patricia De Barbieri Uff. Avv. Roy De Barbieri Uff. Dott. Craig de Paulo Mrs. Barbara Desiderio*

Cav. Avv. Frank J. Desiderio* Comm. Dott. Charles Drake Uff. Avv. Gerald Farrell, Jr.

Mrs. Renée Flug** Mr. Sy Flug**

Uff. Dott. Brandon Fradd Mr. John J. Frezza*

Uff. Avv. Joseph Giminaro Dama di Comm. Cristina Grassi*

Gr. Uff. Marco Grassi* The Hon. Frank Guarini**

Mr. Helyett Harris Cav. Avv. John Hoffman Comm. Prof. Eric Ierardi*

Ms. Nancy Indelicato Dama Camille Marie Kelleher

Cav. Avv. Rory Kelleher Mr. Daniel Ladner & guest

Josselin J. Lucas, Esq. Cav. Frank Marino

Gr. Uff. L'On. Dominic Massaro Comm. L'On. Pasquale Menna

Dama Joan Migliori Cav. Gr. Cr. Avv. Carl J. Morelli**

The Hon. Mica Mosbacher* Prof. H. Wayne Nelson, Ph.D.*

Mrs. Loyse Paradiso Mr. and Mrs. Berardo Paradiso

Uff. and Mrs. Thomas Pecora*** Mr. Vincent Pepe

Mr. KyQuan Phong Cav. Vincent Pica II

Uff. Dott. Thomas B. Rich Mrs. Thomas B. Rich

Dr. Mary Rorro The Hon. Gilda Rorro-Baldassari

Dama di Comm. Marchesa Alexandra Rossi Longhi*

Mr. Jeffrey A. Ryan Cav. Vincent Salce Mrs. Lisa Salibello

Cav. Salvatore Salibello Mr. Frank Savino

Gr. Uff. Joseph Sciame* Uff. Avv. David Skoblow

Mr. Cody Smith Uff. Ellsworth G. Stanton III

Cav. Anthony Tamburri Cav. John Trout

Dama di Comm. Larissa Van Duser Cav. John Viola*

Uff. Anthony Viscogliosi* Mrs. Laura Wetsch Dr. John Wetsch

Cav. Michael Woolfolk Dr. Maria Zoratti*

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