WHAT WE DO
Provide a gateway to all things Italian American in the Bay Area - events, local causes, community, and more
In April 2018, the leaders of over 25 Italian American organizations in the Bay Area discovered something: when we come together as one community and one voice aiming to preserve our Italian heritage, we can't be beat.
It started with the threat of taking Columbus Day away from our San Francisco community.
So we rallied together, collected thousands of signatures, spoke at multiple hearings and with the support of Supervisor Catherine Stefani, we reinstated Columbus Day under the name, Italian American Heritage Day.
We plan to do this as often as we need in order to keep the Italian culture in the Bay Area alive and thriving. We also want to make it easier for those in our community to participate in, support and preserve the Italian culture through the numerous organizations and events that take place throughout the year.
“CIAO has connected the Italian-American community in a way that has never been seen. ”
What We've Achieved
Preserved the threatened Columbus Day (now called Italian American Heritage Day) in San Francisco
Hosted the Mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, and strengthened connections between Bay Area organizations and Liguria.
Created a cultural committee that offers Italian conversation and an Italian literature club.