Italy–USA Foundation (Italian: Fondazione Italia USA) is a non-profit non-partisan organization based in Rome, Italy, established to promote friendship between Italians and Americans plus American culture in Italy.
US Ambassador to Italy John Phillips with Secretary General of the Italy-USA Foundation Corrado Maria Daclon
President Barack Obama sent to the Secretary General of the Foundation, at the end of his presidency, a letter to thank the Foundation for the support since his 2008 campaign and election: "Michelle and I have many fond memories of our visits to Italy during the Administration, and we are touched by your and the Italy-USA Foundation's support and inspired by the work."[3]
America Award
The Italy–USA Foundation promote yearly in Italy the America Award (Italian: Premio America), a recognition under the auspices of the President of the Italian Republic. The award is mainly seen as a means to acknowledge and encourage initiatives and work aimed at favoring relationships between Europe and the United States of America. Clearly famous, eminent figures that have distinguished themselves in their work and have achieved the utmost excellence in their respective fields of interested and activities, are considered.
Ceremony
The ceremony is held in Rome, Italy, at Chamber of Deputies, the Italian Parliament. The Italy–USA Foundation, in the frame of the America Award, also confer three sterling silver medals of the President of the Chamber of Deputies to three students of American universities. The prize is an exclusive work of art in sterling silver, rose bronze and palladium, representing a Caravel with the American flag.[4]
Amanda Knox leaving the prison in Perugia in a car with Corrado Maria Daclon, secretary general of the Italy–USA Foundation (2011)
A delegation of the Foundation met on Sunday December 13, 2009, in Capanne prison on the outskirts of Perugia, with American prisoner Amanda Knox, and then campaigned for her until the acquittal verdict. The Secretary General of the Foundation, Corrado Maria Daclon, who became a close friend of Knox's while she was in prison, managed Knox's departure from the penitentiary of Perugia to the airport after the acquittal, when Knox returned to her home in Seattle.
Knox wrote a letter to Corrado Maria Daclon the day after she was freed by prison, with her first words since she regaining freedom: "To hold my hand and offer support and respect throughout the obstacles and the controversy, there were Italians. There was the Italy–USA Foundation, and many others that shared my pain and that helped me survive, with hope. I am eternally grateful for their caring hospitality and their courageous commitment. To those that wrote me, that defended me, that stood by me, that prayed for me. I am forever grateful to you. I love you."