The Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco hosted the symposium “From Independence to Republic: 1776 and 1946 in Transatlantic Perspective,” bringing together scholars, legal experts, and institutional representatives to explore the constitutional and intellectual ties between Italy and the United States.
Organized in the context of the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence and the 80th anniversary of the Italian Republic, the symposium offered an opportunity to reflect on two defining moments in the histories of the two countries and on the ideas and principles that have shaped their democratic institutions.
Opening the proceedings, Consul General Massimo Carnelos highlighted the important influence of the American constitutional experience on the development of Italy’s republican institutions, as well as the contribution of Italian political and legal thought to the intellectual foundations of the United States.
Particular attention was dedicated to Gaetano Filangieri, one of the leading figures of the Italian Enlightenment, whose writings on law, government, and political institutions reached the United States at a formative moment in its history. His intellectual exchange with Benjamin Franklin remains a significant example of the circulation of ideas between Italy and America during the age of revolutions.
The discussion also examined the distinctive principles and values of the Italian Constitution, adopted in the aftermath of Fascism and the Second World War and founded on democracy, fundamental rights, social responsibility, and a strong commitment to peace and international cooperation.
The symposium featured contributions from California State Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, Professor Amanda Tyler of the University of California, Berkeley, and attorney Daniela Franchini, with Mike Homer moderating the discussion.
The event highlighted how the relationship between Italy and the United States extends well beyond political and economic cooperation, drawing on a centuries-old exchange of legal, philosophical, and democratic ideas that continues to inform the relationship between the two countries today.
