Celebrating New York's Italian-American Heritage

A Statement from Governor Andrew Cuomo

Dear Fellow New Yorker, 

Columbus Day is an annual celebration of the immigrant tradition that has strengthened our nation for centuries.  Every year, we come together to pay tribute to the brave men and women who journeyed here with dreams as big as the ocean they crossed.  We also come together in support of the new Americans who continue to arrive here to build better lives for themselves and their families. 

On this day in New York, we celebrate the Italian-American community that has enriched our state, our nation, our democracy, and our culture in innumerable ways.  New York City’s annual Columbus Day Parade is the world’s largest celebration of Italian-American heritage, a legacy that this state is proud to preserve.  From the very first parade and gala in 1929, Columbus Day has served as a touchstone for the growing success of all our immigrant communities.

As an Italian-American who watched his own four grandparents — all immigrants — work hard and ultimately thrive in this country, I feel tremendous pride in celebrating this day.  I hope you will join me in paying tribute to the countless men and women whose tenacity, work ethic, and commitment to building community helped to make the United States the great nation that it is today.