Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal was among the honorees at the third edition of the Italian Reputation Awards, held at Carnegie Hall in New York during the second weekend of October. The recognition celebrated his commitment to public service and his role in strengthening institutional relations between New York and Rome, particularly through a cultural cooperation agreement signed earlier this year.
The award was presented by Giulia Silvia Ghia, Councilor for Culture of Rome’s First Municipality, who played a central role in developing the partnership between the two cities. Their meeting on the Carnegie Hall stage brought renewed attention to an initiative designed to turn the longstanding cultural relationship between Italy and the United States into practical cooperation between local governments.
In May 2026, Hoylman-Sigal and representatives of Rome’s Municipio I signed the first cultural cooperation agreement between the historic centers of Manhattan and Rome. The agreement, established during the Forum Cultura Roma Centro in the Italian capital, created a framework for collaboration involving museums, archives, libraries, universities, educational institutions, and cultural organizations.
The partnership also addresses challenges that the two cities share despite their different histories and urban structures. Both Manhattan and central Rome attract millions of visitors, concentrate major cultural institutions within relatively small areas, and face growing pressure to balance tourism, economic activity, and the needs of local residents.
Under the agreement, institutions in both cities can develop cultural exchanges, educational initiatives, public art projects, and opportunities to share approaches to urban management. The three-year framework is intended to encourage continued dialogue rather than limit cooperation to individual events. <Link url=”https://roma.repubblica.it/cronaca/2026/05/21/news/primo_municipio_accordo_manhattan-425360497/amp/” title=”Read more about the agreement”/>.
The initiative also received support from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri. During the May signing ceremony, Mamdani emphasized the importance of keeping historic urban centers accessible and inclusive, rather than allowing them to become places defined primarily by tourism and cultural consumption.
For Hoylman-Sigal, the Italian Reputation Award recognizes a form of international cooperation that operates at the municipal level. While relations between Italy and the United States are traditionally associated with diplomacy, trade, and the Italian American community, the Manhattan–Rome agreement demonstrates how local administrations can establish direct partnerships around issues affecting everyday urban life.
The recognition was part of a larger ceremony founded by Davide Ippolito, president of Italia America Reputation Lab, and organized this year in collaboration with Campus Salute, chaired by Pasquale Antonio Riccio.
Hosted by Sky TG24 journalist Cristiana Mancini, the event honored individuals whose work has contributed to Italy’s international reputation across business, academia, healthcare, sports, the arts, and public institutions.
Other recipients included Valter Quercioli, president of Federmanager; Nick Eyde, the entrepreneur who helped bring the Italian Bowl to Toledo, Ohio; Andrea Mazzucchi, rector of the University of Naples Federico II; artist Aldo Gallina; and Concetto “Tino” Ruta, president and CEO of Knights Care Global. The ceremony also introduced a Young Leader Under 30 recognition, awarded to athlete and startup founder Greta Fraraccio.
Each recipient received a handcrafted medal created by Italian goldsmith Marco De Luca, inspired by ancient Roman coins and dedicated to Eucleia, the Greek personification of good reputation.
The ceremony took place during a period when New York celebrates its Italian heritage, giving the occasion a broader significance. The historic relationship between Italy and the city has been shaped by generations of Italian immigrants and their descendants, but it continues to develop through new professional, cultural, and institutional connections.
Hoylman-Sigal’s recognition highlighted one particularly concrete example of that evolution: two major urban centers establishing a formal partnership to exchange expertise, support cultural institutions, and address common challenges.
As Ippolito explained during the ceremony, the purpose of the Italian Reputation Awards is to recognize people whose work helps make Italy respected internationally. In Hoylman-Sigal’s case, that contribution also comes from the American side of the Atlantic, reflecting a relationship in which cultural exchange and institutional cooperation are increasingly reciprocal.
The Italian Reputation Awards are promoted by Italia America Reputation Lab, RetImpresa Confindustria, Campus Salute, and Piazza Italia New York.
