Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Exciting news! Italy is reaching out like never before to reconnect with people of Italian heritage living throughout the world. Dubbed “Italea,” the program promotes “roots tourism” to the descendants of the great Italian diaspora.
The local announcement of the program brought together leaders of the Chicago-area Italian-American community through the invitation of Italian Consul General Thomas Botzios; Com.It.Es President Carlo Vaniglia; and Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans President Ron Onesti. The June 14 reception was hosted by the JCCIA in the beautiful private dining room of the Des Plaines Theatre.
Flying in to make the presentation was Luigi Vignali, Director General for Italian Citizens Abroad and Migration Policies. Vignali was very enthusiastic in sharing news of the most comprehensive plan that Italy has created to discount and facilitate travel for people of Italian origin living around the world.
Launched by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the program invites the community to visit their ancestral towns and discover their heritage and culture firsthand.
The Italea platform has rallied the support of countless hotels and travel services to offer incentives to people around the world with roots in Italy to visit the land of their ancestry, explore their personal and national histories, and perhaps connect with family they’ve never met.
Visitors to the websites italea.com/en and italia.it/en/italea can also reach out to reliable genealogists who can help support their efforts to reconnect with their roots. This most welcoming platform provides support throughout your personal journey to discover your heritage.
— Joanne Spata
