Everything is ready for the Columbus Day: an important occasion for Italian Americans to celebrate their roots and contribute to the narrative of their community’s history. Participating in this event means honoring the connection with Italian culture and paying tribute to the generations of emigrants who left Italy in search of a better life across the ocean. This year’s Columbus Day will have an even more special significance: the Italian government has declared 2024 as the “Year of Italian Roots in the World,” and Italea will take part in the parade with its own float. Italea is a program promoting roots tourism, launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as part of the NRRP project and funded by NextGenerationEU. The project aims to attract Italians abroad and Italian descendants who wish to explore the places and traditions of their origins, offering a range of services to facilitate travel to Italy. This is also supported by the thorough organization of 20 groups, one in each Italian region, which provide information, welcome, and assistance to roots travelers.
«In an increasingly globalized world, it is essential to keep cultural identity alive. Columbus Day offers a space to introduce new generations to Italian traditions, history, and culture. Moreover, it highlights the positive impact Italian Americans have had on American society, from art to music, from the economy to cuisine, and even cinema. Participating in a parade like this helps build a sense of community and belonging and strengthens the ties between Italy and the Italian American community here in New York. We extend an invitation to all of them: come and take a roots journey to Italy and discover the origins of your ancestors. We look forward to welcoming you,» said Giovanni Maria De Vita, Head of the Italea Project at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Roots tourism is aimed at the 80 million Italian descendants around the world who, thanks to this initiative, are encouraged to discover the places and traditions of their country of origin. The name Italea is a blend of “Italy” and “talea”, a horticultural practice that allows a plant to propagate by cutting a part of the plant and replanting it, thus allowing new roots to grow. This name, therefore, represents gratitude to the mother plant, evoking an image that refers to the phenomenon of emigration and the connection to one’s origins. The project is aimed at those who already know their family history and want to visit their ancestral places, as well as those who wish to rediscover a part of themselves they have never connected with.
All Italian regions believe in the potential of this type of tourism; in each of them, a local Italea group has been created, offering personalized packages and assistance to travelers. The services are as varied and complete as possible: from thematic itineraries organized by specialized tour operators to support in rediscovering family history through expert and certified genealogists. There are also workshops that allow travelers to deepen their knowledge of their culture of origin, as well as activities and events related to crafts, gastronomy, and music.
In recent months, Italea has been present at key tourism fairs and events organized in different parts of the world where there are many people and families of Italian descent: Argentina, Australia, and the United States. This is a way to raise awareness of the project, launch it globally, and celebrate the Year of Italian Roots in the World in the best possible way.
