I recently had the chance to spend some time in various cities in the United States and Canada, where I attended several community events and celebrations. These are great opportunities for me to get in touch with my constituents and listen to their concerns and requests.
There are three themes that come up the most when speaking to Italians living abroad. The first issue is always citizenship. Many who came here in the 1960s or ’70s were forced to renounce their Italian citizenship, and at present, Italian laws aren’t very helpful when it comes to rightfully regaining that citizenship. That is why I co-signed a law proposal that would modify the current situation, making it easier for those who lost their citizenship to get it back. After being approved by several Senate commissions, we are now waiting on a technical approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will then propel the bill to the Senate floor.
The second aspect that interests Italians living abroad is education and culture. There is a strong demand for Italian language courses and schools, as well as for activities that can highlight Italian culture. In particular, I am interested in listening to younger generations of Italian Americans. They are very proud of their Italian roots, but they often have a hard time appreciating it because they are not given the right tools to embrace it. Younger generations strive to have something that is their own, that can speak to them. Older folks can’t expect their children or grandchildren to go to dinner dances and enjoy them. We need to keep the dinner dances but add innovative cultural experiences.
Learning the Italian language is of course a key component in appreciating Italian culture. Every new generation of Italian Americans is a little further from their ancestors’ native language, and one rarely finds grandparents who speak the language living in the same house. It’s even worse when one considers the distance that many immigrants put between them and their Italian roots after World War II.
But teaching the language has to happen at many different levels and at all ages. Little children learn very quickly. My grandchildren, for example, will get to spend some time in Rome this summer and learn the language. Without having to leave the country, though, one can seek out Italian language summer camps or courses that give children the opportunity to learn while having fun. As children grow older, they have different types of opportunities. Through programs like AFS-Intercultura or EF (just to name two of the major organizations), students can go to Italy for up to a year to study while in high school.
Learning Italian at a young age is crucial for all those interested in going back to Italy during college. Many times, Italian students coming to the United States have the advantage of knowing the English language relatively well. If American students leave for Italy with a stronger knowledge of the Italian language, they will have a much better and formative experience as well.
There are various initiatives in this regard. Some Italian universities I have visited are implementing summer schools, offering dorms and classrooms that would otherwise go empty over the summer. I also recently spoke with the new Minister of Education, Stefania Giannini, who is very sensitive to the topic, having presided over the universities of Pisa and Perugia in the past — two universities that attract a large number of foreign students.
The third topic that Italians abroad talk about the most is the consular network and the services it provides. Unfortunately we witnessed the recent closure of the Consulate in Newark. I personally visited the community to ensure that the services would still be kept in place through a satellite office, but as elected officials we must ensure that services increase, not the other way around.
As I head back to Rome, I will make sure the voice of Italians living abroad is heard.
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