On Feb. 2025, the opening night of the “Mentorship” project, organized by the New York Comites, was held at the Consulate General of Italy in New York.
The event was attended by many Italian professionals and newcomers eager to integrate into the local professional fabric.
Consul Cesare Bieller brought greetings from Consul General Fabrizio Di Michele, and congratulated the COMITES NY team, particularly in Councilors Ornella Fado and Barbara Marciandi for launching this important and significant initiative.
The “Mentorship” project aims to create a strong network of Italians who can support each other by offering guidance and assistance in the complex and challenging American context, thus fostering the personal and professional growth of each participant.
The evening was presented and curated by Ornella Fado, Chair of the Communications and Events Committee, together with board member Barbara Marciandi and Francesca Carelli, Program Director of the project.
Councilor Fado thanked the Consul General for opening the doors to Comites by hosting the MENTORSHIP event and Vice Consul Alessandra Oliva for coordinating the evening.
He also mentioned that this is the second signed COMITES of 2025 project: on January 6, Comites debuted a series of PODCASTS entitled “The Voice of Comites: Collaborating to Grow.” Both projects are on a mission to engage the entire Tri-State community.
Councilor Barbara Marciandi spoke about the role of Comites and the importance of creating bridge-projects, which include the community across the board: from different generations to different professions.
Francesca Carelli, Program Director of the Mentorship Project, shared the fascinating origin of the word mentorship, explaining how its modern meaning represents a path of mutual growth and authentic support. He presented the structure of the program, which involves the strategic pairing of mentors and mentees based on their skills and goals to foster an enriching and meaningful exchange. Carelli announced, that the program will begin on March 3 and conclude on June 3, with networking events aimed at strengthening professional, social and cultural ties, within the Italian community, facilitating the creation of lasting bonds among its members.
Among the featured speakers: Michael Cascianelli (Headmaster of the Guglielmo Marconi School in NY), Maria Teresa Cometto (journalist, a well-known byline in Il Corriere della Sera, and writer), Stefano Marruso (ACLI Director and lifecoach), and Piera Palazzolo (expert in the field of marketing communications), who shared their experiences and offered practical suggestions to participants.
The event sold out, a testament to the interest and need that such initiatives have within the Italian community. Its success represents a promising beginning, with the hope that it can become a point of reference for the Italian community in New York and the Tri-State.
The evening ended with a talk by Father Luigi Portarulo with a prayer for the whole community and for the Pope, who is going through a very delicate moment. In a convivial atmosphere, guests were entertained by networking accompanied by fabulous refreshments provided by Kestè, Prato Bakery, I Macoritti and Rafele Rye.
The article “Mentorship,” Comites NY’s orientation event for Italian professionals comes from TheNewyorker.
