As part of the “2024: Year of Italian Roots Worldwide,” New York will host a rich lineup of events celebrating Italian traditions, culture, and heritage. Until October 14th, Italea—an initiative promoting Roots Tourism, launched by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as part of the PNRR project and funded by NextGenerationEU—will be at the heart of various activities, including concerts, exhibitions, conferences, and masterclasses. The goal is to introduce the project to Italian expatriates and Italian-Americans interested in reconnecting with the places and traditions of their origins.
Today, Italea’s mission is in full swing with a packed schedule, starting at 9:00 AM with a conference focused on the connection between cuisine and heritage, organized by Italea Campania. Titled “The Power of Food and the Values of the Roots: Building a Sustainable Future through Gastrodiplomacy and Cultural Alliances, Preserving Living Heritage,” this event took place at Pless Hall at New York University. It encouraged reflection on the role of gastronomy as a vehicle for cultural diplomacy and sustainability.
At 12:00 PM, the exhibition “Puglia and Its Museums, a Sentimental Journey,” curated by Franco Arminio, was presented at the Calandra Italian American Institute. Sponsored by the Regional Council of Puglia, the exhibition is open to visitors until October 11th, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
During the exhibition’s opening, Giovanni Maria de Vita, Embassy Counselor and head of the “Roots Tourism” project at the Directorate General for Italians Abroad, emphasized the significance of Italea: “Italea was created with the dream of supporting the many Italians living abroad, helping them rediscover their roots and visit the towns where their ancestors came from, exploring the traditions and culture of the places they’ve heard so much about. We have developed a website, ‘Italea.com,’ where all the information is available.”
In the afternoon, from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM, the focus shifted to the role of travel as a means of learning and enhancing cultural, environmental, and gastronomic heritage with the conference “Back to the Roots,” also organized by Italea Campania, at the Italian Cultural Institute of New York. The event was followed by a tasting of typical Italian products.
The activities continued at 5:00 PM with “Umbria and Its Roots,” a presentation by Italea Umbria at the Listone Giordano Showroom.
From 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, the Italian Cultural Institute hosted a screening of short films on the theme of roots journeys. Featured films included “Your Roots are Waiting for You” by the Piedmont Region, “Verso Sud” by the Calabria Region, and “Amadeo Peter Giannini” by the Liguria Region. The evening also included the screening of “CUSSIAH, The Most Beautiful Tree” by the Puglia Region, offering a glimpse into the richness of Puglia’s heritage.
