Tomorrow in Taranto the first International Meeting on “Tourism of Italian Roots in the World”

On the occasion of the“Year of Roots Tourism”designated for 2024 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will take place tomorrow, April 17, from 9:00 to 20:00 in Taranto the first “International Meeting on Roots Tourism” at the Jonico Department of the University of Bari Aldo Moro – Via Duomo 259. On this occasion, the Italians in the World Report of the Migrantes Foundation will also be presented – at 3.00 pm, with its curator Delfina Licata.
The journalist conceived and curated the Meeting Tiziana Grassifor many years author of service programs for Italians abroad at RAI International, president of the “Turismo delle Radici a Taranto and province” Association.
The day of study, testimonies and projects has the aim of creating or implementing stable cultural and socio-economic connections between the “two Italies”, or between the Italian communities inside and outside the borders, recognizing and enhancing the immeasurable emotional heritage and identity constituted by the widespread presence of compatriots in the world, now up to the fifth generation, who have cultivated deep ties with the places of departure of their ancestors.
The Meeting will be opened by greetings from Paolo PardolesiDirector of the Jonico University Department, Loredana CaponePresident of the Regional Council of Puglia, and by the representatives of the Municipality of Taranto and the Province of Taranto, Councilor for Public Education and University respectively Desiree Petrosillo and Provincial Councilor Goffredo Lo Muzio.
This will be followed by speeches – among the participants in the four thematic panels that will take place during the day – by Giovanni Maria De VitaITALEA Project Manager of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Gianfranco Lopane, Councilor for Tourism of the Puglia Region; Aldo Patruno, Director of the Department of Tourism, Economy of Culture and Promotion of the Territory of the Puglia Region; Stella FalzoneDirector of the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto; Stefano Vinci, Coordinator of Legal Courses of the Jonico Department; the Regional Councillors Enzo Di GregorioPresident of the Puglia Region General Affairs Commission e Michele MazzaranoPresident of the Puglia Region Ecology Commission; Giovanni Battafaranoformer Mayor of Taranto and Member of Parliament; Sergio PretePresident of the Ionian Sea Port System Authority – Port of Taranto; Leonardo GiangrandePresident of Confcommercio Taranto; Marcello De PaolaProvincial President of Federalberghi; Fabio Tagarelli President of the Taranto25 Foundation; Carmelo FanizzaFounder Jonian Dolphin Conservation; Pierpaolo De PadovaGeneral Director Taranto Opera Festival; Nunzia Nigroformer Project Manager of the “Europa InCanto” project; Enza Tomaselli “ambassador” of Taranto in the world, and numerous representatives of the economic, tourist-cultural sectors of the Ionian territory.
“It is fundamental for our city and its province to establish relational bridges with that other extraordinary Italy which has written a fundamental page in the history of our country”, notes Tiziana Grassi. “A page that I have come to know closely in my work at Rai International, made up of dreams, sacrifices and conquests, and which today reverberates in over 80 million people of origin who await participatory signals of attention and welcome from us in the fruitful synergies between ‘Remaining and Returners’, as social researcher Carla Sannicola rightly hopes. Therefore I thank the local, national and international institutions and public-private entities who enthusiastically responded to my invitation to participate in this Meeting, from the General Council of Italians Abroad (CGIE) to the National Association of Italians in the World, from the Order of Journalists Puglia to the Taranto Civil Protection Group and CSV Taranto. And the many passionate schools in the area, including the “Battaglini” Scientific High School, the “Pitagora” Commercial Technical Institute and the “Cabrini” Professional Institute of Taranto; the “Mauro Perrone” Higher Institute of Castellaneta which over the years has brought “the flavors of Puglia” to Canadian schools; the network of gastronomic excellences of our territory “Salento delle Murge”; FIPPA Italian Federation of Bakers and Pastry Chefs who, with the Autonomous Association of Bakers of Taranto and its province and the Professional Institute for Hotel Hospitality “Mediterraneo” of Pulsano, will generously organize tastings of typical local products for guests; Posa Edizioni which will publish the conference proceedings next December, and the numerous supporters who confirm how essential it is to team up to actively accompany the development and rebirth of the Ionian area in parallel with the need for a new narrative of Taranto and its innumerable beauties. The challenge today for our territory is to network between companies, operators, public bodies and associations, all active witnesses of the countless resources we have at our disposal, which are culture, traditions, nature, food and wine, and an ancient sense of hospitality. We are therefore the ideal destination for roots tourism, or return tourism, to welcome Italians from around the world to a multifaceted territory waiting to be discovered.”
In this regenerative path, the Associations of Puglia people around the world registered in the regional register and present on all continents will have a decisive role, as part of the initiatives launched by the Economic Development Department of the Puglia Region which has promoted a collaboration with Aret PugliaPromozione to create activities aimed at promoting roots tourism with the active involvement of these associations with a strong cultural-identity drive. With the patronage of RAI Puglia and RAI TGR Puglia Media Partner, the Meeting panels will be moderated by journalists Salvatore Catapano, Giovanna Chiarilli, Monica Golino, Angelo Di Leo and Michele Tursi.
It will also be possible to follow the event in streaming on the Zoom platform. (aise)