By “roots tourism” we mean the movement of the many Italians residing abroad, of Italian descendants, natives, mainly second or third generation emigrants, who “return” to the land mother. A considerable number of people, who want to move and travel in the footsteps of their family history, to discover and learn about the places, the culture, the traditions of their origins, and also, when possible, reconstruct their family trees and rediscover the ties of relationship. The project Italy -which was created on the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with resources made available by the Ministry of Culture from Pnrr funds, and financed by the European Union – NextGenerationEu/2022-2025 – has the objective of promoting the roots tourism in Italy, significantly in 2024, the Year of Italian roots in the world.
In Sardinia The association is responsible for implementing the Italea project Cumbidu – third sector body, which deals with the development of activities for the organization and promotion of roots tourism in Sardinia. AND Sunday 28 Aprilprecisely on the anniversary of Sa Die de Sa Sardigna, a Cagliari in the spaces of Lazarettostarting from 10am, the whole day will be dedicated at the presentation of Italea in Sardinia. An opportunity to talk about the values of the territories involved, to present the attractors, the services of particular interest for the flows of local tourists and promote the knowledge of the partners who, at various levels, have joined the vast network of the project: Municipalities, Unions of Municipalities, Gal, university departments (Universities of Cagliari and Sassari), business networks, tour operators, tourism and culture operators, associations, Sardinian clubs in the world (between South America, United States, Australia, Canada, Europe) .
The start of the day is set for 10.30 with the conference “Roots tourism and sustainable territorial development”. They will intervene Giovanni De VItaadvisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and national manager of the Italea project; Eugenio Annichiaricogeneral director of the Labor Department of the Sardinia Region; Marzia Cilloccu, representing the regional tourism department. Furthermore, the participation of mayors, presidents of Unions of Municipalities and LAGs, public and private partners is expected. At 12.30 the exhibition area will be inaugurated with the stands of the partners present and following, at 1.30, it will be time for Su Cumbidu, a convivial lunch with tasting of typical products. The day will continue in the afternoon, from 3.30 pm, with traditional games and entertainment, workshops and activities proposed by the partners. At 6.30 pm there will be musical entertainment with a DJ set.
In the second half of last year the project further developed and took on the name of Italea, from the idea of the emigrants as “cuttings” of the plant of origin: the cutting is a practice with which a plant is allowed to propagate, cutting it a part and replanting it, making new roots grow, just as happens with migrations. This program constitutes an invitation to rediscover the “mother plant”. In addition to strengthening the bond with Italian communities abroad, Italea aims to promote a model of sustainable, responsible and accessible tourismfor the valorization of small municipalities and all those areas which, both in the past and today, suffer depopulation due to migratory flows.
