Bruno Rossetti, in a recent and well-attended conference, turned the spotlight on a phenomenon of growing interest: Italian emigration and the consequent “Tourism of the Roots“. The topic aroused keen interest among the public, eager to learn more.
A Deep Bond with Italian Origins
The figures speak for themselves: around 4-5 million French people, or almost 7% of the French population, boast Italian ancestry in their family tree. Although the Frenchization of some surnames has sometimes made this legacy less visible , the love for roots often remains present in many of them. The phenomenon is not limited to France; it is estimated that nearly 80 million people of Italian descent live worldwide , with a significant concentration in America, including Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, the United States and Canada. This deep attachment to one’s origins has given rise to a specific form of tourism: “Roots Tourism”
Institutional Support and the Year of Italian Roots 2024
The Italian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), has shown great interest in this issue. So much so that 2024 has been declared the “Year of Italian Roots in the World“. In this spirit, following the 2020 pandemic, the ITALEA website was inaugurated, with the support of European funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The goal: to offer the descendants of Italians support in organizing their journey in the footsteps of their ancestors. Numerous actors are currently mobilized in this project. Among them, Tour Operators are very interested in this through their federation FIAVET (Italian Federation of Travel and Tourism Business Associations), as well as Italian and foreign Chambers of Commerce (Confcommercio), local authorities and specialized agencies.
Experts and Successful Initiatives
Among the pioneers of the sector is Letizia Sinisi. An expert in roots tourism for over 15 years , she founded Italy Rooting Consulting to develop this ever-growing sector and published a reference work on the subject in 2021, which was recently republished. She promotes a sensitive and personalized approach to these journeys, halfway between returning to the origins and discovering heritage. Initiatives have also been developed in France. In Nogent-sur-Marne, in 2025, a memorial to Italian emigration was inaugurated. At the center of the structure is a sculpture inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Vitruvian Man. The work, which has become a local tourist attraction , serves as a reminder of how deeply rooted Italian migration is in the French cultural landscape. The meeting ended with a warm session of autographs of the book “Little Italy of Saint-Nazaire“. This book, published by Geste Editions , has just been republished in an improved version, as the 2024 version quickly sold out. It contains many explanations consistent with this Italian initiative.
The theme developed is vast and promising for the future, strengthening the ties between the two nations. Italea Piemonte is excited to contribute to this extraordinary journey of rediscovery and connection.
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