"Italian American Sounds Good: New Italians in the USA, the Value of Citizenship" was the theme of the event held today at the Italian American Museum in New York. The meeting was organized by the Migrantes Foundation and the Patronato ACLI USA to discuss the benefits of acquiring a passport not only for Italy but also for the European Union.

The event was opened with greetings from Joseph V. Scelsa of the Italian American Museum (helped with translation by Italian professor Josephine Buscaglia Maglietta), who then passed the floor to the speakers.

Delfina Licata from Migrantes presented the report’s data. "We are a country still with active and dynamic mobility. In the past nineteen years of RIM, we’ve seen our presence outside national borders double, and in the case of the United States, it’s a growth of over 70%."

Stefano Marruso of ACLI USA spoke about citizenship and the astonishing rise in requests. “I believe that right now, it’s both a trend and a necessity. It’s a historical moment of rediscovering one’s roots, and rediscovering one’s origins has a healing, therapeutic power, I’d say. So yes, let’s say it, there’s certainly an interest in the Italian passport, but I believe it’s also about the interest in rediscovering who we are and where we come from.”

Paolo Ricotti, president of Patronato Acli, added: “Having citizenship means reconnecting with one’s country of origin, with one’s roots. Discovering who we are, where we come from, and living in a country with so many cultures is easier when you know your roots. It’s easier to engage with the rest of the world when you are aware of your own history.”

Umberto Mucci, president and founder of WeTheltalians, joined via video to discuss the topic "The Importance of the Italian American Community, Today More Than Ever."