Seventeen university students from across the nation will participate in the 2018 Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery Program, an all-expenses-paid educational and cultural initiative sponsored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) that takes Italian American students to Italy each summer. This year’s tour will send students to Puglia, NIAF’s 2018 Region of Honor, June 19-28.

The program aims to help strengthen the Italian American identity by bonding young Italian Americans to Italy’s culture and heritage through educational tours, museum visits and meetings with local government officials. Students also engage in a community service project further strengthening the ties between the countries.