ITALIAN ROOTS TV

“TracingITALIANrootsNY”: Digitized Italian Roots Building Community

The project “TracingITALIANrootsNY” was officially presented at the Consulate General of Italy in New York. Conceived by GlobalMedia, led by Fabio Castagna, and enthusiastically supported by COMITES of New York, chaired by Barbara Marciandi, the initiative brought together many of the individuals featured throughout the project, representing the diverse voices and experiences of the Italian-American community.

TracingITALIANrootsNY aims to preserve and share the stories, origins, and traditions of Italians who emigrated to New York by exploring their Italian heritage through an innovative approach. For the first time, these personal and collective roots are being digitized, creating a dynamic and accessible virtual archive that honors the past while preserving it for future generations.

The event at the Consulate was marked by a strong sense of emotion and community, providing participants with the opportunity to share their personal experiences and their deep connection to Italy. The project serves as an important cultural bridge between Italy and the Italian diaspora in New York, leveraging new technologies to preserve and celebrate a shared collective memory.

Welcoming guests on behalf of the organizers was Ornella Fado, Vice President of COMITES New York and Chair of its Communications Committee, who serves as Project Manager of TracingITALIANrootsNY. Together with Fabio Castagna, she presented the project’s vision, objectives, and development.

The evening featured a series of remarks and contributions that enriched the program, including the strong participation of COMITES members Dede Porcu, Pasquale Masullo, Joe Rizzi, and Paolo Tartamella. Greetings were also delivered by Silvana Mangione, Vice Secretary General of the General Council of Italians Abroad (CGIE) for English-speaking non-European countries; Maby Palmisano of COMITES Washington, D.C.; and Consul Laura Pirino.

Among those in attendance were many of the individuals interviewed for the project, whose stories and contributions continue to shape and expand this growing digital archive of Italian heritage in New York.

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