Rome – July 12, 2016

“This morning, I hosted, in the Hall of the Wolf in Montecitorio, a group of American university students led by Professor Mario Mignone of Stony Brook University, Professor Franco Maddalena of Westchester Community College, and Professor Matilde Fava of Farmingdale State College.

Professor Mignone carries on a study abroad program in Italy for American students that started in 1980, and has lasted without halting for 37 years. This year, 44 students visited the Camera, while last year, they visited the Senate, and were received by President Grasso. Effectively, these students visit every year in a different way, the Camera and Senate of the Republic.

The students were able to visit Montecitorio and retrace the steps of Italian history through one of the places dedicated to the representation of the populace – The Camera dei Deputati . In giving them a warm welcome , I underlined the importance of the confronting and cooperating with other cultures and understanding historical evolution and , in regards to Italy , admiring the art that characterizes it as a time of spiritual confrontation to grasp the essence and understand the profound humanity that it underlines .

We had the opportunity to establish a profound dialog, during which I explained the concept of Districts Abroad, which allow Italians living abroad to still have Parliamentary representation in their Motherland.” Said Fucsia Nissoli FitzGerald (elected abroad representing North and Central America), after her meeting with the students.