Tuesday, December 05,

Turano Encourages Cultural Studies and Dual Citizenship

The ANNOTICO Report

 

We have below two versions of the same speech of Renato "Ron" Turano, the Western Hemisphere  Italians Abroad representative to the Italian Senate, at Montclair State University in New Jersey.

 

Turano appears to emphasize two points (1) he wants to help keep Italian culture alive for the Americans of Italian descent in the U.S., and (2) He also encourages Italian-Americans to get dual citizenship.

 

As part of the Cultural Studies he points out Traditions and Language.

 

I would add History, the FULL Spectrum,   to include of course, Magna Grecia, Rome, the Renaissance, the Risorgimento, and of course more Modern, and Current  History of Italy, along with the 500 years of Italians in America. 

 

I find most Italian Americans very lacking in ALL aspects of both Histories, Such a Shame, because it is SO Rich!!

 

 

When in Rome, Turano Serves on Senate


New Jersey Herald News

By Jennifer H. Cunningham 

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

LITTLE FALLS -- When Renato "Ron" Turano decided to run for the Italian Senate, he wanted to help keep Italian culture alive for the millions of Americans of Italian descent in the U.S.

"With the passing of generations, we are losing a bit of our identity," Turano, the first American elected to the Italian Senate, told a crowd of about 50 people Monday at Montclair State University. "I wanted to make sure that young people grew up with the same laws and traditions as we did."

Turano, 64, was elected in April to a five-year term representing the more than 350,000 Italian citizens in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Turano holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Italy, making him eligible to run for the Italian Senate under Italian law. He called for reform in Italian government and encouraged Italian-Americans to get dual citizenship.

"It is a right that is given to you, and you can give it on to your sons and daughters," he said.

Turano added that the Italian government's structure encourages voter apathy, because voters don't choose their party candidates, the political parties do.

"People are not confident enough (in government)," he said. "They would like to see the system change."

About 56 million people live in Italy, but more than 60 million people of Italian heritage live abroad. The country is one of several that offers dual citizenship, but only a handful of those -- France, Colombia, Ireland, Portugal, among others -- have political representation for citizens living abroad.

Turano, who owns and operates an artisan bread baking company in Chicago, was born in Calabria, Italy, in 1942, and moved to the Windy City with his family in the late 1950s.

He now divides his time between Rome and Burr Ridge, a Chicago suburb. He flies to Rome every week to attend Senate meetings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, where he supports Premier Romano Prodi's center-left coalition.

Peter Caruso, of Clifton, who attended the event, said he supported Turano's plan for Italian government reform because the Italian consulate in New York makes the process of dual citizenship long and cumbersome.

"It's a good idea to have Italian-Americans in there working," Caruso said after the talk. "In America they work. In Italy, they have siestas. They don't know how to expedite things."

One MSU student said he was inspired by Turano's talk to apply for Italian citizenship. "I can't believe that I'm eligible for citizenship," said sophomore Chuck Gesualdi, 22, whose great-grandfather was born near Naples, Italy.

Young people at the talk praised Turano for "building a bridge" between Italy and the United States.

"I think what the senator is doing is progressive and positive," said Kara Pontrelli, 22, who lived in Rome. "I like how he wants to connect the U.S. and Italy and keep young people involved."

Reach Jennifer H. Cunningham at 973-569-7162 or Cunningham@northjersey.com.

 

 

Turano- Italian Leader a Proud American

 

New Jersey.com

By Elizabeth Llorente
Staff Writer Tuesday,

December 5, 2006

 

MONTCLAIR - The baking magnate looked out at the audience of his compatriots assembled in a classroom at Montclair State University on Monday, and vowed to make their voices heard in their ancestral land.

But he also asked his audience to promise they would keep alive their Italian identity by observing their cultural traditions and learning the Italian language.

"We're all Americans, and we enjoy that very much," said Renato "Ron" Turano, who this year became the first Italian citizen outside the country to sit in the Italian Senate. "But we want to make sure our identity plays an important role in our life here."

With 1.5 million claiming it as their heritage, Italian is the most reported ancestry by New Jersey residents. In Bergen County, 183,500 claimed Italian ancestry, while 118,000 did so in Morris, 81,500 in Passaic and 46,300 in Hudson, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey.

Turano, 64, of Chicago, represents the roughly 400,000 Italian citizens who live in North and Central America.

In 2001, Italian citizens outside Italy got the right to vote in Italian elections through absentee ballots. It was only this year, however, that they were allowed to elect their own representatives to the Italian Parliament.

Turano urged those of similar ancestry in the audience -made up mostly of students who are taking Italian courses - to consider becoming Italian citizens. Italy is one of several countries that allow dual citizenship.

Young Italian-Americans who want to reinforce ties to their roots have an advantage that he did not ? the Internet, which provides numerous connections to people in other nations, he said.

"The world is shrinking," said Turano, whose visit was coordinated by the university's Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America. "You can network with Italian people over the Internet and even make calls to Italy easier than I could."

Turano's words resonated with Valeria Arnaudo, a senior from Ridgefield Park.

Like many in the audience, Arnaudo said many Italian-Americans who were born in the United States are deeply proud of their heritage, even when they're not fluent in the language and are generations removed from their ancestors.

"It's a beautiful thing to be Italian," said Arnaudo, as other Italian-American students standing beside her nodded approvingly. "The families are close, the family values are strong, the customs are rich, the friendships are very warm and close."

"We're also proud to be American," said Arnaudo, who plans to visit Italy for the first time after she graduates.

Ralph Contini of Maywood came from Italy at the age of 10 but remains steeped in the culture of his native homeland.

Contini, who is a trustee of the board of the Coccia Institute, said he and other young Italians once felt extreme pressure to speak English and assimilate. Now, he said, multiculturalism is encouraging young people ? such as those who attended Turano's lecture ? to research the land of their ancestors and study their language.

"Now our society is beginning to see the other side of learning a language and learning about culture," Contini said. "Now we understand that it is important to understand other languages and cultures."

E-mail: llorente@northjersey.com

 

 

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