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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-11-24 Daily Xml
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NONNO-NIPOTE PROJECT

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (15:46): Around the middle of last year, I was approached by the president of the Campania Sports and Social Club in South Australia, Mr Mark Quaglia, to lend my support to a wonderful project whereby the Federation of Campani Associations of South Australia (FAECSA) was hoping to attract funding from the Campania region of Italy.

As a brief overview, the project sponsored grandparents and their grandchildren to return to the place of birth of the grandparent in order for the grandchildren to immerse themselves in their heritage with the guidance of their grandparents.

I was pleased to be asked to be involved in this project and to see it to fruition. I had the opportunity not only to make written representation and many follow-ups but also to personally lobby the then minister in Campania. I believe I was able to express the very strong wishes of the community in South Australia to see the project funded, bearing in mind that it captures the very special bond that we see between grandparents and their grandchildren.

It was, of course, the grandparents who made that leap of faith, leaving behind everything that was familiar, hoping for a new beginning for themselves, but more importantly, for those who would come after them.

A multicultural reception was held to farewell those whom the Federation chose for the experience. The role that grandparents play in the continuity of culture, traditions and language is paramount in the migration story. It is, of course, one thing to hear about the past but altogether another for grandchildren to see first hand where their families come from and to be part of their own heritage even for a short period of time.

The three grandparents and their grandchildren, Mrs. Rosa Morelli and her granddaughter Cassandra Sianis, Mrs. Alberina Luongo and her grandson Cristian Ricciardi, and Mr Carmine Barone and his grandson Alec Barone, were chosen from South Australia to be part of this inaugural project. FAECSA describes the aim of the Nonno-Nipote Project as:

a journey back to new discoveries—is to use the strong relationship between the grandparent and their grandchild as a conduit from which the grandchild can both deepen their understanding of their 'family story' and also use this experience as a catalyst towards exploring, expanding and further affirming their relationship with their forefathers' country of origin.

During their stay, each nonno/nonna, with their nipote, shall spend time in the area where their 'family' originated so as to give the nipote a 'deeper understanding' of their heritage. The grandchild's school in Adelaide will be linked with the school in the grandparent's town so as to enable the grandchild to undertake extracurricular activities while in Italy. And for the nonno/nonna, this experience shall be both a time that will awaken the 'memories of a time long past' and also to experience and appreciate the significant changes that have occurred in Italy over the past 50 years. The region of Campania also organised various tours and educational activities for the participants of this project.

I am pleased to say that those participants fortunate enough to be chosen for this project have returned with praise for their experiences and the wonderful cooperation and assistance shown by all. The grandchildren attended their respective education institutions and study trips were organised for both grandparents and grandchildren. The project well and truly fulfilled its aim, and the students will now be preparing their reports for the various authorities. Anybody who is the grandparent would understand the enormous bonds that exist between grandchildren and their grandparents and so it is not difficult to appreciate the pride such a return visit would instil.

I congratulate the President of the Campania Club, Mr Mark Quaglia and Mr Teo Spiniello, the Vice Secretary of the Federation, for their commitment in seeing this project to fruition. Mark Quaglia, in particular, was passionate in ensuring its success. I wish future projects the same success. I want to thank the Campania regional government and, in particular, the now retired minister of (among other things) youth affairs and migration, the Hon. Alfonsina De Felice (who also visited Adelaide several years ago), for their commitment in providing the entire funding for this special project. I especially thank the Campania regional government for understanding that providing educational and cultural links is so very important in ensuring that the history of migration is not lost, sending a clear message to those who made the sacrifices that their efforts were not in vain.

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