Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will open an event this evening in the Foreign Ministry’s square to highlight the achievements of “Roots Tourism,” four years after its launch. The event will be attended by Minister of Tourism Gianmarco Mazzi, CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, and over 100 mayors of the Roots Municipalities.
The approximately 1,000 participants will include the Italian Consuls from around the world who have come to Rome for their meeting, and CONI youth delegations from various countries, who will perform in the CONI Fair Play Games.
The event, presented by Serena Autieri, will include a pre-event dedicated to promoting popular and amateur music, sports, and the excellence of Italian cuisine, and an event structured into thematic segments: Solidarity; Sports Diplomacy with the participation of CONI; Roots, with video testimonials and live links with some Italian communities abroad; Italian Constitution in the World; Excellence of Made in Italy.
Roots Tourism is an innovative project promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), to strengthen ties with the more than 80 million Italians and Italian descendants worldwide and to enhance local communities, particularly small Italian towns and villages. The event will also aim to launch the project’s future prospects, in light of the €200 million allocated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Development and Cohesion Fund for its development.
The most recent data indicates that roots tourism has seen significant growth over the last few years: from 6.6 million tourists in 2024 to a forecast of over 7.4 million in 2026. The expenditure generated by these travellers is expected to exceed €5.5 billion.