The Municipality of Gela has joined the Municipalities in the World Project By signing the memorandum of understanding with the Italiani.it Foundation, the city administration is committed to actively collaborating with the Foundation to build and strengthen bridges between the Sicilian city and its communities around the world. The agreement was sanctioned by an official resolution and represents a significant step for Gela, clearly acknowledging that Gela's emigrants are an integral part of the local community.
Gela It is one of the oldest cities in Sicily. Two thousand years of history, dominations, and rebirths. But there is a chapter in its more recent history that has profoundly affected its face: emigration. Between the 1950s and 1970s, thousands of Gelesi left the city, and Sicily, for Northern Italy, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and Australia. Then, in more recent years, a new, silent wave of young people seeking a future. The result is a widespread, vast diaspora, often invisible to institutional radar. People who bear Gela in their surname, in their habits, in the stories passed down to their children. A community that exists, is present, but rarely finds a formal interlocutor in their hometown.
What changes with the memorandum of understanding
The Comuni nel Mondo project by the italiani.it Foundation was created precisely to fill this gap. Through the signed protocol, the Municipality of Gela commits to collaborating with the Foundation to reach and engage Gela residents living abroad or in other Italian regions. The goal is to build a real network: a space for dialogue between those who govern the city and those who, even far away, still feel its emotional and identity-defying impact. Information, culture, opportunities for repatriation, and the valorization of skills acquired abroad: there are many ways in which this connection can translate into concrete actions. Signing the protocol is the first step.
Are you a Gelese in the world? This is your story too.
If you grew up in Gela, if your father told you about the Sicilian sea from three thousand kilometers away, if you want to stay informed about the city, if you still retain something of that land in the way you speak, cook, and interact with others, you are not just an emigrant. You are still part of Gela.
If you are Italian or descendant of Italian origin around the world, stay in touch with your country using this form: https://www.italiani.it/progetto-comuni-canale/contatti-per-comuni/.
You'll be among the first to receive updates on your country, be able to communicate directly with the administration, and much more!
