For the "Mondo in valigia" contest, born from the collaboration between Italea Piemonte and the Giovan Pietro Vanni Association, Piedmontese students tell the story of the extraordinary undertaking of a tenacious woman from Trieste in the United States through music.

The discovery of one's roots and the stories of Italians around the world also passes through the creativity and energy of new generations. This is demonstrated by the brilliant project created by the third-year class of the lower secondary school of Ornavasso, an institute belonging to the I.C. Valtoce of Vogogna (VB).

Guided by their teacher, Prof. Vanessa Sirtori , the students enthusiastically participated in the "Mondo in valigia" (World in a Suitcase) contest. This contest, now in its second edition and this year specifically focused on the enhancement of female figures, was made possible thanks to the fruitful collaboration between Italea Piemonte and the Giovan Pietro Vanni Association, with the support of the Kiwanis Club of Domodossola.

To participate, the students conceived and produced an original audio-visual project. The kids took inspiration from the story of a woman from Trieste (Giorgina Reid) who emigrated to the United States and, through her commitment, managed to save the Montauk Lighthouse, an American historical monument, from erosion.

Instead of a traditional narrative, the students chose a language close to them: to tell her story, they created a rap song! Through driving rhymes and hand-drawn illustrations, the video traces the life of this Italian pioneer, celebrating her determination and the positive impact she left in her adopted homeland.

Initiatives like this perfectly align with the mission of Italea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) program dedicated to Roots Tourism. Involving schools means planting the seed of memory, allowing younger generations to discover how the courage, ingenuity, and resilience of Italian emigrants (and, in this case, Italian women) have contributed to shaping and protecting the heritage of the entire world.

Thanks go to the teachers, the associations involved, and, above all, to the students of Ornavasso for reminding us that the story of our roots can be told with ever-new voices.