Bundì,
My name is Vanessa Lovisa and I’m Director of the 20-Somethings youth group at Famee Furlane Toronto. It is an honour and privilege to have been given the opportunity to speak to you today about my experience here in Friuli, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of our Fogolâr Federation of Canada and I’d like to begin by thanking the Federation, our Fogolârs and Ente Friuli Nel Mondo who made this Congresso such a tremendous success.
For me, this has been a very emotional and surreal experience, one that has forever changed me. My desire to attend the Congresso came from a deep feeling within myself to want to further connect to my roots and to my family’s heritage. This curiosity was ignited when I began my research as a Masters and now Doctoral Candidate studying about the history of Friulian migration to Canada. Although I learned about the history of Friuli through my research, this knowledge was immediately brought to life upon my arrival in Friuli. After having travelled to other beautiful places throughout Italy before arriving in Udine, nothing could have prepared me for the feeling I felt when we arrived in Friuli. I immediately felt at home, comfortable and at ease, like I belonged here.