Specials

Argentina is a country where there are about four million people of Sicilian origins spread over the entire territory of the Republic. The first generations of Sicilian emigrants in Argentina have formed associations for the desire and need of feeling close to each other, since when they arrived they did not know neither the language nor the culture of the country that welcomed them.

There are, in fact, associations such as Bahia Blanca or Trinacria, formed since more than a hundred years. Many associations are located in Buenos Aires and other major cities in Argentina.

The purpose of their creation was also to represent the migrants as members of local communities as well as of their homeland. FASA, a Sicilian Federation of about 20 Associations in Argentina, was born with this goal in the 70s.

Subsequently, because of the difficulties linked to an increasing population of the country, three different federations and a confederation that gathered all the associations in the country have been established. Hence the birth of FESISUR, Sicilian Federation of Associations in Buenos Aires and south of Argentina, FERESI, which included Santa Fe and the Argentinean coast, and the FAES that covered the area between Cordoba and the north of the country till the borderline with Bolivia. Eventually, the difficulties of the federal government have further increased for the geographical distances and for the age of their leaders. Today the FESISUR is working with leaders, such as the legendary Anthony Casella, who with tenacity and determination, carried out the presidency until the end of their lives, passing on their bond with Sicily and today, with great commitment., I am trying to do the same. Right now, about 60 associations belong to the Federation. They are small realities arisen from the spreading of information through our website and thanks to groups linked to FAES and FERESI we could organize the Week of Sicily, a success both for the Sicilian and the Italian community resident in Argentina.

The FESISUR has organized twinning with the CSNA and with the Associazione Sicilia in Europe and has dealings with the Federation of Sidney, with the Associations of Venezuela, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile. We are proud to have a federation that is admired by the whole Italian community in Argentina and that is an example for the others.

Everything we have done, has been possible thanks to institutions that worked so long and keep on working with us, thanks also to the work done by the associations based in Sicily, the Region and our Department of emigration.

 A meeting with the Federation of America is going to take place in 2009. Joining them, we want to create the great American Confederation of the continent, with no division between the north and the south.

Certainly, times have changed and it is now necessary to adapt to them. Our program is to involve young people in the life of associations. We feel that our roots and our traditions can be passed down and perpetuated by training the youth who will continue our work.

* This text is the abstract of the paper presented by dr. Carmelo Pintabona to the conference "Memories of the Future" (Palermo, 28-29 November 2008)