How do Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca identify as Italians?

Today is a National Holiday in Italy. It is Republic Day. It commemorates the birth of the Republic of Italy with the constitutional referendum of 1946, when the Italian population was called to decide what form of government (monarchy or republic) to give to the country after World War II and the fall of fascism. After 85 years of monarchy, Italy decided on the abolition of the monarchy, ruled by the House of Savoy, and established the Republic.

Italians are the only people in the world who do not identify with their country. They identify with their region and their people. In America we are all immigrants. We all came from someplace else. If you ask a German where his family is from, he’ll say Germany, same with France, Spain etc. but if you asked me where my family is from, I would answer, my mothers’ family is from Abruzzo, my fathers’ father is from Calabria with roots in Marsala and fathers mother is born in New York and her family was from Campania. We never say we are from Italy. We associate with who our parents are and the region of Italy they came from.

Think about the guys. Now we know they are Italian, born in Italy but Gianluca says I’m Abruzzese, Piero says I’m Sicilian and Ignazio, is the interesting one that proves my point. He says he’s Sicilian but, he was born in Bologna in Emilia Romagna. Why Sicilian, because his parents are Sicilian born in Sicily. Which begs the question, what will Ignazio’s children be?

So, 150 years after the unification of Italy, nothing has changed.

They are who their people are!

Today, live from the Arena di Verona, for the feast of the Italian Republic, Il Volo will perform the “Canto degli Italiani” (national anthem).

The hymn was written by Goffredo Mameli, poet and patriot of the 1800s.

And here it is the beautiful interpretation performed by Ignazio, Piero and Gianluca, certainly proud to sing ancient words of unchanged charm.

Click on photo below to hear IL VOLO sing the Italian national anthem.

At the beginning of the video the boys say some thoughts.

Gianluca reads the first article of the Italian Constitution.

GIANLUCA = Italy is a Democratic Republic founded on work, sovereignty belongs to the people who exercise it in the forms and within the limits of the Constitution.

IGNAZIO = We want to honor this anniversary by singing the anthem of Italy, which is a Risorgimento song.

PIERO = And it is a resurgence, what we wish for Italy and for all Italians.

 

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