Following opening remarks by Consul General Giuseppe Pastorelli, Director Claudio Pagliara, Federico Tozzi of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce, and Nino Foti of Fondazione Magna Grecia, attendees were treated to a series of presentations and panel discussions aimed at a diverse audience of investors, bankers, attorneys, academics, hospitality professionals, entrepreneurs, and technology innovators from both Italy and the United States.
Massimo Dell’Utri, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, spoke proudly of his native Sicily and highlighted the establishment of more than 1,000 new businesses and approximately 20,000 new jobs across Southern Italy. He outlined a vision of the Mezzogiorno not merely as a destination for tourism or a market for outside investment, but as a dynamic economic center driven by local entrepreneurs competing successfully at both the national and international levels.
Luigi Sbarra, Undersecretary at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with responsibility for Southern Italy, discussed increased coordination between the Italian government and the European Union, including more than €40 billion in funding initiatives directed toward the South. He also emphasized efforts to encourage domestic and foreign investment through favorable financing programs and coordinated lending initiatives.
Antonio Nicaso, a native of Calabria and professor at Queen’s University in Canada, reflected on Southern Italy’s historical legacy, from Magna Graecia through the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, while addressing contemporary issues of legality, governance, and risk management. Nicaso noted that multinational corporations have increasingly chosen regions such as Calabria and Campania for investment and expansion over the past two decades.
Alessandro Scortecci, Chief Investment Officer for Direct Investments at CDP Venture Capital Group, highlighted the rapid growth of technology and artificial intelligence sectors in Southern Italy, as well as the increasing international reach of Southern Italian firms, many of which have successfully expanded into the American market.
During the luncheon that followed, participants exchanged ideas, renewed professional relationships, and toured the institute’s exhibition dedicated to the great Neapolitan tenor Enrico Caruso under the guidance of Director Pagliara.
The conference presented a vision of a South that is increasingly retaining its talent, attracting investment, and generating new opportunities. Across the Mezzogiorno, exports continue to grow, while a new generation of entrepreneurs is choosing to establish and expand businesses in their native regions rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere. One technology entrepreneur cited during the discussions has even succeeded in attracting workers from Northern Italy by offering competitive wages and a higher quality of life in his hometown.
As many of the speakers observed, the strongest evidence of Southern Italy’s transformation lies in the growing number of international investors, business partners, and innovators who now view the region not as a peripheral economy, but as a place of opportunity and long-term growth.
~ Cav. Charles Sant’Elia
