Lucchesi

A few years ago I was told about a language and culture scholarship that I could receive just for having a Tuscan background!  In 2004 I was lucky enough to attend this course for one month in the petite and lovely town of Siena . This experience was an eye opener for me, not only because I was living in another country and speaking another language but to how my relatives have a different lifestyle and values to what is in Australia . 

When I arrived back to Melbourne I wanted to be apart of the Toscana Social Club because there was so much more I wanted to learn about Tuscans that live in Melbourne and Australia and to share it with others.  I soon became a committee member of I Girasoli.  I Girasoli is a sub-committee for youths of the Toscana Social Club in Brunswick . I Girasoli organise at least one event a month to have fun with friends and family but to also expose Italians and non-Italians to Tuscan culture. We try to have a Tuscan or Italian influence at all our events and welcome all people to our functions – not only Tuscans, but Italians and non-Italians.  We organise events such as wine tasting afternoons, bowling nights, trivia nights, cooking classes and much more!  Please visit our website www.toscanasc.com.au for more information about our events and photos on past events!

In 2006 I became the Coordinatore Continentale per I Giovani Toscani in Australia e Sud Africa.  This role enables me to interact with Tuscans in Italy and other coordinators from around the world to gather ideas and share them with my Tuscan Australian clubs.  We have successful youth clubs in Johannesburg , Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne at the moment and are looking at establishing ones in Sydney and Brisbane. My main aim and role is to keep the Tuscan feel, culture and values in Australia and South Africa alive with our younger generation. Our club and events is not seen as “something your parents drag you to” anymore and this is what I would like to see around the whole of Australia and South Africa . Our future in keeping this heritage alive is in the hands of the younger generation.

In December 2007 I helped form an networking association called GIA (Giovani Italiani Australia ). This group was formed in order to help other Italians find other people with common Italian interests, such as food, wine, movies, radio, magazines, traveling to and from Australia and Italy etc. This groups has worked hard for the past 1 ˝ years to get the recognition it deserves. I am still apart of this committee and as a result of my involvement was privileged enough to go to Rome in December 2008 for the First Conference for Young Italians that live abroad.

It was an honor to be chosen as one of six Victorians but one of 20 Australians to represent Italian-Australians at the First World Italian Youth Conference in Rome . At this conference I would like to share my own ideas and experiences as the Tuscan Youth Coordinator to try and expand these views and thoughts on an international level. It isn’t only with Tuscan clubs where it is hard to get people to come on a weekend trip or event that is organised by an association. All Italian associations need ideas and encouragement and from this conference, for not only Tuscan-Australians but Italian-Australians we can make a difference. The communication and resources between the two countries is a vital issue and hopefully we can receive a good outcome. No doubt this experience will be a fantastic one!

March 2009

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