Information
Category:
Organizations - Community Organizations
Description:
GIA, Giovani Italiani Australia Inc, is Australia’s peak body for Italian Australians between the ages of 18 and 35.

BACKGROUND:

In December 2007, a group of giovani from each state came together with the support of Comites and the CGIE to discuss issues of importance. Arising out of this meeting was the formation of a national coordinating group, now known as GIA, Giovani Italiani Australia Inc.

FUNCTIONS:

As a representative body, GIA provides a strong and united voice in the Italian... (read more)
Privacy Type:
Open: All content is public.

Admins

Officers

Talis
Vice-President
Francesco
Secretary
Fabio
QLD Representative
Melissa
WA Representative
Santo
VIC Representative
Lauren
SA Representative
Belinda
WA Representative
Achille
TAS Representative
David
QLD Representative
Claudia
NSW Representative
Adriano
NSW Representative
Ben
ACT Representative
Andrea
VIC Representative
Jonathon
Treasurer
Events

13 past eventsSee All

Photos

4 of 35 photosSee All

Links

3 of 88 linksSee All

Report Group

Giovani Italiani Australia Inc (GIA)

 

Basic Info
 

Name:
Giovani Italiani Australia Inc (GIA)
Category:
Organizations - Community Organizations
Description:
GIA, Giovani Italiani Australia Inc, is Australia’s peak body for Italian Australians between the ages of 18 and 35.

BACKGROUND:

In December 2007, a group of giovani from each state came together with the support of Comites and the CGIE to discuss issues of importance. Arising out of this meeting was the formation of a national coordinating group, now known as GIA, Giovani Italiani Australia Inc.

FUNCTIONS:

As a representative body, GIA provides a strong and united voice in the Italian... (read more)
Privacy Type:
Open: All content is public.

Contact Info
 

Email:
secretary@gia.org.au
Website:
http://www.gia.org.au
Office:
Giovani Italiani Australia Inc (GIA)
Location:
189 Faraday Street
Carlton, Australia

Recent News
 

News:
GIA NATIONAL FORUM IN SYDNEY 27-29 NOV, 2009
Lectures, Seminars, Workshops and heaps more!
Register today at www.gia.org.au

Check out GIA FORUM YOU TUBE VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op_bq0A7ZiM


LETTER FROM GIA TO THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT OPPOSING THE CLOSURE OF THE ITALIAN CONSULATES OF ADELAIDE & BRISBANE

To the President of the Republic of Italy, H.E. Giorgio Napolitano, Prime Minister of Italy Hon. Silvio Berlusconi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Franco Frattini, Undersecretary Senator Alfredo Mantica and the Italian Government.

On behalf of all young Italians and young people of Italian descent living in Australia I would like to express our strong opposition and disappointment at the Italian Government’s intention to close, amongst others, the Italian Consulates of Adelaide and Brisbane and strongly urge you to reconsider this decision.

The Italian Consulates in Australia are a point of reference for all Italian citizens, for the community in general as well as for our local authorities. These Consulates play an important leadership role in the provision of services to those of Italian citizenship and heritage, and promote cultural, social and economic relations between Italy and the Australian states.

The decision to close the Italian Consulates of Adelaide and Brisbane, a decision which has incensed Italians and non-Italians, both young and old alike will have a debilitating effect on our local Italian communities.

Most affected by this decision will be the ageing Italian community. Without direct and convenient access to the consulates, these particular community members who are less mobile and not IT savvy will find even the simplest services more difficult to access especially at a time of high and rising demand.

It is important to note that the English-language capacity amongst the aged is low, and it is a major concern. The 2006 census found that some 45 per cent of aged Italian-Australians do not speak English or do not speak it well.

We are currently experiencing a resurgence of young second, third and fourth generation Italians who are taking an increasing interest in Italy and its language and culture, actively engaging within the local Italian communities and seeking out opportunities for educational experiences such as cross cultural exchanges and scholarships. These opportunities will become greatly diminished in the absence of a Consulate. It is this very group that the Italian state has identified as being a very important resource and worthy of investment, as evidenced by the recent Conferenza dei Giovani Italiani nel Mondo in Rome, so it is ironic that it now wants to close their Consulates.

The Italian Government is yet to provide appropriate motivation for these closures with the rationalisation being that closing a number of Consulate offices will save the Italian government about €8 million a year from 2011. This saving is extremely short sighted. The proposed closures would harm Italy’s standing and deliver a hard blow to the strategic interests of Italians throughout the world, particularly in terms of support and a mutually viable economic-commercial and linguistic-cultural system.

It is clear that in designing a new map of Italian Consulates in the world, the Australian reality was not considered, neither was the vastness of this territory and as a consequence the consular areas in relation to such a territory. Adelaide citizens will need to get their services from Melbourne, which is about 700 kilometres away. Brisbane citizens will need to get their services from Sydney which is about 800 kilometres away; and people in the Northern Territory will need to avail themselves of the services in Perth which is about 2,700 kilometres away. Asking these communities to rely on the Melbourne, Sydney and Perth consulates would be inconvenient to say the least. In the same light costs of certain consulates were not considered, whose premises rental costs alone are higher than the total costs of other Consulates.

In addition to the issue of distance, which is a factor that cannot be overlooked, consideration needs to be given to the fact that Australia is a Federation divided into 6 states and 2 territories: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. Each individual state and territory has it own government and a certain amount of autonomy in several sectors such as industry and commerce, construction, education (schools, technical colleges, universities), public security, health, transport, agriculture etc, therefore the presence of a Consulate in individual states takes on an indispensible central role.

Furthermore, this decree did not allow for debate in the Italian Parliament, therefore not giving the Italian Parliament the opportunity to understand the significance that these services have to our communities overseas.

It is important for the Italian government to understand the enormous contribution that Italian migrants made to Italy, not only by leaving their nation where economic hardship was common, but then in helping to rebuild Italy after the war from funds sent to Italy, spreading the Italian culture across the world and promoting trade between Italy and their new home countries.

So now to close their Consulates draws not only their future backwards but their trust and their relationship with Italy. These Italians will not have their rights protected and they will find it more difficult to comply with their obligations, vacating or limiting the scope of the Italian State's presence in South Australia and Queensland will compromise (and in some cases nullify) the opportunity for Italian citizens to have their rights guaranteed under the Italian Constitution.

It is also probably worth noting that the European Union is implementing a new passport system in 2009 in which the holder's fingerprints are required for the new passport. This means that all South Australian-based Italians will need to physically travel to the consulate in Melbourne, all Queensland-based Italians will need to physically travel to the consulate in Sydney, and all Northern Territory-based Italians will need to physically travel to the consulate in Perth in order to renew their passport.

In conclusion this decision will not only damage Italy's reputation in Adelaide, Brisbane and across Australia but also across the world at a time when Italy is trying to play a more important and significant role in international affairs, as it should.

Support for Italian migrants abroad has been variable over the years and has significantly improved recently. For the Italian government now to reverse that support would be a shameful act and would be a gross betrayal of the Italian-Australian community.

We respectfully request that the President of the Italian Republic and the President of the Council of Ministers note our concerns and ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to review the decision with a view of maintaining the Consular posts of Adelaide and Brisbane as part of an efficient and modern diplomatic network in Australia.

Yours Sincerely

Michael Donato
President
Giovani Italiani Australia Inc (GIA)

Italian Translation by Fabio Orlando
Editing by Jen Curcio

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REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN FOR GIA NATIONAL YOUTH FORUM, NOVEMBER 27-29, 2009

Registrations for Giovani Italiani Australia Inc’s (GIA) upcoming annual event, the GIA National Youth Forum are now open.

The GIA National Youth Forum is an event open to all GIA members nationwide. This year it will be taking place in Sydney on the weekend of November 27-29, 2009.

The GIA National Youth Forum weekend is a GIA event not to be missed. Three days of endless networking and socialising are filled with guest speakers, activities seminars, and lectures.

All GIA members are encouraged to attend and meet with their fellow members nationwide.

Registration is subject to availability and places are numbered. To avoid disappointment book your spot as soon as possible.

For registration forms please contact Registrations Officer Emilia Belfiore at registrations@gia.org.au.

For all other GIA National Youth Forum enquiries please contact Forum Convenor, Sandra Pitronaci at forumconvenor@gia.org.au.

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SPONSOR GIA'S NATIONAL YOUTH FORUM WEEKEND

Find out how your Company, Business or Association can contribute to GIA's 2009 National Youth Forum Weekend in Sydney, November 27-29, 2009.

Sponsorship starts from just $100.

For a 2009 GIA Sponsorship Prospectus and Package breakdown, please email
GIA Sponsorship & Fundraising Officer, Francesco Presacco at
sponsorship@gia.org.au

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GIA CALL FOR REGIONAL/RURAL MEMBERS!

Calling all Italians and Italian Australians between the ages of 18-35 living in rural and regional Australia.

If you’re interested in rekindling your connection to the Italian-Australian community then please read on.

GIA (Giovani Italiani Australia), is currently seeking members and representatives in our wider more isolated communities.

By becoming a GIA member you’ll find out about opportunities available to you within your respective state, the broader Italian Australian community - even in Italy.

By becoming a Regional GIA Representative you could have the chance to be the voice of regional Italian Australians within your state.

To enquire about becoming a Regional GIA Representative or to become a GIA member, please email Communications Officer - Jennifer Curcio at communications@gia.org.au

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CLOSURE OF ITALIAN CONSULATES IN ADELAIDE AND BRISBANE

As many of you would have heard in the last few days, the Italian government has proposed the closure of the Consulates in Adelaide and Brisbane in its new restructure of consular services around the world. This proposal has taken many by surprise, and has gained significant media attention, including motions in the parliament of South Australia. It is a very serious issue, that has serious ramifications for the entire Italian community, not just those in SA and QLD/NT.

To show our solidarity in fighting to keep the Consulates open, a Facebook group has been launched by GIA entitled “Let's Keep the Italian Consulates in Adelaide & Brisbane Open!!”. I ask you all to join it now: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111890889415

In addition, a petition has been launched, with more information to be released about that asap. We will send information through to all signed-up GIA members via email – make sure you email membership@gia.org.au if you are not on that list. We will provide you with a form to fill out so that we have your details. Plus we also hope to set up and circulate an electronic petition.

As more information comes to hand, we will let you know. Looking forward to having your full support as we fight to keep the Consulates open!

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GIA'S THOUGHTS WITH THE VICTIMS OF THE L'AQUILA EARTHQUAKE

The Committee of Giovani Italiani Australia Inc. (GIA), the national peak body for young Italian Australians, would like to express its deepest sympathies to the victims of the recent earthquake in the L’Aquila area.

The L’Aquila earthquake is the worst earthquake to occur in Italy in over 20 years and has left much of the area in ruin. Latest reports state that at least 150 people are dead, 1,500 injured and over 50,000 people are now homeless.

The GIA Committee would like to offer up the organisation’s condolences for the victims of the earthquake, their family members and to the residents of L’Aquila and the surrounding area. We are sure that our member’s thoughts and prayers will be with them at this time.

Over the next few days and weeks GIA will be working with the rest of the Italian-Australian Community to do everything it can to help the victims of the L’Aquila earthquake.

If you would like to make a donation to the L’Aquila Earthquake victims, GIA suggests donating through “global giving’s” Italy Earthquake Relief and Recovery Fund by logging onto www.globalgiving.com.

For GIA members concerned about loved ones in or around the earthquakes epicentre please contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 1300 555 135.

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NSW DELEGATES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE IN ROME ORGANISE MENTORING PROGRAM WITH THE ITALIAN CONSUL FOR THE NSW ITALIAN AUSTRALIAN YOUTH COMMUNITY

MARCH 2009: The NSW delegates from the First International Italian Youth Conference that was held in Rome last December 2008 are organising in collaboration with the Italian Consul General of Italy Benedetto Latteri a Mentoring Programme for the community. The first of the series will be with the Italian Consultate where the Consul General will discuss the items of the role of the consulate, citizenship, visas as well as the consulates dealings with regional consultori, Com.It.Es and associations.

The event will take place on Thursday 2 April at 5:45pm at the Italian Consulate located at Level 45, 1 Macquarie Place, Sydney. Please be advised that the Consul will speak in Italian however questions and comments can be made in English.

The delegates from the Rome conference will also be giving a brief commentry about the conference in Rome, the outcomes and proposals that are being worked on locally. Please see that attached document for a description on what occurred at the conference and all proposals that were presented to the Italian government for each theme.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend the evening and for more information please email cgsansw@hotmail.com

Salvatore De Luca, Raffaella Buttini, Benedetta Baldini, Ty Garnero, Anthony Graziano and Isabella Restifa

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INAUGURAL GIA STATE & GENERAL MEETINGS

Giovani Italiani Australia Inc. (GIA) will be holding meetings in each state and territory throughout the month of February in anticipation of its Inaugural General Meeting (IGM). These state meetings will serve to inform members of GIA’s activities and progress during the previous 18 months, and to provide an update of its projects and initiatives for the following 12 months. The first official state/territory representatives will be elected at these meetings.

The Inaugural General Meeting (IGM) will be held this year in Adelaide, on Saturday, 14th March at the University of South Australia City West Campus, 70 North Terrace, Adelaide, Level 6, Hawke Building. During the IGM, the first elected committee, which will take over from the current interim committee, will be sworn in. The following day will see the the elected committee engaging in the Inaugural Strategic Planning Day which will plan GIA’s direction for the following 12 months.

For catering purposes we ask members attending the IGM to RSVP their attendance to giaenquiries@gmail.com.

If you haven’t signed up as an official member of GIA yet, you can do so by downloading a copy of the membership application form above (it’s free!) and returning the form either by email or fax. Go along to your state meeting and find out what the plans are for GIA, what has been achieved so far, and become involved and offer your ideas. Further to the state representatives and executive committee, GIA will also welcome members to participate in various sub-committees.

The IGM and State Meetings will be a chance to not only discuss affairs regarding Italian Australian youth, but also to meet, network, share ideas, and have some fun.

So make sure you sign up as a member, and contact giaenquries@gmail.com to register your interest in attending the state meeting.

QLD
Tuesday 17th February
7pm
Arrivederci Pizzeria
Park Road, Milton

SA
Thursday 19th February 2009
7pm
Com.It.Es Adelaide
230 St Bernards Road, Hectorville

WA
Sunday 22nd February
10.00 -11.30am
Abruzzo Molise Club Board Room
62 Brook Road, Wattle Grove

NT
Tuesday 24th February
6.30pm
17/89 Aralia Street, Nightcliff

VIC
Wednesday 25th February
7.30pm
Com.It.Es Melbourne
189 Faraday Street, Carlton

NSW
Friday 27th February
7pm
Associazione Pugliese
65 Renwick Street, Leichhardt

ACT
Saturday 28th February
2.00 - 3.30pm
Italian Cultural Centre Canberra
80 Franklin Street, Forrest

TAS
We invite all interested persons in representing the state of Tasmania on the committee and organising its Inauguaral State Meeting for GIA to contact:

giaenquiries@gmail.com

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AUSTRALIAN DELEGATES, CGIE CONFERENCE ITALIAN YOUTH ABROAD

Ciao a tutti, GIA would like to congratulate the 20 delegates chosen by the Comites, CGIE and Embassay to attend the Rome youth conference.
The delegates are currently working on documents in their state groups in preparation for the Rome conference, and we wish them the best of luck in their work and offer them our support and encouragement in their representation of Italian Australian youth.

Congratulations to:

VIC
Sara Lucchesi-Cheong
Jennifer Curcio
Santo Pascuzzi
Marco Cedriano
Daniel Pace
Maryclare Cassisi

NSW
Raffaella Buttini
Benedetta Baldini
Isabella Restifa
Ty Garnero
Luigi Salvatore De Luca

SA
Andrew Antenucci
Karen Pocock
Rosanne Vignogna

QLD
Fabio Orlando
Emilia Belfiore
David Ferrini

WA
Antonio Marino
Belinda Coniglio

ACT
Enzo Quadraccia

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INTERNATIONAL CGIE CONFERENCE OF ITALIAN YOUTH ABROAD, ROME 10-12 DECEMBER 2008

Submissions for inclusion in the Australian delegation attending the International CGIE Conference of Italian Youth Abroad are now open!

The Conference will take place in Rome, 10-12 December with the participation of 424 young people of Italian descent from all around the world and about 300 youth from Italy. The conference will be preceded by "riunioni paese" (national meetings) and "riunioni continentali" (Continental Commission meetings) 8-9 December.

Those interested in participating will need to submit their CV to their local Com.It.Es ASAP.

Participation is open to young Italians and young people of Italian origin, between the ages of 18 and 35 residing in Australia. Preference will be given to those candidates with knowledge of the Italian language and a history of community involvement and participation within their Italian community.

DEADLINES:

*Victorian Members please note the deadline for Victoria is close of business (COB) Monday, 6 October.

the deadline for NSW is COB Wednesday, 15 October.

*South Australia Members wanting to apply will need to complete a questionnaire instead of submitting their CV. Please email giamembership@gmail for a copy. South Australian questionnaires will need to be received by Friday, 17 October COB.

*Western Australian Members please note the deadline for WA is COB, Friday 10 October.

For more information please contact your local Com.It.Es:

Melbourne (Victoria & Tasmania)
(03) 9347 7310
comitesmelb@bigpond.com

Sydney (New South Wales)
(02) 9569 5835
comitesydney@bigpond.com

Adelaide (South Australia)
(08) 8365 7555
comites@sa.chariot.net.au

Brisbane (Queensland & Northern Territory)
(07) 3856 0244
comitesq@pacific.net.au

Perth (Western Australia)
(08) 9227 1195
comites@iinet.net.au

Canberra (Australian Capital Territory)
(02) 6295 8081
actcomites@comitesaustralia.org

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THE GIA NATIONAL ITALIAN AUSTRALIAN YOUTH CONFERENCE DEEMED A HUGE SUCCESS

Australia: The National Italian Australian Youth Conference organised by Giovani Italiani Australia with major sponsor Co.As.It NSW was held over the 5th to 7th September at the Carrara Sports Complex on the Gold Coast with over 80 delegates from around Australia and many representatives from various Italian and Australian institutions attending the conference.

The weekend long conference started with an opening cocktail party on Friday 5th giving all the delegates and guests the opportunity to meet and interact on a social level in preparation for the structured days ahead.

The conference was opened by conference convenor Sandra Pitronaci with His Excellency the Italian Ambassador Stefano Starace-Janfolla officially welcoming all the youth delegates from around the country to the important and exciting event.

There was a great level of enthusiasm from the youth throughout the conference which included two key note speakers, a panel of representatives from Italian institutions giving the knowledge and background on all aspects of the Italian community, a workshop held by Co.As.It NSW and the remaining workshops run by the GIA organising committee.

The main themes discussed throughout the weekend were: identity, culture, language, citizenship, commerce and trade with Italy, professional exchanges, youth participation in the community and sharing of information.

The youth had many ideas and comments regarding the Italo-Australian community as it exists and for the future with the consensus being that more youth conferences on a national level are a must as well as a mix of social and cultural meetings also important for the community.

The future of GIA was discussed with all present, many young people felt that the need for a national representative body was long overdue and they were very excited that the formation of GIA will give the opportunity for more encounters between young people in the future and some assurance that young Italo-Australians nationally will become more united.

GIA would like to thank all that attended the conference and all sponsors which without the conference would not have been possible. To get involved in GIA or to find out more information about the conference please write to giaenquiries@gmail.com or visit the group on Facebook.

Isabella Restifa
GIA Media

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CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!!

Registration for the GIA National Italian-Australian Youth Conference, on the Gold Coast, 5-7 September 2008 is now open. Converge on Surfers for a weekend full of engaging forums and exciting social events!

Registration only $30, or $20 for students.

Click on the link for your copy of the registration form: http://www.toscanasc.com.au/images/GIA/GIA%20Conference%20Registration%20Form.pdf

Registrations close August 25.

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CGIE YOUTH WEB FORUM

Ciao ragazzi, an important message from the CGIE - there is now an online youth forum run from Italy that is dedicated to all Italian youth around the world.

Take the opportunity to sign up, have your say, and share dialogue with Italian youth world wide.

Here is the notice - it is in Italian, but if you click on the link, you can follow 'Area Forum Giovani' followed by 'accedi al forum' then 'iscriviti' to register. If you click on 'Acetto...etc, you will recognise a page where you can sign up, and on that page you can change 'lingua' to British English.

Here is the site: www.cgie.it
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Celebrate Monsignor Dino Fragiacomo's 62 years of Ordination - Sunday Aug 23, 2009.

Show your support for Monsignor Dino Fragiacomo and his enormous contribution to Sydney's Italian Australian community on Sunday August 23, 2009 at his 62 year Ordination.

His Excellency Bishop Anthony Fisher will be present at the celebration and wishes to meet with representatives of Sydney's Italian Australian youth organizations after the Mass.

For those attending, please arrive at St Joan of Arc Church, Dalhousie Street, Haberfield no later than 9.30am on Sunday August 23.

R.S.V.P:

FELICE MONTRONE
Secretary General for Australia
CONFEDERAZIONE ITALIANI NEL MONDO
Mob: 0418-614-519