Joan Liberti, an Italian-American citizen, arrived in Genoa from the United States to rediscover the story of her grandfather Vittorio, a Genoese sailor who emigrated to America. By participating in our project, Joan embarked on an exciting journey to rebuild her family’s identity and reconnect with her Ligurian origins.

United States and Liguria: the story of a family between two worlds

Vittorio Liberti worked as a sailor in the port of Genoa and sailed as far as China and Australia. After years of traveling, he decided to settle in the United States, where he married Immaculate Conception in New York and started a family. Joan, born and raised in America, has always heard of her grandfather, but he died shortly before his birth. This trip represented a way for her to fill that void and give a face to the stories she heard as a child.

United States and back: a search through documents and memories

Accompanied by Chiara Parodi Bellanova, local contact person for the Italea project, Joan carried out a real genealogical investigation. With patience and dedication they managed to identify Vittorio’s birthplace in the historic center, the church where he was baptized and the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, where his great-grandparents rest. Each discovery brought new emotions and precious details to reconstruct the family puzzle.

Emotions in Genoa: traces of family between Italy and the United States

During the visit, Joan lit a candle in the church where her ancestors were married, walked through the alleys where her grandfather had lived, and walked through the threshold of the house where he was born. At the cemetery, he found a surprise: the grave of a great-aunt, Enrichetta, whom he had never heard of. On the tombstone, fresh flowers: perhaps a relative still present in Genoa. Joan left a note with her contacts, in the hope of a future family connection.

United States and Genoa: a bridge between past and present

Joan’s journey from the United States to Genoa was much more than just a holiday: it was a symbolic return, a gesture of love towards her roots. Thanks to Italea, he was able to live an authentic experience, full of meaning and human connections. This type of initiative strengthens the ties between Italian communities abroad and the territories of origin, enhancing memory and cultural identity.