Fondazione Made in Sicily Museum ETS

Fondazione Made in Sicily Museum ETS is an Italian non-profit cultural foundation established in **2025**, building upon the experience of the **Made in Sicily** project, which was launched in **2020** as an independent initiative dedicated to promoting Italian culture, creativity, heritage and identity.

Although the Foundation retains its original name, its mission has evolved significantly. Today, its activities extend far beyond Sicily and focus on the broader theme of **Italian roots, identity and the global Italian diaspora**. The Foundation works to strengthen the cultural relationship between Italy and the millions of people of Italian origin living around the world, fostering meaningful connections between communities, institutions and future generations.

Our mission is to connect people through their roots by preserving, interpreting and promoting Italy's tangible and intangible cultural heritage. We believe that cultural identity is not simply a legacy of the past, but a living resource capable of generating dialogue, creativity, education, international cooperation and sustainable social development.

The Foundation is currently developing **ROOTS**, an international cultural platform dedicated to the history, identity and future of Italians around the world. Rather than presenting migration solely as a historical phenomenon, ROOTS explores how generations of Italians have contributed to the economic, cultural, scientific and artistic development of countries across the globe while maintaining enduring connections with their ancestral homeland.

At the heart of this vision is the **ROOTS Museum**, currently under development in Palermo, Sicily. Conceived as one of the world's first museums entirely dedicated to Italian roots and the relationship between Italy and its global communities, the museum is designed as a living cultural center rather than a traditional exhibition space. It will combine exhibitions, education, public art, research, artist residencies, community engagement and international cultural cooperation within a restored seventeenth-century historic complex.

Since its creation, the Foundation has promoted cultural initiatives that bring together institutions, artists, researchers, schools, businesses and Italian communities abroad. Through these activities, it seeks to transform cultural heritage into a tool for education, dialogue, innovation and international collaboration.

Current activities include:

* Developing the **ROOTS International Network**, connecting institutions, universities, cultural organizations, media partners and Italian communities worldwide.

* Building strategic partnerships with museums, cultural organizations and academic institutions in Europe, North America, South America and other regions with significant Italian communities.

* Promoting educational programs focused on Italian heritage, identity and intercultural dialogue.

* Supporting artists, designers, researchers and cultural professionals working on themes of memory, migration, creativity and identity.

* Producing exhibitions, conferences, publications and digital storytelling projects dedicated to Italian culture and heritage.

* Promoting communication initiatives that strengthen relationships among Italian communities around the world and encourage new forms of international cultural cooperation.

Over the coming years, the Foundation plans to:

* Open the ROOTS Museum in Palermo.

* Expand the ROOTS International Network across multiple continents.

* Develop digital archives documenting the stories of Italian migration and global Italian communities.

* Organize international conferences, exhibitions, festivals and educational programs.

* Launch artist residency programs and new public art commissions.

* Develop research projects in collaboration with universities and cultural institutions.

* Promote cultural diplomacy initiatives that reinforce the relationship between Italy and its global communities.

The Foundation operates exclusively for charitable, educational and cultural purposes. All funds received are reinvested in public-benefit initiatives supporting cultural preservation, education, research, museum development, artistic production and international cultural cooperation.

The Foundation is building an international philanthropic network that will enable individuals, families, corporations and charitable foundations—including donors in the United States—to support educational, cultural and museum initiatives dedicated to preserving, promoting and transmitting Italian heritage and identity to future generations. Through these contributions, donors will help create lasting public benefit by supporting research, education, artistic production, international cultural exchange and community engagement.

Through ROOTS, Fondazione Made in Sicily Museum ETS aims to become a leading international reference point for the preservation, interpretation and promotion of Italian roots. By connecting Italy with its global communities, the Foundation seeks to inspire future generations, encourage intercultural dialogue and demonstrate that shared heritage can become a powerful driver of cultural understanding, innovation and sustainable development.