To safeguard and revitalize Italy’s land, people, heritage, and culture, we must give the next generation the stage to lead — just as our ancestors did with us: sharing, guiding, and passing forward tradition and lessons.

Real change doesn’t come from gatekeeping, or from assigning tasks that make us feel generous. Change happens when young voices are trusted, empowered, and allowed to shape decisions.

This is why the ITALUS Patrimonio board majority is next-generation. I was given opportunities by mentors and past leaders to step forward, and I’ve created those opportunities for others through academic co-op and field placement.

Through ITALUS, my role is simple: open doors, clear the path, and let them take the stage to bridge generations with their ideas, knowledge, and lived experience. Their leadership will carry our culture forward with honesty, relevance, and depth — my responsibility is to ensure they have the platform to do it.

Heritage transforms not by preserving what is, but by placing its future in the hands of those bold and passionate enough to lead.

Italy is at a turning point, and so is its heritage. What we choose to protect, amplify, and pass forward today will determine what remains alive tomorrow. The young custodians stepping into leadership now are not inheriting a task — they are inheriting a responsibility that shapes families, communities, and regions. Their work will ripple far beyond us.

Their vision and action will allow our culture to live, evolve, and resonate across generations and borders.

– Daniela Sfara