Seventy-eight leaders from the Italian American associative world will gather in New York on June 7 for the annual assembly of COPOMIAO – the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations – which this year will take place among the streets and authentic landmarks of Little Italy.

This is more than just a meeting: it’s a moment to take stock, exchange ideas, and, most importantly, make practical decisions about the present and future of the Italian American community in the United States. Today, COPOMIAO is the collective voice of over 70 organizations that, for decades, have been defending, promoting, and telling the story of Italian identity in America.

It’s a roundtable where family histories, civic battles, and cultural and political projects come together. Each assembly is an opportunity to strengthen community unity, channel scattered energy across the country, and take a stand on concrete issues.

Among the key topics at this year’s meeting: an update on the project for a National Italian American Museum in Washington D.C., presented by Congressmen Mike Rulli and Tom Suozzi, and a focus on the new restrictions introduced by Italy for acquiring citizenship—an issue that affects thousands of Italian families abroad. Addressing this topic will be the Consul General in New York, Fabrizio Di Michele.

The program will also include remarks from attorney George Bochetto on the legal situation surrounding the Christopher Columbus statues—a topic that continues to divide public opinion in the U.S. and directly involves Italian American associations. Discussions will also highlight shared successes with the Native American Guardian Association, along with new initiatives aimed at empowering Italian American women and younger generations.

During the day, a short film awarded by the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmakers Forum will be screened; educational projects such as Discovering America, aimed at Italian students in Rome, will be presented; and five new associations will be welcomed into COPOMIAO.

Alongside the institutional work, there will also be informal moments, like dinner at Da Nico, breakfast at Café Palermo, a visit to the Italian goods emporium, and a guided tour of the Italian American Museum led by its founder, Joseph Scelsa. Not to “build community” – that already exists – but to look each other in the eye, listen to different ideas, and shake real hands. To be together.

That’s exactly what this gathering is for: to keep the conversation alive among those who work every day to promote and strengthen the Italian presence in the United States.