Stay. Return. Build.

My hope is clear: that this new chapter brings meaningful achievements for all Sicilians, wherever they may be. But above all, that the desire grows to stay, to return, to build. Not to leave out of necessity, but to move by choice.

I am a Sicilian living abroad too. I live far from my homeland, yet Sicily has never left me. Those who leave know this well: a bond is not broken—it is carried along. And often it is precisely from those who are away that the clearest vision emerges of what this land can become.

That is why La Sicilia dedicates this edition to Sicilians around the world. Out there exists an extraordinary wealth of skills, ideas, energy and human capital. Not to be narrated with nostalgia, but to be engaged with seriousness. So that distance does not turn into detachment, but into opportunity.

Sicily should not have to push its children to leave in order to prove their worth. It must put them in a position to build something unique here. Modern. Competitive. Dignified. A place where staying is not a sacrifice, but an ambitious choice. In this effort, I will personally act as a spokesperson for those who want to invest, create jobs, and bring ideas and resources back to Sicily.

To stitch together a distance. Between those who left and those who stayed. Between those who dream elsewhere and those who choose to build here. All part of the same community. All, quite simply, Sicilians.

- Vincenzo Arcobelli

Vincenzo Arcobelli, From Paternò to New York: «I’ll Tell You the Story of America’s Little Italies—From Ghettos to Cultural Icons»

“In the U.S., the mafia/Godfather stereotype has partly faded: today Sicily is seen as a top Italian destination. But from here, it breaks my heart to see its potential wasted.”

- Salvo Arena

Salvo Arena, From San Berillo to Harvard: The American Rise of a Lawyer Who Never Gave Up

"The flow of US investment into Italy will continue to grow. The focus is on sports, real estate, manufacturing, and data centers."

- Luigi Caruso

Luigi Caruso, The Fund Magician Who Envisions a Singapore-Style Sicily

A Milazzo native at the top of Blackstone, one of the world’s leading financial groups. “If I had a plan for Sicily: an open mindset and zero bureaucracy—pay, and the service arrives. I want to give back: I will return to my land what I’ve received.”

- Francesco Testa

Francesco Testa, a Borderless Public Prosecutor Taking on Criminal Networks

Appointed in June as Deputy Head of Italy’s Desk at Eurojust in The Hague, he has built an international career after many years at Catania’s Anti-Mafia Directorate

- Stefano Pluchino

Stefano Pluchino, the doctor from Ragusa who can eradicate multiple sclerosis

Having left Sicily at 18, he found his «happy place» in Cambridge (UK), where he is a professor of Regenerative Neuroimmunology. Italy? «It trains talents but doesn't know how to make them flourish, and it doesn't attract any from abroad»

- Celestino Drago

Celestino Drago, A Dream That Began in Galati Mamertino: The Chef Who Turned Authentic Italian Dining Into an American Empire

Before it was fashionable, Celestino Drago was teaching Americans the true taste of Italian cuisine. Sicilian roots, strategy and vision: how he and his family built a successful food business in the U.S.

- Roberto De Meo

Roberto De Meo, the Messina-Born Global Executive at Visa Inc.: Today His Responsibilities Span Nearly 90 Countries

From Messina to Dubai, with a degree from Bocconi in Economics of Institutions and Financial Markets, at nearly 50 he serves as Vice President at the world’s leading payments company, overseeing advisory and data analytics functions“He’s always been a genius—both for better and for worse.”

- Gaetano Indomenico

Gaetano Indomenico: “I’m from Floridia—and Today I Build America’s Dreams.” He Arrived in the U.S. With Just a Trowel

His is the story of a man who crossed oceans without losing himself, turning sacrifice and hard work into a concrete, lasting dream—brick by brick, day after day

- Salvatore Vinci

Salvatore Vinci, the WHO Engineer Bringing Light—and Saving Lives

Named by Time among the world’s 100 most influential figures in environmental policy, he electrifies hospitals across Africa using solar power. His daily motto: “A kilowatt-hour can save a life.”

- Santo Santoro

Santo Santoro, Minister and Entrepreneur: “Close to Workers and to the Elderly, with Sicily in Heart”

From Francavilla to Brisbane, a reference point for those looking to invest in Australia: “This is still a land of opportunity for young people—but good jobs require English proficiency”

- Federico Pagliara

Federico Pagliara, One of Us Breaking into the NBA: “I’m a Sports Industry Nerd”

At just 31, the Catania native joined the world’s most prestigious basketball league last June. He is now Vice President of Global Partnership Sales for the Milwaukee Bucks in Wisconsin

- Sabrina Maniscalco

Sabrina Maniscalco: the quantum physicist who is changing science and technology

With her startup Algorithmiq, born at the University of Helsinki where she teaches, she is laying the foundations for the new great era of computing. All while fighting against gender inequality

- Helena Geraci

Helena Geraci, From Catania to Los Angeles—and Back, One Day: “I Took a Creative Leap That Changed My Life”

The actress on her journey between continents: “Every time I share my Sicilian roots, the response is overwhelmingly positive—it’s like earning extra points.”

- Daniele Maccarrone

Daniele Maccarrone, from the motto “Another Brick in the Wall” to leading one of London’s most exclusive clubs: one dream at a time

From the province of Catania to London, where for 16 years he has led one of Mayfair’s most prestigious private clubs. He manages the time—and the lunches—of multibillionaires, sirs and lords. “I offer perfection to successful people who travel the world.”

- Elisa Privitera

Elisa Privitera, From Catania to Toronto: “People and Stories Are the Foundations of the Cities of the Future”

Awarded for her ‘courageous’ research on climate and environmental justice, her work began in San Berillo and the petrochemical hub of Gela: “Low-income communities are far more exposed to toxic legacies.”