The Bellunesi nel Mondo Association celebrated its 60th anniversary with a direct charge to the Veneto Region: funding for Venetian associations abroad has fallen by 78% in the last decade.
The complaint was filed by the president. Oscar De Bona During the organization's 62nd General Assembly, held on Saturday, May 30th, at the Palazzo Crepadona in Belluno. Approximately 200 people attended the meeting, moderated by the vice-president Patrizia Burigo.
De Bona also criticized failures by the Italian postal service in delivering the magazine. Bellunesi nel mondo to the members. For him, the problem affects a basic service for communities spread across five continents.
Lower funding for Venetians worldwide
According to De Bona, the cuts in regional funding have already led to the closure of historic associations in Veneto and reduced the activity of circles abroad.
For 2026, the Veneto Region He confirmed 200… euros for the entire territory. The president said that the entity is not asking for “millions of euros,” but at least double the current amount.
He cited Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Province of Trento as examples of administrations that have increased funding for associations of their emigrants.
Regional opposition councilor Alessandro Del Bianco expressed support for the association, although he stressed its minority position. He praised the entity's management of resources and stated that Bellunesi nel Mondo "truly deserves additional support."
The magazine is called the "umbilical cord".
The second complaint targeted the Italian postal service. De Bona stated that "such a basic service is not guaranteed" and said it did not seem to him that the state-owned company would close its books in the red.
The magazine's director, Dino Bridda, also emphasized the seriousness of the problem.
For the association, the printed publication remains a link with Belluno residents abroad. De Bona called the magazine Bellunesi nel mondo of "our true umbilical cord".
Museum of Venetian Emigration opens in July.
The assembly also marked the announcement of the opening of Museum of Venetian Emigration (MEV), scheduled for July 4th, at the association's headquarters.
The space received €220.000 in non-refundable funding from the PNRR (National Plan for Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation) and the Ministry of Culture. According to the organization, it will be the only regional museum entirely dedicated to Venetian emigration.
The proposal is interactive and multimedia, with attention also paid to the school audience.
Citizenship, AIRE and taxation
De Bona also presented three institutional fronts advocated by Bellunesi nel Mondo.
The first involves the automatic establishment of tax residency in Rome for emigrants receiving Italian pensions. According to the organization, this model raises tax rates and reduces revenue for the countries of origin.
The second issue concerns delays in Italian registry offices in processing civil status documents for citizens registered with AIRE.
The third involves Italian citizenship by descent. With the so-called Tajani DecreeRecognition became limited to the second generation. The association advocates for its extension. at least until the third generation, also as a response to the demographic decline of the Belluno mountains.
Birthday without a sense of arrival.
Despite the 60th anniversary of its founding, celebrated on January 9th, De Bona avoided the tone of a concluded celebration. He said that the date does not represent an end point, but "the launching pad for the future."
The assembly also remembered members who passed away in 2025 and early 2026, presented scrolls to members and supporters, and heard the economic report from treasurer Angelo Paganin.
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