The participation of the Museo del Cognome to the largest genealogical event in the world, which was held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from February 9 to 11, was a big success. Like every year fans, curious and industry professionals from all over the world met at RootsTech, three days dedicated entirely to the world of genealogy and the various areas associated with it.

For the second time, the Museo del Cognome was present, with Michele Cartusciello, genealogist and director of the Museum; Giuseppina Dede, translator and collaborator; Martina Petrizzo, recent graduate in Languages and linguistic mediator; Emanuele Sabatino, cartoonist and author of the project from Genealogical Comics called My Ancestry Comic Book.

My Ancestry Comic Book had an excellent response from the thousands of visitors who attended the event at the Salt Palace Convention Center. Discovering that the faces and the stories of their grandparents can come to life through the pages of a comic book has aroused great interest and excitement.

Among the important moments of the travel, we can mention a few. The meeting with Buddy Valastro, the famous Cake Boss. The sympathy of Betty Ann Chapman, of Italian origins and partly from Padula, who kept us company with stories of hers family for all the three days. Nick and Darlene D'Alessio from Texas, who reached the stand of the Museum to relive the excitement of the discovery of their Italian origins (from Campania!).

Yes, there is always emotion in the faces and in the words of those who approach strong images and stories of emigration to distant lands. Those who lived in the first place the physical separation from their homeland, never ceased to keep alive the memory of their Italian roots and found in us a reference point, an opportunity to build bridges and break down the geographical distances.

But the participation to RootsTech wasn't the only thing to make this trip unique. The Museo del Cognome wanted to meet and listen to the poignant stories of Americans of Italian descent. Like Mike Matera, who along with his family, welcomed us to his home in Fountain Hill, Phoenix, Arizona, and shared with us his love for Italy, his homeland. Like Jim Caputo, of Italian descent, now living in San Diego, California, who told us his family history and as very excited to do it. Like Giovanni Cartusciello, Los Angeles. All of them have their roots in Padula, home of the Museo del Cognome: but mostly Italian, proud to be such.

These are just three of the stories that we were involved into, together with Alessandro Bovino, CEO of Bella Italia Genealogy, spending three weeks in the United States being engaged not only from the business point of view, but also from the emotional one, crossing the Interstate 15, learning and reviving the great American dream.