The architect from Caxias do Sul, Cristina Mioranza, is the new president of COMITES-RS – Committee of Italians Abroad, Rio Grande do Sul circumscription, linked to the General Consulate of Italy in Porto Alegre. Until then, the commission’s advisor and active in the communication and entrepreneurship commission, Cristina will remain in the post until 2026, replacing businessman Emir José Parisotto, who left the function.
The new board is made up of Fernando Biffignandi as Vice President, Rosaria Anelle as Secretary, Stephania Puton, Treasurer and also representative at the CGIE (General Council of Italians Abroad).
Cristina’s involvement with Italian culture dates back to when her father, Plínio Mioranza (1940-2022), presided over the Instituto Veneto | Brasil (IVRAL), in Caxias do Sul, and was at the Congress in Rome that made the committees of Italians abroad official, in 1985, being one of the founders of the former COEMIT, today COMITES in RS, and a member of its first council. Much because of this example of engagement, the architect learned the importance of preserving the memory of the people who helped form the identity of Serra Gaúcha from 1875, when the first immigrants arrived in the region.
“Since I was a little girl, Italianness has been present in my upbringing. My father was always very engaged with this issue, generating my involvement and stimulating my appreciation for the history full of immigrants’ struggles. This awakens great memories that lead and strengthen me in the face of the challenge of making COMITES better known and more useful for Italian society in RS”, says Cristina.
Making this organization more visible is one of the great goals of the new president. Currently, COMITES in Rio Grande do Sul is responsible for representing a community of almost 107,000 Italian citizens in the State (not considering, in this amount, the descendants who are in progress/waiting for the citizenship process, around 60,000 people) in embassies and consulates, in addition to promoting their integration with the communities where they reside.
They are the ones who elect the members of the COMITES, whose representatives are volunteers, every five years. Cristina made her name available in the last election, held in 2021. “Participation fell short of our representativeness. For this reason, we are committed to making more people participate in this process and also join the other activities we promote”.
For this, COMITES has the new Consul General of Italy in Porto Alegre, Valerio Caruso, in office since August last year. “He is very committed to solving the consulate’s challenges, valuing youth and demonstrating a lot of proactivity. We are going to work in partnership from this new point of view to make COMITES known to everyone, and not just to a few”.
Also known as Comitato degli Italiani all’Estero, or Com.IT.ES, this body is present in Brazil and in all countries where there are at least 3,000 Italian citizens residing. Of the 120 circumscriptions existing in the world, seven are in Brazil. In addition to Rio Grande do Sul, there are COMITES in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro/Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Paraná/Santa Catarina and Northeast/Federal District.
Among the functions of these commissions are to maintain cultural ties with Italy, promote social and cultural actions, contribute to Brazil-Italy relations and elect the members of the General Council of Italians Abroad.
The architect from Caxias do Sul, Cristina Mioranza, is the new president of COMITES-RS – Committee of Italians Abroad, Rio Grande do Sul circumscription, linked to the General Consulate of Italy in Porto Alegre. Until then, the commission’s advisor and active in the communication and entrepreneurship commission, Cristina will remain in the post until 2026, replacing businessman Emir José Parisotto, who left the function.
The new board is made up of Fernando Biffignandi as Vice President, Rosaria Anelle as Secretary, Stephania Puton, Treasurer and also representative at the CGIE (General Council of Italians Abroad).
Cristina’s involvement with Italian culture dates back to when her father, Plínio Mioranza (1940-2022), presided over the Instituto Veneto | Brasil (IVRAL), in Caxias do Sul, and was at the Congress in Rome that made the committees of Italians abroad official, in 1985, being one of the founders of the former COEMIT, today COMITES in RS, and a member of its first council. Much because of this example of engagement, the architect learned the importance of preserving the memory of the people who helped form the identity of Serra Gaúcha from 1875, when the first immigrants arrived in the region.
“Since I was a little girl, Italianness has been present in my upbringing. My father was always very engaged with this issue, generating my involvement and stimulating my appreciation for the history full of immigrants’ struggles. This awakens great memories that lead and strengthen me in the face of the challenge of making COMITES better known and more useful for Italian society in RS”, says Cristina.
Making this organization more visible is one of the great goals of the new president. Currently, COMITES in Rio Grande do Sul is responsible for representing a community of almost 107,000 Italian citizens in the State (not considering, in this amount, the descendants who are in progress/waiting for the citizenship process, around 60,000 people) in embassies and consulates, in addition to promoting their integration with the communities where they reside.
They are the ones who elect the members of the COMITES, whose representatives are volunteers, every five years. Cristina made her name available in the last election, held in 2021. “Participation fell short of our representativeness. For this reason, we are committed to making more people participate in this process and also join the other activities we promote”.
For this, COMITES has the new Consul General of Italy in Porto Alegre, Valerio Caruso, in office since August last year. “He is very committed to solving the consulate’s challenges, valuing youth and demonstrating a lot of proactivity. We are going to work in partnership from this new point of view to make COMITES known to everyone, and not just to a few”.
Also known as Comitato degli Italiani all’Estero, or Com.IT.ES, this body is present in Brazil and in all countries where there are at least 3,000 Italian citizens residing. Of the 120 circumscriptions existing in the world, seven are in Brazil. In addition to Rio Grande do Sul, there are COMITES in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro/Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Paraná/Santa Catarina and Northeast/Federal District.
Among the functions of these commissions are to maintain cultural ties with Italy, promote social and cultural actions, contribute to Brazil-Italy relations and elect the members of the General Council of Italians Abroad.
