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# 63 • JUNE 28 , 2015
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THE INTERVIEW:
GINO SERRA
Italy in Kansas City: Caravaggio, heritage and
now a Chamber of Commerce
By Umberto Mucci
“I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore”
used to say Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”. Well,
today we actually are: we’re in Kansas City, shared between Kansas and Missouri, where we
meet the guest of our interview. Gino Serra is
the Italian Honorary Vice Consul here.
Even in the Midwestarea, Italians left their mark
and continue to do that, as we’ll see. Now, together with other professionals, Gino has founded a new Italian Chamber of Commerce, in
Kansas City. We thank him for his work, and his
kindness in answering to our questions. We do
are in Kansas!
Consul Serra, which are the activities of your
Honorary Consulate, and which are the areas
covered by it?
I’m the Vice Consul for the state of Kansas, but
practically speaking I also cover western Missouri, because there is a vice consul in Saint
Louis who covers the eastern part of Missouri,
and then I also cover adjoining states like Nebraska and Oklahoma. People who use our
services are either American citizens who are
going to visit Italy or Italian citizens.. The closest
General Consulate is in Chicago, and I think it’s
the one which covers the highest number of
States among the Italian Consulates in the United States: a very broad area.
6 | WE THE ITALIANS
www.wetheitalians.com
I do a lot of students’ visas, particularly this time
of the year. There are many students who want
to study abroad, in Italy, and the Italian Consulate makes it very easy for them to come to
a Vice Consul, which means for many of them
driving to Kansas City and not flying to Chicago: they sign the visa application in front of me
and I apply the Italian Consul’s stamp and so
they don’t have to travel to their consulate, they
can just send the paper work, including the
passport, and then it comes back with the visa