More Than a Third of Italian Teens Want to Emigrate

A deserted San Marco square in Venice on Sunday (March 8), the first day of the lockdown. AFP.
A deserted San Marco square in Venice on Sunday (March 8), the first day of the lockdown. AFP.
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More Than a Third of Italian Teens Want to Emigrate

A deserted San Marco square in Venice on Sunday (March 8), the first day of the lockdown. AFP.
A deserted San Marco square in Venice on Sunday (March 8), the first day of the lockdown. AFP.

More than a third of Italian teenagers want to emigrate when they are older, according to a survey by national statistics institute Istat which also found that young people have become more anxious about the future.

The findings add to multiple warnings about Italy's demographic decline. In March, Istat reported that births fell to 379,000 in 2023, a record low, while the total population dropped below 59 million.

Among a sample of people aged 11 to 19, about 34% want to move abroad when they grow up, versus 45% who want to stay in Italy and 21% who are undecided, Istat said.

Its survey was conducted in 2023.

The top destination for wannabe emigrants was the United States, selected by 32% of those who said they wanted to leave Italy, followed by Spain (12.4%) and Britain (11.5%), Reuters reported.

To counter the decline in human capital triggered by the falling birth rate and the desire to emigrate, Istat said Italy should offer young people "adequate life opportunities".

However, data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that real wages in Italy have grown by only 1% over the past 30 years, compared an average increase of 32.5% in the OECD area.

Italy also has the EU's lowest employment rate at around 66%, according to Eurostat.

Istat found that young Italians have become less confident about the future, with one third of those surveyed saying they were fearful, an increase of 5.5 percentage points from a similar study in 2021.



Elevator at Obelisk Offers Breathtaking View of Buenos Aires

Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
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Elevator at Obelisk Offers Breathtaking View of Buenos Aires

Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)
Aerial view showing a man looking down from the Obelisk observation deck in Buenos Aires on May 8, 2025. (Photo by LUIS ROBAYO / AFP)

The famous Obelisk in Buenos Aires Obelisk now offers a breathtaking new perspective. With the addition of an elevator, visitors can ascend this iconic monument to have panoramic views of the vibrant city below.

Quoting Architect Juan Vacas, AFP said the 67.5-meter-tall Obelisk was erected in 1936, and stands at the intersection of Corrientes Street, renowned for its dynamic theater scene, and Avenida 9 de Julio, which according to tourist guides is the widest avenue in the world.

Vacas describes the monument as “the heart of Buenos Aires.”

The Obelisk witnessed pivotal events in Argentina’s history, including Raul Alfonsin's historic 1983 presidential campaign and a tribute for football legend Diego Maradona in 2020.

Recently, the Obelisk was illuminated with the image of late Pope Francis.

During the 2022 World Cup, millions gathered around the city’s Obelisk where pictures of the players were projected. Some fans broke its doors and climbed to the top through service stairs.

The elevator rises the equivalent of twenty floors in just 55 seconds, although visitors must still climb 35 steps to reach the viewing platform, from where visitors can see Rio de la Plata.

This tourism project, completed recently, was “a major challenge for architects” as all materials had to be brought in through a narrow door.

“The entire system was prefabricated, meticulously assembled and reassembled within the Obelisk's narrow space,” noted Vacas.

Currently in a trial phase, the elevator has attracted 25,000 eager people for early access, the municipality said in a statement on its Instagram account.