The Building Trust Between Locals and the Immigrant Community: Abdelghani Ziani on The Journey – Africans in Verona
In the foundational research of Obehi Ewanfoh’s “The Journey,” we often encounter the mechanics of human interaction. If Jean Francois spoke of the “New Tools” of the next generation, Abdelghani Ziani provides the blueprint for the Translation and Alignment phases of the Story to Asset™ framework.
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
Ziani’s perspective is intellectually rigorous and deeply practical. He moves the conversation beyond the passive hope for “integration” and into the active pursuit of Institutional Sovereignty through cultural proximity.
He not only identifies a psychological deadlock in Northern Italy but also offers a strategic way out. The interview was part of the first phase of the project “The Journey – Africans in Verona” which explored the experience of the first generation of Africans in Verona since the mid 1970.
Trust Between Locals and the Immigrant Community
Building trust between the local population of Verona and the immigrant community requires a strategic shift from passive integration to active, mutual initiative. As highlighted in Obehi Ewanfoh’s research, the “Veronese diffidence” is often not a permanent wall of hostility, but a “closed system” born of unfamiliarity.
Obehi himself demonstrated that the only way to dismantle this system is through proactive engagement; he was able to carry out his extensive research and collaborate with diverse ethnic and cultural groups because he reached out first rather than waiting for others to come to him.
This principle of Narrative Initiative is what he continues to champion today through the Obehi Podcast and AClasses Academy.
To break the ice, the immigrant community must move beyond the role of the “economic tenant”, those who only interact with the city to “bring home the bread”, and step into the role of the Sovereign Citizen who initiates the dialogue.
See also Sovereign Learning: Reclaiming the Diaspora Mind and Preparing for a New Future
It also needs to be pointed out that institutional trust must be anchored in the professionalization of the immigrant experience within the Veneto region.
Trust is built when the Diaspora’s “untapped assets”, such as utilizing educated migrants as cultural mediators or language assistants, are aligned with the actual needs of Verona’s schools and public services.
By following Obehi’s lead in seeking out collaboration, the narrative shifts from a burden on social services to a source of economic and cultural enrichment.
Ultimately, building trust in Veneto is a significant task: it requires the Diaspora to “translate” their heritage into a language of professional excellence and for local institutions to recognize that the future of the territory depends on a collaborative, sovereign partnership.
This proactive approach ensures that the immigrant community is not just a “phenomenon to be contained,” but a pillar of the region’s shared success. Looking to get more serious, consider the following, based on our proven Story To Asset Framework:
Phase 1: Excavation – Identifying the Mutual “Closed System”
In the Excavation Phase, Ewanfoh looks for the hidden patterns in raw data. Ziani identifies a striking parallel between the local Veronese population and the arriving African Diaspora. He describes both as “closed” systems, but for different reasons.
“A Veronese citizen is closed… he doesn’t trust you easily. On the other hand, we as Africans do the same thing. When we come here, we focus only on work, to ‘bring home the bread’ (la pagnotta), and earn money. That’s it.”
For Ziani, the “Excavation” reveals that most migrants live in a state of Economic Tenancy by choice. They treat the host society as a secondary concern, a mere workplace.
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Ziani argues that this mutual withdrawal creates a vacuum of trust. To move from a “tenant” to a “sovereign,” one must first recognize that isolation is a liability, not a shield.
Phase 2: Translation – Breaking the Ice as a Business Strategy
Phase 2 (Translation) involves turning these social insights into actionable brand messages. Ziani translates the “Veronese diffidence” not as a permanent wall of racism, but as a lack of initiative.
He, therefore, suggests that the responsibility to “break the ice” often lies with the one who has the most to gain: the migrant.
“It’s about creating initiatives to break the ice… to pull the Veronese out of their mistrust. The foreigner himself must be motivated to take the initiative and say, ‘Look, I am not different, I am like you.'”
In the Story to Asset™ methodology, this is called Narrative Initiative. You do not wait for the market (or society) to define you. You “break the ice” by presenting your common humanity as a professional asset.
Ziani’s strategy is simple: if you want to be treated as an equal, you must stop acting like a temporary guest and start acting like a neighbor.
Phase 3: Alignment – The Government vs. The Individual
Ziani makes a sophisticated distinction between Integration and Coexistence, which aligns perfectly with Ewanfoh’s focus on Institutional Sovereignty.
“If we talk about integration, then yes, the primary responsibility is that of the government… But for what concerns coexistence or the bringing together of cultures… it’s about incentivizing the breaking of those obstacles.”
Ziani aligns his story with a reality where the individual does not wait for the government to “integrate” them. Instead, they align their personal culture with the local “social fabric” (tessuto sociale).
By taking responsibility for “coexistence,” the individual moves from being a subject of government policy to a sovereign agent of social change.
Phase 4: Creation – The Family as a Cultural School
In the Creation Phase, we look at how to maintain an authentic identity while thriving in a new market. Ziani views the family unit as the primary site of cultural “Creation.” He recognizes that children born in Verona will be “Western by nature,” but they risk having a “hole” where their heritage should be.
“Our role as parents and families is to teach them our culture of origin… they will be Italians or Westerners because they are born here, but the only way to live our culture is if we teach it as a family.”
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For Ziani, creating a legacy means ensuring the next generation is bi-cultural. A bi-cultural child is a high-value asset in a globalized world. They possess the “Western nature” required to navigate Verona, and the “inherited culture” required to lead in the Diaspora ecosystem with hundreds of millions of people.
Phase 5: Legacy – Closing the “Inversion” Gap
The final phase, Legacy, is what Ziani calls the “inverse question.” He accepts that the future of his children is in the West, but he refuses to let that mean the death of his roots.
His legacy is the creation of a “Fortress of Peace” where his children can be fully Italian without losing the “baggage of experience” their father brought from Africa.
By teaching the “culture of origin” at home while taking the “initiative” in the streets of Verona, Ziani is building a legacy of Mutual Interaction. He isn’t just surviving in Italy; he is enriching Italy with his presence, one “ice-breaking” initiative at a time.
The “So What?”: Lessons for the Sovereign Professional
Obehi Ewanfoh’s reporting on Abdelghani Ziani offers three definitive lessons for anyone looking to own their genius:
- Stop Being a “Work-Only” Tenant: If your only relationship with your environment is “earning money,” you will always be a stranger. To build a brand, you must participate in the “civil society.”
- Take the First Step: Don’t wait for the “market” to trust you. Use your story to show that you “think like them.” Commonality is the fastest path to trust.
- Fill out the “Cultural Hole”: If you are raising children in the Diaspora, your most important “Creative” project is teaching them their heritage. A child who knows their roots is 10 times more competitive than one who is merely “integrated.”
Your Next Step Toward Sovereignty
Abdelghani Ziani’s journey is a reminder that the “ice” of diffidence only melts when we apply the heat of our own initiative. He moved from the “closed” world of the worker to the “open” world of the cultural bridge-builder.
See also The Ishango Bone: Africa’s Ancient Message to Her Children
Are you ready to move beyond “Economic Tenancy”? Are you taking the initiative to show the world that your story is an asset, not a mystery?
The bridge to your Sovereign future is waiting. At AClasses Academy, we use the Story to Asset™ framework to help you excavate your unique journey and turn it into a fortress of influence.
