The word 'passion', which encompasses determination, desire and dreams, may be the word that comes closest to describing my experience in space. I've always dreamed of flying, and been attracted to the idea of flight and the freedom associated with it. The key moment for me was in 1993, when I was in the US on a student exchange trip, and became acquainted with a navigator who was in the Marines. I was fascinated by his experiences. That was when I decided to try and get into the aeronautics academy. Everything started from there. On 28 May 2013 I went on my first long-term mission for the Italian space agency, 'Volare'. There are three important aspects when it comes to space: science, because the station is a highly advanced orbital laboratory where all kinds of experiments can be conducted, from physiology to biology, fluid mechanics to engineering; technology, which monitors everything from the launch to the docking manoeuvre, and is being continuously updated; and exploration, which is probably the noblest aim of human spaceflight. Flying around the earth at an altitude of 400 kilometres, 16 times a day, enables you to look at the earth from a privileged viewpoint.
Our earth is unique, and when you observe it from space it's quite beautiful. There are no divisions, none of the boundaries we have created at one time or another, and which have led to certain near-insurmountable problems over the course of our history. Europe is an exciting spectacle, looking like a sort of 'brain' with synapses that light up at night, connecting towns and cities, regions and countries in an extraordinary continuum. It's a picture I'd struggle to describe in detail, as there are no words and feelings to describe it, because those words haven't been invented yet.
"Becoming European does not mean relinquishing our identity, it means enhancing it by becoming stronger and more aware of ourselves and others"
I've been selected to be 'ambassador' for the Italian presidency of the council of the European Union. For me, this is more than a responsibility. I've been given the task of telling my story – a story of opportunity, of a boy who left his native Sicily with a scholarship and travelled around, and worked in, Europe and the United States, received an education, and took advantage of an extraordinary opportunity to gain 'international' experience. I enjoy telling the story, as my hope is for everyone to be given the opportunity to have an experience like this.
Europe is definitely an essential part of my personal and professional path. My first contact with Europe was when I was a child, through my mother, who was a French teacher. I have a clear memory of the fascination I felt at the thought of her being able to use a different language – a code unknown to me – to communicate with people divorced from my experience of reality. Even at that time Europe seemed to me to be synonymous with wealth and openness. I have 'experienced' Europe a number of times in my professional life since then.
The most important experiences for me have been when I was working in international environments, travelling from Belgium to Germany and France, which provided me with the opportunity of enriching my life experience through those cultures. For me, Europe represents a whole world of development in which we can grow and improve and to which we can and should contribute. Italy was one of the three founding member states of a united Europe, and we now need to rekindle this spirit. Becoming European does not mean relinquishing our identity, it means enhancing it by becoming stronger and more aware of ourselves and others.