Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro.
Who finds a friend finds a treasure.
ANSWERING A NEED
Convivio began by listening. We recognized an unmet need within the community and responded with purpose. Explore the journey that gave rise to Convivio and continues to shape its future.
Every meaningful endeavor begins with a question.
For Convivio, that question was simple: What was missing?
In 2003, after volunteering with several Italian arts and cultural organizations throughout San Diego, Tom Cesarini (our founding steward) repeatedly sensed that something essential was absent. Rather than immediately creating another organization, he first set out to understand the community’s ambitions and aspirations by listening to its members, observing its traditions, and asking what the future might require.
Two aspirations consistently emerged.
The first was a deeper commitment to preserving and sharing San Diego’s Italian American heritage—its stories, history, and cultural legacy—for future generations. The second was the desire for a true cultural home: a welcoming place where people could gather, learn, celebrate, collaborate, and belong. A place where culture was not only presented, but lived through hospitality, shared experiences, and meaningful relationships.
These aspirations became the inspiration for Convivio.
Choosing a name was equally intentional. Rather than creating another organization defined simply by ethnicity or membership, Tom chose the name Convivio because it expressed something deeper. Inspired by Dante’s literary work of the same name and the broader meaning of the word itself, convivio evokes gathering around a shared table—a place where hospitality, conversation, learning, and fellowship flourish. It reflected the kind of organization Convivio aspired to become.
Another important question remained: Why did San Diego need another Italian cultural organization when so many already existed? Rather than assuming the answer, Tom chose to explore it through study and research. That journey led to a master’s degree in nonprofit leadership at the University of San Diego, followed by a doctoral degree in leadership with a specialization in philanthropic research. Those years became an opportunity to examine how culture, stewardship, community, and leadership intersect, helping to shape the philosophy that continues to guide Convivio today.
What began as a response to two unmet aspirations has grown over more than two decades through listening, learning, collaboration, and the generosity of countless supporters, ambassadors, partners, and participants. Along the way, Convivio has continued to evolve, while remaining faithful to the same purpose that inspired its beginning: cultivating community through culture, hospitality, and shared experiences.
Convivio’s story is still being written.
Each new relationship, program, cultural place, heritage initiative, and shared experience adds another chapter. As our community continues to grow, so too does the opportunity to preserve the past, enrich the present, and cultivate the future—together.
