"Without the culture that connects us to our territory, we lose our identity."

Not sure what you are getting at. I don't see the connection.

Also, the article makes little sense. Indeed Italy is not like America, it has Berlusconi, a bar singer who became fabulously rich through criminal connections to the mafia and corrupt socialists. Berlusconi may be asking for foreign aid, but in his typical idiotic style he has actually told the poor people of the region that living in tents is not so bad, suggesting they think of it as a weekend camping.