An Albanian-born professional who grew up in Italy has turned a difficult journey marked by financial struggles and discrimination into an international career, now working for the European Parliament in Luxembourg.
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His journey, recently highlighted by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, offers a glimpse into the experiences of a generation of young people who grew up in Italy but felt compelled to move abroad to achieve their professional ambitions.
From Albania to Bologna: A Childhood Shaped by Emigration
Zeneli's family's journey to Italy began in 1992, when his father left Albania by boat in search of better opportunities. He initially arrived in Puglia before eventually finding work in Savigno, a small town near Bologna, through personal contacts.
Eriseld and his mother joined him in 1995, when he was not yet three years old.
"Italy and Bologna are my home, but to secure my future, I had to go abroad," Zeneli explained, reflecting on the reasons behind his decision to leave.
He grew up in the Bologna area, attending primary and secondary school before graduating from the Rosa Luxemburg Institute. Meanwhile, his parents worked hard and eventually managed to purchase a small apartment in Monteveglio.
Although Albania remained part of his family roots and cultural identity, Italy became the country in which he grew up, studied and built his life.
From Financial Difficulties to a Master's Degree in Psychology
Zeneli's educational journey was far from straightforward.
Coming from a family with limited financial resources, he initially decided not to attend university immediately after finishing high school.
"I didn't follow a traditional path. After high school, I went to work. My family was poor, and I couldn't afford university," he recalled.
He gradually saved money and enrolled in Educational Sciences while continuing to work. He later completed a master's degree in Organizational Psychology, achieving the highest possible marks.
His academic success opened new professional possibilities, but his first major career opportunity came through the railway sector.
Three Years Working on Trenitalia's Frecciarossa Trains
After completing his studies, Zeneli joined Trenitalia as a train conductor.
He worked on the company's high-speed Frecciarossa services for three years, gaining professional experience and eventually purchasing a home in Bologna in 2021.
Despite having secured a stable position and achieved important personal milestones, he felt that his career had reached a ceiling.
Zeneli says that his experiences searching for professional opportunities in Italy were affected by prejudice linked to his Albanian name and background.
He recalls situations in which he felt judged as a foreigner, particularly during his earlier years in the Bologna area.
His concerns about discrimination also influenced a personal family decision. When his younger brother was born in Bologna six years after his arrival, Zeneli encouraged his parents to give him the Italian name Giulio.
He wanted his brother to avoid some of the difficulties he believed he had experienced because of his own name and surname.
In 2022, He Knocked on the Doors of the European Parliament
A turning point came in 2022, when Zeneli decided to leave his permanent position at Trenitalia and pursue an opportunity at the European Parliament.
His academic qualifications allowed him to apply for a traineeship programme designed for highly qualified graduates.
He was initially offered a seven-month traineeship. Following that experience, he received an offer for a permanent position.
Today, Zeneli is responsible for personnel-related work at the European Parliament in Luxembourg.
He describes the international institution as an environment where professional performance matters more than personal background.
"In Italy, I might have had to settle for a low-quality and insecure job for a long time, perhaps forever. Here, they pay well and allow you to climb the social ladder even without a privileged background," he said.
For Zeneli, the biggest difference has been the opportunity to be evaluated primarily on the quality of his work.
He says he no longer feels the weight of his origins in Luxembourg and believes that professional advancement depends on performance rather than where someone comes from.
A Message to Young People and a Reflection on Italy's Brain Drain
Zeneli's personal story has attracted attention after he shared photographs on social media showing himself as a child in Albania and later as a 33-year-old professional working at the European Parliament.
His message encourages young people facing financial difficulties, discrimination or limited opportunities not to abandon their ambitions.
But his story also contains a broader criticism of Italy's ability to retain talented young people.
He believes that many individuals who grow up, study and develop their skills in Italy eventually move abroad because they cannot find the professional opportunities they deserve.
"This experience can honestly represent the experience of an entire generation that loves Italy but is often forced to go somewhere else to fulfil itself," he explained.
He describes the phenomenon as a largely silent but significant cost for the country.
"Italy trains us very well. Abroad, they roll out the red carpet for us, but then they don't care, even though we would like to give something back to the country that gave us so much," he said.
Despite his disappointment with the professional opportunities he encountered, Zeneli maintains a strong emotional attachment to Bologna.
He has expressed a desire to meet the city's mayor, Matteo Lepore, to share his experience and discuss how he could contribute to the city that shaped his life.
An Albanian Story with a European Dimension
From a childhood shaped by his father's emigration from Albania to a professional career at one of Europe's most important institutions, Eriseld Zeneli's journey illustrates the complex realities of migration, education and social mobility.
His story is also a reminder that talent and ambition can emerge from families with very limited financial resources.
Although he now works in Luxembourg, Bologna remains the place he considers home. Albania, meanwhile, remains part of the roots that shaped his family's journey.
His experience raises a wider question for Italy and Europe: how many talented young people must leave the country where they were educated before they find the opportunities to fulfil their potential?