Secondo

The term Secondo (sg. m.) (Seconda (sg. f.)) is an umbrella term, which has particularly been used in Switzerland. Secondo/Seconda is the Italian word for second and has been used to refer to people who are children of immigrants, were born in Switzerland and have been living in Switzerland for many years and might also be naturalised. The plural of the word Secondos is a mixture of the Italian singular secondo and the Spanish plural ending -s. This term is mostly used for the children of Italian and Spanish immigrants who have migrated to Switzerland in the 60s and 70s. There are other countries which use the term to refer to the second generation of immigrants also referred to as the second-generation as well. It is mostly considered as a positive term and is used by the people themselves too.

The Italian population in Switzerland has been making up the biggest part of the country's group of foreign citizens that has migrated to the country seeking work and better income. The number of Italians living in Switzerland has declined from 550,000 people in the year 1960 to 275,000 people 2013. The Italian community has coined the culture of Switzerland substantially and has become a big part of the country’s economy and society.

Germany has been offering a special course for Secondos at the University of Regensburg since 2009. The goal of this course is to have the attendants reconnect with their country of origin, its culture and language.

Critics decline the term. The term Secondo has suffered after they have been accused of the riots and lootings on the International Workers' Day in Switzerland in the year 2002 where 14 people have been hurt and about 100 people were arrested. Police stated that many of the arrested were immigrants from the second and third generation. Critics say that the term excludes the persons concerned and forces their parents' migration history on them. Alternatives for the term are:

• children of immigrants
• second-generation
• teenagers with foreign origin