L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano F or the 73rd time in their history, Italy and Ital- ians celebrated the Festa della Repub- blica, with events across the globe aiming to underline the relevance of what happened in the country in 1946. June 2nd became a public holiday only in 2000 though, when Italian President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, decided to make a Na- tional Day of celebrations. In fact, not only did the date mark Italian citizens' choice of the Republic over the Monarchy, but it was also the first time all Italian women could participate to a National vote, after they had had the first oppor- tunity a few months earlier, during local elections. Since Italians decided to give up the Monarchy and embrace the Republican State, it is today seen also as an opportunity for Italian embassies and citizens around the world to get together. Usually, Am- bassadors and General Consuls in- vite Heads of State of other Coun- tries to the celebrations whereas, in Rome, leaders from around the world come to meet the President of the Republic and Italian repre- sentatives at official ceremonies. There is a military Parade in honor of the Republic held in Via dei Fori Imperiali in Rome, like it happened in 1948 for the first time. SERENA PERFETTO terrain and ecosystem. Therefore, not only does the site include houses, but also churches, monas- teries, and hermitages, built into the natural caves of the Murgia, covering an area of 1.016 ha that can be easily visited. It is not a surprise that many movies were filmed in Matera, from Christ Stopped at Eboli by Director Francesco Rosi to The Passion of the Christ by Director Mel Gibson; from Mathera by Di- rectors Invernizzi and Vito Sali- naro, to Wonder Woman whose scenes from the Amazons' city were shot in the square and church of San Pietro Caveoso. Some of them will be also screened at the Italian Cultural Institute, starting on June 24th through August 21st, for the initiative called The Shot in Matera - A Film Retrospective. Paolo Verri, General Manager of the Fondazione Matera Basili- cata 2019, also part of the Delega- tion in San Francisco, shared some of the initiatives that are making the experience magical and match- less for more than 500K expected visitors. In fact, since the begin- ning of the year, visitors receive a map of the region and, after the time spent walking around the fa- mous Sassi, they can now add other unforgettable, close-by places that are worth a visit to their bucket list. In addition, the Matera 2019 Passport - once purchased - allows unlimited visits to exhibi- tions that slowly appear around town over the course of twelve months. As Salvatore Adduce - Presi- dent of the Matera Basilicata 2019 Foundation - once underlined, "Matera does not want tourists. Matera wants temporary cultural inhabitants." There are more than 1500 events planned for the entire year. Not only will they allow to enjoy the city in its extraordinary beauty, but also to embrace its vi- sion of the future, without forget- ting the history that started thou- sands years ago and it's now discovered by more and more peo- ple from around the world. During the morning ceremonies, officials lay a wreath at Italy's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, whereas later in the day, the public gardens at the Palazzo del Quiri- nale feature performances by the martial bands of the Italian Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza. One of the highlights is surely the so-called Frecce Tricolori, who fly over the Vittoriano monument, trailing green, white, and red smoke. Italian representatives in the US are also part of the celebrations and, in San Francisco, the City Hall lights up in verde-bianco- rosso colors, the ones of Italy's flag, to testimony the strong ties between the Bay Area and the Bel Paese. Over the last few years, the Festa della Repubblica, held at the St Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, has also become a spe- cial moment dedicated to an Italian city, whose connections with the Bay Area are or have become strong. During this year's event, Con- sul General Lorenzo Ortona re- minded guests how the tradition he started with the city of Lucca in 2017, was then followed by the city of Genoa in 2018 and the city of Matera in 2019. All these events have been unique and memorable, as they hosted local delegations, like for example the Sbandiera- tori della Città di Lucca and the Mayor of Genoa. In 2019, the del- egation from the City of Matera has been part of a three-day event, including the Festa della Repub- blica Party; a visit to NASA; a dinner at A16 restaurant with a special menu featuring the regional cuisine of Basilicata; and a Photo Exhibition by Nico Colucci at the Italian Cultural Institute. At the Festa della Repubblica event, hosted by the Italian Con- sulate, guests could taste terrific food of the Basilicata tradition, such as the pane di Matera (Mat- era's bread), whose perfect loaf is conical in shape, with a thick brown crust and a soft, salty inte- rior; a popular legumes soup; and a special vanilla gelato with extra- virgin olive oil and candied cherry on top, alongside a shot of the Amaro Lucano liqueur. During the night at the Italian Institute, in- stead, guests listened to some tra- ditional music by Giuliana De Donno and Vito Paternoster. By playing the cello, Mr Paternoster performed Bach's Suite No 3 in D major and the well know Mod- ugno's Volare. On the other hand, Mrs De Donno entertained the au- dience with tarantella capuanese, the Tarascone, and the Polka di Vittorio. Putting the City of Matera in the spotlight for the week served well the status of European Capital of Culture the city received for 2019. The title, issued by the Eu- ropean Commission, aims to high- light the richness and the diversity of cultures across Europe and to celebrate the cultural features Eu- ropean citizens share. Over the years, the experience has shown cities being regenerated as they were able to raise their interna- tional profile while boosting tourism. When it came to Matera, the experts' committee mostly ap- preciated "the city's visionary aim of being at the forefront of a move- ment stripping away the barriers to culture - especially through new technologies and learning." The city, best known for its cave-dwelling districts, the Sassi, has been a UNESCO World Her- itage Site since 1993. As many know, the Sassi were home to a prehistoric troglodytic settlement thought to be among the first hu- man settlements in all of Italy. The cavemen, that populated the area for at least 35.000 years, harmo- niously integrated into the natural The Staff of the Italian Consulate joined Consul General, Lorenzo Ortona, and his wife Sheila for a group photo. Ph Credits Emanuela Quaglia SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY From Festa della Repubblica to Matera European Capital of Culture: a week diving into Italian history and culture The special gelato prepared to celebrate Matera Ph credits Emanuela Quaglia

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