For those unfamiliar with Settefrati (and the Madonna di Canneto), this beautiful village in Val Comino has the particularity of having more members of the AIRE - Registry of Italians Residents Abroad than residents in Italy and in August English is the language we talk in the square.
For this reason, August 16th was the date that Mayor Riccardo Frattaroli chose for the presentation of the book "A new and larger Settefrati on American soil" written by Mario Vitti in 1959 a few years after his arrival in Stamford in the USA.
The book had been forgotten and rediscovered by Prof. Ilaria Serra during her research on Italian immigrants who, recognizing the country of origin of Prof. Anthony Tamburri, had immediately brought it to him.
The years pass quickly while the frenzy of youth gave way to the desire to find each other again and so this year the libretto was taken up again, the part in Italian was fixed (which was typical of the dialects of the lands of departure) and it was translated in English.
The guest of honor of the seminar was therefore prof. Anthony Julian Tamburri, dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute at Queens University of New York and editor of the text. The professor is perhaps the person who has most studied the culture of Italians in America and their influence in the construction of American culture.
The poetry of a descendant of Settefrati presenting a book on the pride of Settefrati in America in the council chamber of Settefrati in front of an international audience was profound and touched the hearts of many people.
The discovery of roots, or perhaps it would be better to say the discovery of Italian history outside Italy, is a very hot topic at the moment. For this reason, all the participants spoke about Italian-American or American-Italian culture with many different nuances.
Luigi Vacana, councilor responsible for culture of the province of Frosinone, underlined the number of events dedicated to the Italian roots of many figures from Val Comino such as that of Maria Vitti, the founder in Paris of the Vitti Academy (LINK).
While the philosopher Biagio Cacciola thrilled us with the concept of 'contaminating Italian-speaking culture: "Italians bring work and culture wherever they go". Words that sound like magic for my current studies on the relationship of Italians abroad in the culture of Italian cuisine and in particular of pasta.
For those wishing to hear his words live, you can join him on August 21st at…. For the presentation of the book "Realtà identitarie smarrite"
At the end of the meeting, together with Mayor Riccardo Frattaroli (LINK) who builds always bridges between the two communities, we gave the Town Ambassador Award plaque to Anthony Julian Tamburri for all the love with which he works on the culture of Italians (and Settefratesi) in America.
Perhaps, however, we should say that there are three communities and consider the many Settefratesi in Toronto in Canada where the Canneto Society is very active with its president Tony Malizia. Tony's intervention was the most applauded because he spoke from the heart of a person who has spent his life keeping alive the ties between the two sides of the ocean (LINK) .
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