ITALIAN SCOTLAND IS THE WEBSITE OF THE COCAIS & THE COMITES
Welcome to Italian Scotland
Buon anno! Welcome to the latest edition of ItalianScotland, the
electronic newsletter aimed at all with links to, or love of Italy.
Italian Memorial Garden
As anyone who has driven along the banks of the Clyde will have noticed, work has begun
on the Italian Memorial Garden next to St Andrew’s Cathedral in Clyde Street. The Garden will
have at its centre a memorial to those who lost their lives in the Arandora Star tragedy during
World War II. It will also be a tribute to the work and contribution of the Italian community to
Scottish life. Thanks to contributions from the community, the work is now underway.
Many have asked for their family name or that of a loved one to be recorded on a series of
memorial plaque to be placed on the garden walls. If you would like to do this, please contact
Pauline Rankin at the Archdiocese of Glasgow as soon as possible to make the arrangement.
A minimum donation of £100 per name is required to cover costs.
It is anticipated that the Garden will open in late September or early October.
More information at www.italiancloister.org.uk
Grand Italian Raffle
The draw was made on Sunday January 3 for the Grand Italian Raffle which has raised more
than £3000 for the Italian Garden Appeal. The winners were:
Week’s hotel accommodation in Italy: Mrs E Melrose (Bearsden)
Two day trip to Rome with entrance to Papal audience: Rosaria Crolla (Glasgow/Liverpool)
Overnight stay at Loch Green House Hotel, Troon: Bernie Boyce (Glasgow)
Gucci sunglasses: Del Brannigan (Newton Mearns)
Many thanks to all who bought and sold tickets for this worthwhile project and
congratulations to the winners!
Befana Thanks
Thanks to all who participated and organised the Grande Festa della Befana on January 3.
Dozens of children and their parents attended at Scotland St School Museum to take part
in this delightful manifestation of Italian culture.
Special thanks to thank Evelina Renucci and Angela Casci who produced the folders,
Victoria Stewart for helping the committee with Befana preparations and on the day
Anthony Convery for his assistance. A special thank you must go to Silvia Strommer who
produced the Befana Booklets, to Fiona Macdonald (who acted the part of the Befana superbly!)
, Barry Shafar (Cheezy Tunes) Tommy Templeton (Cheeko the clown) and all the staff at
Scotland St School Museum and Cafe for their help in making the day such a success.
And finally, Grazie a Tony at Bella Fresca , Paisley Road West who provided the buffet .
Carnevale di Viareggio
Ahead of the rigours of Lent it is a custom in Italy to celebrate a bit … thus is born Carnevale.
This year readers of ItalianScotland can take advantage of a fantastic deal to visit the
Carnevale di Viareggio (Europe’s largest) at massively discounted prices.
More details to come very soon. Look out for the special offer email next week!
Carnevale di Stirling
Closer to home there is an opportunity to participate in that tradition in Stirling. Here are the details
of the Scottish Carnival night: Sunday 7th February 7.30pm for 8pm, at the Albert Hall,
Dumbarton Road, Stirling. Good food and live music with Roberto Enzo. Ticket price
: £25 adults, £20 under 16s.
The event is organised by La Ciociara and Stirling Italian Society.
Tickets must be purchased strictly in advance as entry without ticket will be refused at door.
Please contact La Ciociara, Stirling on 01786 451 552 or the Stirling Italian Society
Festa della Terza Età
Following the success of last year’s event for senior citizens, once more the CoCAIS has organized a Festa della Terza Età. This year the venue will be the popular
Bella Napoli Restaurant in Shawlands.
The event is subsidized by the CoCAIS and means tickets can be had for just £8.50.
This includes a three course meal and mineral water. Wine will be at a reduced price of £10
per bottle and additional mineral water at £1.50 per bottle is payable directly to restaurant.
This year’s event will run from 1-6pm on Sunday 7th March 2010. If you are coming by
car remember pay & display parking restrictions apply until 7pm every day!
Bookings must be made in advance and places are limited so early booking
recommended to avoid disappointment !!!!!
For tickets contact:
Adriano DeMarco on 07860 415 943 ademarco@lineafabrications.co.uk
or Paul Verrico on 07792 259 538 paul.verrico@cosmoceramics.co.uk
CoCAIS AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the CoCAIS
(Comitato di Co-ordinamento delle Associazioni Italiane in Scozia)
will take place at the offices of the Archdiocese of Glasgow on Wednesday January 27 at 6pm.
All Italian Associations are invited to send a representative and participate in this committee
which exists solely to promote and co-ordinate the various events and activities being
promoted round the country with an Italian theme.
RAI Player
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology you can now view again some RAI programmes
which you may have missed, or indeed which you haven’t seen. The RAI website offers an
Italian equivalent to the iplayer allowing you to view again on the website many of the
programmes broadcast.
For example the current big Fiction series Io e Mio Figlio can be seen at http://www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/programmi/media/ContentItem-4a554f72-7b4b-4652-bfe5-a77588ee36c2.html
Or a documentary on the assassinated Prime Minister Aldo Moro is at http://www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/programmi/media/ContentItem-acd34d31-f04b-41c6-85ff-b8707ddf936f.html?p=0
Sanremo
The Sanremo song contest reaches its 60th edition next month from the famous Ariston Theatre.
The usual selection of big names from the world of Italian music are taking part including:
SIMONE CRISTICCHI, TOTO CUTUGNO, NINO D’ANGELO, IRENE GRANDI,
FABRIZIO MORO, POVIA and ENRICO RUGGERI
Also rumoured to be making a guest appearance is probably the first Scot to
appear at the festival, Susan Boyle!
All the news and gossip from Sanremo is at the newly created
website www.sanremo.rai.it
Auguri
Auguri sinceri to Gianni Donfrancesco who has been named
Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana. The award was made by
former Italian Prime Minister Lamberto Dini at the National Gallery in Ediburgh.
Also in attendance were other senior parliamentarians attending the
Nato Parliamentary Assembly in the capital.
Congratulations too to Ivan Artolli, General Manager of the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh
whose famed institution was named one of the world’s top hotels for service
in the Condè Nast Gold List.
Italians in Scotland talk
The ever popular film director and screen writer Sergio Casci will deliver a major talk
on the story of the Italians in Scotland at The Albany Learning and Conference Centre,
44 Ashley Street, Glasgow, G3 6DS on Thursday, 4 March 2010 between 7pm and 8pm in the Woodlands Suite at the Albany. Coffee etc from 6.30pm
The Albany is operated by GCVS and is close to GCVS headquarters which are at 11 Queen’s Crescent. There is a map at www.gcvs.org.uk.
Please book in advance by emailing rogan.boon@gcvs.org.uk or ringing Rogan on 0141 332 2444 or visiting the above website.
New Italian Newspaper for the UK
After a period of absence the newspaper “La Voce degli Italiani” has started publishing again.
Originallyy founded in 1948 by the Scalabrini priests in London, the paper served and will now
serve again as a means of communicating news and views among the Italian community in the UK.
Subscriptions cost £15 per year and can be obtained from the head office at 0207 735 5164 or
COMITES
Official website Scotland's of the
"Comitato degli Italiani all'Estero"
OUR NEWSLETTER
If you wish to recieve this newsletter direct to your email account please contact our Administrator with your name and email address and any comments:-
LA GAZZETTA IN
ENGLISH!
Italy's top sports paper now available to English speaking readers.
RAI INTERNATIONAL
New Italian sattelite channel now available in the UK and online.
IL GIORNALE DI BARGA
The Giornale di Barga is now available online!
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