WELCOME TO ITALIAN SCOTLAND FEBRUARY EDITION
Festa della Terza Età
This year’s event aimed at senior members and friends of the Italian community, (aged age 60 plus), will take place at Sarti’s, Renfield Street on 11 March from 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm. Tickets are £10 each which guarantees a three course meal plus coffee and mineral water plus special rates for wine.
To book, please contact Paul Verrico on 07792 259538 or Cav Adriano de Marco on 07860415943. Alternatively, download a form here and return to Paul Verrico at Cosmo Ceramics, 515 Lawmoor Street, Dixon Blazes Industrial Estate, G5 0TT. It is important to book early as space is limited and this is always a popular event.
Anniversary of Orkney Italian Chapel
Thursday 23rd February will be the 70th anniversary of the arrival in Orkney of around 1,200 Italian prisoners of war, transported from a POW camp in Egypt in order to provide additional manpower for the construction of the Churchill Barriers, the largest engineering feat of World War 2. As well as helping to build the barriers, the Italians in Camp 60 on the tiny island of Lamb Holm created a chapel that is today Orkney’s most popular tourist attraction and which is famous around the world as an inspirational symbol of hope and peace.
Author Philip Paris spent more than four years researching the history of the chapel for his books – The Italian Chapel, and Orkney’s Italian Chapel: The True Story of an Icon. It has had excellent reviews, with one writer remarking: “The Italian Chapel is a story of forbidden love, lifelong friendships torn apart, despair and hope, set against the backdrop of the creation of a symbol that is known around the world. Amidst strikes, conflicts and untold hardships, the Italian prisoners of war sent to a tiny Orkney island during WW2 create a monument to the human spirit’s ability to lift itself above great adversity. One artist falls in love with a local Orkney woman and leaves a token of his love in the chapel … it is still there today, and until The Italian Chapel, no-one has ever known its true meaning.”
The story of the Chapel is carried in this month’s Italy Magazine and the author is happy to share any information at readers. See Philip’s website at http://www.philipparis.co.uk/italian_chapel.html or contact him at philip@philipparis.co.uk
Italian Cloister Garden website
A full website has been created telling the story of the Italian Cloister Garden next to St Andrew’s Cathedral in Glasgow. It is richly endowed with pictures and has all the texts from the inscriptions on the central monument, Archbishop Conti’s speech at the Opening Ceremony and a reproduction of the plaque bearing the names of the Scots/Italian victims of the Arandora Star disaster.
If you haven’t yet been able to visit the garden or want to highlight it to relatives overseas, then the website is an ideal introduction. It can be found at www.italiancloister.org.uk
Diary Dates
At the recent AGM of the CoCAIS, the dates were fixed for the traditional get togethers of the Spring and Summer season. The Italian day at Colzium Estate in Kilsyth will take place on Sunday, 20 May beginning with a Mass at 12 noon.
The Scampagnata at Alva will take place on 17 June 2012 – Father’s day as well as the usual football tournament, bocce, music and dancing. There will be special Father’s Day activities and a prize raffle.
New flights to Venice
Berrhead Travel has announced a new route which will operate throughout the summer from Glasgow to Venice. Chartered flights start at circa £85 each way and there is also an option to book accommodation in Venice, Mestre or Lido di Jesolo. More info at http://www.barrheadtravel.co.uk/exclusives_glasgow-venice-flights.phtml
New flights to Rome
Jet2com will launch their new Glasgow to Rome service on March 16 with flights three times a week starting at just under £40 each way. More info at www.jet2.com
Death of President Scalfaro
The death was announced at the end of January of the retired President of Italy, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. President Scalfaro who served as President from 1992 to 1999 was 93 years old and was held in affection by many Scots/Italians who were honoured by the Italian state during his presidency.
An Obituary of the late President can be found here. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/29/oscar-luigi-scalfaro
New Club Romano Dundee
All readers are very welcome to the full programme of events organised by the Italian Club in Dundee. Among the highlights are:
- Sunday 26th February: Mass 6pm with confessions at 5:30 followed by AGM 2012
- Saturday 17th March: Dinner Dance with an Irish Italian feel (SS Patrick and Joseph) £8
- Sunday 25th March: Mass for Fifth Sunday of Lent 6pm with confessions at 5:30
- Wednesday 4th April: Chrism Mass St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Dundee.
More info at newclubromano@mac.com
New Sponsors
Welcome to our new sponsors, MagnaParma, offering the best Italian food and wine products from the Parma area and beyond direct to you at online prices. Browse a wide selection of high-quality products – many of which are certified by the local food authorities – as though you were in an Italian local shop.. You will only find Italian ingredients, worked in Italy following traditional methods.
Beginning with products already well known abroad like ham, salami, wine, parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and olive oil, to unobtainable delicacies like culatello. The quality of our products is a union of handmade product and modern organization, which ensures timely shipping, careful packaging and wide range of fresh products thanks to constant turnover. All this at a reasonable price.
Shopping online is simple and safe – for any special request their staff are at your service. Whether gourmand in quest for one single delicacy, or restaurateur or retailer on the lookout for specialities to enrich your offer… Magnaparma has it! To find out more or shop now click here: http://www.magnaparma.com/index.php?main_page=index
Advertising to the Italian Community
If you would like to advertise a product or service to the Italian community then there is no better place to do it than here. UIt costs just £50 per year for an ad on the front page of the Italian Scotland homepage which links directly to your own website. This is supported by a 12-times a year newsletter going out to around 1000 recipients, directing potential customers back to your advert. To find out more or book a space speak to Paul Verrico on 07792 259538 or Ronnie Convery on 0141 226 5898
Facebook
Please spread the word that we are now on Facebook. Our Facebook feed is updated daily, so to really keep up with all that’s happening, and to participate in the lively chat, click “like” at www.facebook.com/ItalianScotland
Scampagnata Competition
This year the CoCAIS and COMITES are sponsoring a creative competition open to
young people and children who love Italy: Entry is open to any pupil/student, up to 18, of Italian origin, or studying Italian or with a special interest in Italy. Please use A3 or A4 paper.You can submit:
- A Poem, or a piece of writing or a picture
You can select from three different themes:
- Memories of Italy
- Il mio paese
- Mia/o nonna/o
You may write in Italian or English.
There will be three categories: 3 to 6 years, 6 to 10 years and over 10. There will be prizes for winning entries. The closing date for the competition will be 15 April 2012. The best entries will be displayed at the Scampagnata when the winners will be announced. We regret the entries cannot be returned. By entering the competition, entrants agree to their details being announced at the Scampagnata and their work being published in any form. Please write your name, address and age on the back of your entry. Send your entries to: Angela Casci, 56 Merryburn Avenue, Giffnock, Glasgow, G46 6DQ, or email: angela.casci@ntlworld.com
New roles for Picinisco and La Spezia Bishops
Pope Benedict has apponted Bishop Filippo Iannone of the area around Picinisco (diocese of Sora-Aquino-Pontecorvo), as Vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome and conferred on him the title of Archbishop
Interesting facts about the Diocese of Rome - population 2,816,706, Catholics 2,473,000, priests 4,922, permanent deacons 116, religious 27,375,
Meanwhile Francesco Moraglia, the Bishop of La Spezia, (another area with links to the Scottish Italian community) has been named as the new Patriarch of Venice. Interesting facts about the diocese or Patriarchate of Venice (population 375,790, Catholics 372,032, priests 394, permanent deacons 29, religious 755).
The Essence of Beauty: 500 years of Italian Art Exhibition
This landmark exhibition will run at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow from 6 April to 12 August 2012.
The collection of Italian paintings held by Glasgow Museums is the finest and most comprehensive of any civic museum in the UK. The Essence of Beauty: 500 years of Italian Art will bring together the best of these works for the first time.
Over 40 paintings spanning the 14th to 19th centuries including masterpieces by Titian, Bellini, Salvator Rosa and Botticelli will be displayed alongside sculpture, Venetian glass and rare examples of Renaissance ceramics. Many of the works selected for display have been newly conserved and the exhibition will be accompanied by the first full-length catalogue of pictures from the collection, compiled by Professor Peter Humfrey of the University of St Andrews.
The Italian Cultural Institute will be supporting the event organising a series of lectures and concerts.
Carnevale Dance
A great night is expected on Sunday 12th February 2012 at the Albert Halls, Stirling. Live music by Roberto Enzo. Hot and cold buffet dinner. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £26 for adults and £20 for under 16s.
Tickets available from La Ciociara, 41 Friars Street,Stirling. Tel.01786 451552
laciociara@stirling.co.uk
Italian Film at GFF
This year’s Glasgow Film Festival includes two showings of the Italian Film Il Gioiellino. Italian actor Toni Servillo is reunited with Andrea Molaioli (director of The Girl by the Lake) for this timely financial thriller charting the rise and fall of a food and drink company as its ambitious intentions are corrupted by greed and mismanagement. The true story of food giant Parmalat provides the inspiration for a film that illuminates so many of the financial woes crippling Italy and the eurozone. Amanzio Rastelli (Remo Girone) has built Leda from a small family deli into a major corporation. His Chief Financial Officer Ernesto Botta (Servillo) has dedicated his life to the company's success which is why he is willing to bend the law and break all the rules when it is faced with ruin...
Showing at CCA, Sauchiehall Street 22 Feb 6pm and GFT, Rose St, on Thursday 23 Feb at 3.10pm.
Full details here.
New Italian Scotland Study Centre
Do you have old photos, letters, documents lying around the attic belonging to a much loved nonno or nonna? Do you have old family cine films which you don’t want to throw out, but don’t know what to do with? Then read on …
A young Italian academic, Carlo Pirozzi, based in Edinburgh is spearheading the plan to create a new Italian Scotland Study Centre. Carlo is currently doing a John Di Ciacca Postdoctoral Fellowship based at the Italian Department, Edinburgh University through the Nicola Benedetti scholarship Fund.
The aim is to create a new Scottish-Italian Center of Study which will catalogue, digitalize and archive information about the community – everything from published documents to personal letters, photographs to video.
Please consider lending or donating any material you may have to the new Scottish-Italian Archive. Any photos, letters, cards, tickets, cuttings etc you may have saved in your family as a memory of a much loved grandparent or uncle would be most welcome. Carlo can copy them and return them to you so that they are preserved for posterity and not lost for ever.
If you have anything which could be of help please send an email to Carlo.Pirozzi@ed.ac.uk
Italian Cultural Institute Winter Events
A spectacular new programme of events from now until spring has been put together by the Italian Cultural Institute in Scotland. Among the highlights are:Italian films at the Glasgow film festival in February; the staging of La mandragola in Edinburgh in March; a touring run of Italia ‘n’ Calednia, the hilarious play about Scots Italians running from March to May and the 500 Years of Italian Art Exhibition opening in April. For a free copy of the programme contact iicedimburgo@esteri.it or visit the website http://www.iicedimburgo.esteri.it/IIC_Edimburgo
GRAZIE!
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