PRESENTATION
I INTRODUCE ME: Antonella Parisi
Alderman to the culture of the commune of Santa Severina
SANTA SEVERINA , PROVINCE OF CROTONE
THE REGARDS
With immense to like I also hand a warm regard to all the present personalities from the mayor
Diodato Scalfaro, of the town administration and of the whole community of Saint Severina. I
greet the mayor of the city of Corfù and the city of Puerto Lumbreras, partners of this
extraordinary event of the Arabic world. I also bring the regards some commune of Crotone, of the
mayor Peppino Vallone and of the alderman to the culture Silvano Cavarretta. I thank the sign.
Laopodis Vaselis for his availability and attention and the whole organization of the Festival of the
Arabic world. This morning, when I have landed in this marvelous island, I didn't believe in my
eyes. I felt me a bridegroom Ulisse that he woke up in the island of the Feacis. That island of
Scherìa that before I have learned to love from student and that daily I introduce to my pupils
when to school I teach the Greek literature, it is a true precious pearl of modern Greece; it has an
unbelievable charm with his to alternate of lanes and ample panoramic foreshortenings
mozzafiato.
To quote a Greek poet that I adore, Costantino Kavafis, has that is really hoped that the road to
arrive, "it was long and flood of adventure" for power "to breathe Itaca" in this sea and to discover
"madreperle and corals and ebony and penetrating aromas of every sort and intoxicating." I have
found a marvelous reception, worthy of a people that for a long time she has had the sense of the
already sacred Xenìa (hospitality) to Zeus.
The heat of the Greek people is brother of that of the Calabrian people that Pitagora has
welcomed, Alcmeone, Democede, Milone and that it is proud to have offered his territory to the
ancient farmers of Great Greece. To Crotone, to Sibari to Locri, to Reggio today he still breathes
the Greek civilization. And the Mediterranean sea is the sea that still unites us, that unites our
people and it favors the cultural dialogue; it allows the meeting of different cultures among
commoners mediated from the arts and from the literature favoring today therefore the mutual
knowledge and facilitating the integration.
Also the city from which I originate boasts a history rich in events happened in over two millennia
and that they have seen protagonists king and principles, strategists and general, accounts and
dukes whose ghosts flutter on the bastions and on the towers of its monumental Castle. The city
of Saint Severina is situated between the Ionian Sea and the mountains of the Sila. Our suburb
rises on a spur of tufo that dominates the valley of the river Neto. In certain days, kind in the first
hours of the morning, when haze winds the valley until under the rocky base that supports him, it
resembles to a great ship of stone. A ship in the vast sea of the history, where so many presences
still sparkle.
THE SUBURB OF S.SEVERINA
Her originates of Saint Severina they are documented at Ecateo of Mileto, historian and
geographer of the V sec. B.C., that understands her in the list of the cities of the Enotria with the
name of Siberene. The city knew the dominations Byzantine, Arab, Norman, Sveva, Angioina and
Aragonese. In 1496 she was subjected and elevated to center of county, therefore assigned to
Andrew Carafa to which the descendants of the family followed. The Dominion passed then to the
Ruffos, to the Sculcos and the Greuthers that held her up to the destruction of the feudalità, in the
1806. From this date the city followed the fates of the Kingdom in Naples.
THE NORMAN CASTLE
Inside the Castle they are visited the Archaeological Museum of the Territory, the Archaeological
Museum of the Castle, the Center documentations and studies, castles and fortifications of
Calabria, the permanent show of the weapons and the armors, the permanent show of the suits of
epoch, the civic Library;
THE BAPTISTRY
The Baptistery, jewel of the Byzantine art, is the most ancient ecclesiastical monument open to
the cult in Calabria;
THE CATHEDRAL
The erect Cathedral in the XIII sec., modified and embellished in the following centuries, is
dedicated to patrona of the country to Sant’ Anastasia;
THE PLAZA
The Plaza (paved in the eighties, to form of ellipse, it has to the center the rose of the winds and a
series of sketches that symbolize the planets, the seasons, the metals, etc.);
The Diocesan museum (placed in the Building Arcivescovile, preserve and it exposes one of the
richest and important harvests of existing sacred art in Calabria) Museum. Santa Severina, justly
inserted among the most beautiful Suburbs in Italy, also for the operations of retraining and
exploitation of which she has been object in recent times, it is interested from a tourist flow in
continuous increase that must be supports of the offer of services and events that attract.
CULTURAL EVENTS IN SANTA SEVERINA
Among the Santa Severina’s cultural institutes LALEO’s activity ( European and Oriental Languages
free Academy) is fundamental. LALEO takes care both of the organization and carrying out of
courses with high profile, selected, experienced and competent teachers. It also takes care of the
reception of students who receive lodging and boarding in a recently restored ex-monastery
owned by theCommune.
LALEO’s activity consists as well in the organization of cultural events ad hoc (workshops,
meetings, lectures, exchanges etc.) which are from time to time referred to specific subjects of
interest; in 2008 for example Santa Severina welcomed Nobel price Lech Walesa in the meeting “
Education to Peace. Cooperation and dialogue for a global development” . In this way LALEO helps
the cultural growth of people of Calabria who are directly involved with their participation to the
public events scheduled within the project d and indirectly are coming in touch with the foreign
students. This is especially important for the young living in Calabria who can benefit of an
intercultural dialogue which is of great value during thiese times .
Promoted by the Santa Severina Commune Siberene Festival takes place every year during
summer season in order to support in this territory the presence of tourists coming from the
surrounding towns, from the surrounding regions and from the Northern regions too. The Festival
consists of several music and movie shows. But there are also literature events like readings with
authors and books’ presentations with a special attention to traditional arts and culture like folkmusic concerts or dialect performances. Each evening the events are held in different locations of
cultural and landscaping interest, in the Santa Severina Commune, like Piazza Campo, the Castle,
Villa Altilia, originating a synergy between event and location that stimulates participants come
back to visit the place. These events are born as an initiative by the Santa Severina Commune and
are held in collaboration with other bodies (Pro Loco, Cooperativa Aristippo).
With Siberene Festival the quality of the touristic offer has improved and the cultural and art
events help the cultural, art and religious tourism, besides the bathing tourism , to extend the
length of the stay and of the touristic season during the rest of the year beside summer .
Music High Level Training Campus, one of the biggest in Europe, also
organized by the
Commune, has scheduled this year 18 concert s, 300 participants, 50 teachers, 2 orchestras,
international guests.
At the end of the academic year, during summer, these are days of deep study with different
courses: from traditional individual classes, to instrumental masterclasses, experimental classes,
seminars, historical-musical meetings, jazz and classic orchestra workshops (with the collaboration
of CESM – Catania). Moreover, besides teachers, many international artists come as guests. The
3rd edition had the great honor to have as special international guests
emeritus musicologist
M°Filippo Arlia who held the lectio magistralis and Mathias Ruegg who directed the jazz orchestra
and is the director and founder of the Vienna Art Orchestra . It is a week full of events with 3
concerts a day which take place in the main square, in the suggestive Madre di S. Anastasia
Church and in the town Auditorium. Students, teachers and guests meet in this way the territory
and its people, involve them actively and invite them to take part to the life of the campus.
Specifically focused on children, Castelfiaba
is the main
cultural event celebrated in the
Crotonese area. This event was strongly wanted by Santa Severina Commune together with Pro
Loco Siberene.
It starts each year in November and ends in June with important
Castelfiaba”(Castelfiaba’s Christmas), “Inventa una marionetta”
stages: “Il Natale di
(Create a puppet)
and
“Il
Carnevale del Marchesato” a Carnevale (Marquisate Carneval) ,the Study Meeting in February, “I
laboratori di lettura animata: Ciliegie rosse ‘A naca e La Casetta rosa”, “La festa della primavera”,
“Pillole di teatro”, “Il concorso delle Ninne Nanne”, per autori e compositori , i premi“ Caro
maestro”, “Amico di Castelfiaba” , (Workshops of animated readings) “Vesti un bimbo”, (Dress a
child) for children fashion houses, and “Bebè Babà” for the best photographers of children. In the
final ceremony the town of S.Severina becomes a suggestive open-air stage. This event to which
all the inhabitants of S.Severina take part is one of the most eagerly awaited.
Castelfiaba is the meeting of different stories and cultures by means of different languages:
narration, dramatization, music, creativity. Many local operators, schools, bodies and associations
take part to this event with the awareness that by means of culture and education it is possible to
promote the territory and its social and economic aspects. This is also very attractive for tourists
who are encouraged to visit these places even in low-season. The secret of success of Calstelfiaba
is the ability to render ideas the concrete events that are very important for the growth of the
Commune.
Christmas in the castles , a Siberene prize , is an historic representation which always attracts
many visitors.