Local news update
FROM CORIGLIANO CALABRO TO THE COMENIUS WORLD
A monument in Corigliano: “Ponte Canale"
“Ponte Canale” or “Arco” is about m.19 from the plane of Via Roma. It is the first visible monument to those who pass through the ancient village. Built in the Romanesque style, red brick arched overlapping five largest and seven smaller ones, the Canal Bridge or "Arc" is one of the most important examples of the artistic heritage - the local cultural. According to tradition, is due to the town's patron, St. Francis of Paola, the construction of this old aqueduct which allowed to bring water from the hill to the old town. The monument has, however, a specific story that highlights the prestige and functionality. On it you can enjoy a beautiful view-because it dominates almost the entire “Piazza del Popolo”, the North-West, North-East and South of the city, and between the side of the South West and watch the mountains of” Costa” and far away the principle of the mountain of “Acri”. Is upon the Via Roma, and between the North and the East held an open horizon, to be able to see a part of our vast country, and a portion of the Ionian Sea.
Francesca, 13. Italy
CARNIVAL IN ITALY
Carnival is a festival celebrated in countries of Christian tradition. The celebrations often consist in public parades in which playful and imaginative elements dominate: in particular its distinctive and characteristic feature is the use of masking.
The word carnival comes from the Latin carnem levare" (" i.e. to eliminate meat " ) that was the original name given to the banquet held on the last day of Carnival ( Mardi Gras ) , immediately before the period of fasting and abstinence of Lent.
Origin and meaning
Although the Carnival festivities are present in the Catholic tradition, they have much older origins, such as the Greek Dionysian or the Roman Saturnalia. The Carnival is the movement of the spirits between heaven, earth and underworld. It leads to a metaphysical dimension that concerns man and his destiny . In the spring, when the earth begins to manifest his power , Carnival marks an open passage between the underworld and the earth inhabited by the living beings .
February in Italy means that just about every city on the Peninsula is invaded with masks, confetti, colors and lights that make for a very exciting and unique atmosphere: it’s Carnival! It is a party with ancient roots, and today has become a folkloristic rite in which traditions and fun work together to bring enormous life to this unique celebration. From north to south, Italy marks Carnival with long standing traditions that are internationally-known, and that attract thousands of visitors from around the world this time every year.
Michele 13, Mattia 13, - Italy
Venice: The Italian Carnival Par Excellence
Some of the most spectacular moments during the Venetian carnival are the Flight of the Angel (or Flight of Colombina), a tradition that began with a Turkish acrobat in mid-1500s. In this amazing spectacle an artist in flesh and bone hangs from a metal cable, and, suspended in air, makes his descent from the top of St. Mark’s Bell Tower to the Doge’s Palace.
Today the Carnival of Venice is an evocative and much-anticipated popular fest, unique in terms of its history, its masks and its atmosphere. Highly-reputed and appreciated in all the world, it brings thousands of tourists to Italy every year.
TYPICAL MASK OF THE CARNIVAL OF VENICE
Flight of the Angel
in the picture there is the Italian swimmer champion Federica Pellegrini
Viareggio: The Carnival and its Parade Floats
Among the many attractions of perhaps the world’s most beloved Italian region Tuscany, the Carnival of Viareggio deserves a place of honor: it is one of the most important and appreciated carnivals internationally, one in which thousands of people – tourists and Italians alike – participate every year.
Putignano: Carnival on the Murge Plateau
Particular mention goes to the Carnival of Putignano, a town in the Province of Bari standing on the Murge Plateau, it is the home of the famous trulli and karst grottoes.
Immersed in the Itria Valley, Putignano boasts the longest Carnival of them all, beginning December 26th (St. Stephen’s Day) and ending on Mardi Gras (February 12th, 2013), with an evening parade and, finally, the “funeral” of Carnival.
Ivrea: the carnival of the oranges
Michele 13, Mattia 13, - Italy
VALENTINE'S DAY
The celebration of Valentine's Day is a celebration dedicated to lovers and celebrated in most of the world on February 14.
The original religious holiday named after a Christian saint and martyr Saint Valentine in Terni , and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 , going to replace the previous pagan festival of Lupercalia . The modern practice of celebration of the feast , however, centered on the exchange of love messages and gifts between lovers, probably dates from the early Middle Ages , and could be particularly attributed to the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the tradition of the love which took shape courteous.
To its spread , especially in France and England , contributed to the Benedictines , through their numerous monasteries , having been foster the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni from the end of the second half of the seventh century.
The most characteristic feature of the St. Valentine's Day is the exchange of valentine , love notes often shaped in the form of stylized hearts or according to other themes typical of the popular representation of love romantic ( the dove , the image of cupid with bow and arrows, and so on ) . Since the nineteenth century , this tradition has fueled the industrial production and large-scale marketing of greeting cards dedicated to this event. The Greeting Card Association estimates that each year are shipped February 14 about a billion greeting cards , a number that puts this event in second place, as the number of tickets purchased and shipped after Christmas .
The day after Valentine's Day , February 15 is celebrated San Faustino , patron saint of singles.
Proverbs and Motti on Valentine's Day.
• For Valentine flowers the thistle
• For Valentine spring is near
• At every Valentine " Valentine's Day " chooses his " Valentina"
Giulia 13, Marta 13,Martina 13 - Italy
Italy
NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM OF ITALY
In 1911, the national soccer team of Italy wore
a blue uniform for the first time, in the friendly against Hungary in Milan. The blue color will be taken as representative for the Italian national team for each sport. The choice of blue was motivated by the fact that it was the colour of the banner of the royal house of Savoy. The uniform provided white shorts and socks blacks. The first shirt worn with France on 15 May 1910, was white. So far, the second National shirt is white.
MARTA, 13; GIULIA, 13- ITALY
THE EURO
The birth of the euro goes back to 1988 when 11 Countries of the European Union decided to create the Economic Monetary Union (UEM). In Italy the value of one euro has been fixed in 1936,27 Italian lire. At first, the euro is the official European money but we can’t use it by cash; we can pay in euros but only with credit cards, bank transfers, etc.
Since January 1st 2002 we use the new European money and we have had the possibility to change Italian lire into euros till the end of February 2002.
There are eight coins: 1 and 2 euros and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents. The banknotes are seven: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros.
The European union is made up of 28 Countries but only 18 Countries decided to use euro. They are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
Desireè, 12: Vittoria, 12 - Italy
The RAI
- The Italian National television – RAI – was born on 3th January 1954. It has been the first important way of communication after the radio and the cinema. At the beginning, it was first considered a public service because after the second world war a lot of Italian people were literate.
- In 1961 we have the second channel – RAI 2 – and one year later the first TV link with USA.
- In 1975 a few private stations arise; at the end of ‘70s they become a business and the RAI is no more the most important television in Italy.
- Il 1979 the third channel arises: RAI 3 particularly deals with the problems of the 20 different Italian regions.
- In 1977 the first colour television appears.
- Nowadays, the most powerful rival of the RAI is Mediaset, a group made up of Canale 5, italia 1 and Rete 4.
Rita 12, Vanessa 13- Italy
SCHOOL ORIENTATION
The student orientation is an activity directed to children that has to be performed by the teachers within the educational institution. According to this perspective, the school has the duty to manage and respond to the formative needs of children , especially those ones with an age comprised between 11 and 18 years , that have to face a series of choices for their future. The teaching activity , consequently , must transmit and teach contents in order to increase the growth of the child within the complex social reality in which he is inserted , by enhancing his skills through the development of knowledge , learning and growth processes. Therefore our Institute organized different activities in order to favor the improvement of such skills: the third year students of the middle school were in fact involved in a series of meetings with teachers and students from different high schools during the whole month of February. In addition educational programs , projects and internships , assessment and investigations of interests , motivations and abilities were also planned. The final goal was to allow every student to reflect about the best choice to perform for their following studies.
Carmen 13, Claudia 13
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FOLK COSTUMES
Italian regions have different folk costumes since they represent the cultural heritage of local traditions and flavors, by expressing customs and habits of populations and their willingness to maintain over time such a world of values that cements and unifies. The historical evolution of style and fashion has been fueled by the desire of change: in particular the ruling classes wanted to differentiate themselves from the lower classes who were interested in emulating them. This system of differentiation/uniformity appeared when the middle class , once they had improved their own living conditions and economic opportunities , wanted to imitate the fashions of higher classes. Instead common people experienced just some slight style changes, remaining faithful to their traditional simple and practical attire. In detail , despite the natural social changes of the nineteenth century, poorer classes were able to save the uses and customs by gradually forming the folk heritage that almost all the Italian regions possess. Similarly to clerical and military uniforms, expressions of a status symbol that can not be transformed, even the costume has been preserved intact over time as a sign of belonging to a social class or ethnic group. Exactly this sort of "static" fashion allowed ancient traditions, in which everyone can recognize his own cultural identity, to be saved and protected.
Alessia 13, Laura 13, - Italy
Gennaro Ivan Gattuso
Gennaro Ivan Gattuso, known as Rino Gattuso, was born in Corigliano Calabro (Cosenza) on 9th January 1978. He was a football player - he was a midfield player - and nowadays he is a football coach.
He married the Italian girl he met in Glasgow – Scotland – and they have a daughter and a son.
He started to play football when he was very young, he was only 12 when he went to play in Perugia. At the age of 18 he went to Glasgow where he spent one year and where he met Monica, the girl he married a few years later.
The following year he came back to Italy and after a short period in Salerno, he went to Milan. During the Scottish period he was known as ‘Braveheart’ but in Italy he was called ‘Ringhio’ – growl – because of his strong personality, charisma, athletic capacity and physical strength. He is the idol of many young football players.
In Canada the Calabrian community of Oshawa has established the ‘Gattuso Day’ on 25th June.
In 2008 he won the prize ‘Telegatto’ as the best football player of the year.
In May 2012, after many years of eviable carreer, he decided to leave football because of sight problems.
With his favourite team, Milan, he won ‘Coppa Italia’, ‘Campionato italiano’, Supercoppa italiana’, ‘Champions League’, Supercoppa UEFA’, ‘Coppa del Mondo for Clubs’. He is Champion of the World – Germany, 2006.
He wrote three books: ‘In Rino Veritas’, ‘Se uno nasce quadrato non muore tondo’ e ‘Il Codice Gattuso’.
He now lives in Milan with his family but he often comes back to Corigliano where he has created the foundation ‘Forza Ragazzi’ to help teenagers with social problems.
All Little Journalists, Italy