Author: Redazione AEVF

“The Via Francigena is a daily adventure that moves, step by step, in the footsteps of pilgrims of the past, present and future. We are here today to add another page to this magnificent tale, which unites communities and cultures and has now been added to the ‘National Tentative List’ to be put forward as UNESCO heritage.”

It was with these words that Raffaella Senesi, mayor of Monteriggioni, opened the 6^th edition of the “Comuni in Cammino” international forum, which took place in Abbadia Isola last Saturday, after she remembered the director of Tuscan Touristic Promotion, Alberto Peruzzini, who went missing last November. Many guests were present from all over Italy and other countries crossed by Sigeric’s route: Switzerland, France and Britain.

“With this occasion – says Massimo Tedeschi, president of the European Association of Via Francigena Ways (EAVF) who organise the Forum every year, together with the municipality of Monteriggioni – we would like to reaffirm the internationality of the Via Francigena. We’re not talking about a national Italian route, but a European route, a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 1994.”

The cultural and ethical importance of the Via Francigena was also underlined by Stefano Ciuoffo, Councillor of Tourism for the region of Tuscany, who emphasised the work towards “safeguarding Sigeric’s route and, by doing so, the founding values of our society and European identity”. The European dimensions of the Via Francigena and its cultural value were also highlighted by Silvia Costa, MEP, who recalled how this route is “increasingly a forge of innovation, creativity and sustainable development of the territories crossed, where the other is not an enemy, but a walking companion, laying the foundations for the future of Europe”. Among our international guests Stefano Dominioni, Executive Secretary for the Partial Expansion Agreement for the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, also stood out with his description of the Via Francigena as “the crown jewel of the agreement due to its ability to develop actions and synergies on a regional, national and European level, uniting municipalities and regions crossed in a sign of diversity and intercultural dialogue.”

The Forum gave voice to many local and regional administrators working hard along the European Francigena, putting hospitality and accessibility first, as well as the many events and projects along the Italian section of the route. Then leaving room for a comparison with other European routes, welcoming experiences along the Cammino di Sant’Olav, Cammino di Santiago, via Romea Germanica and via Romea Strata. There was also time to announce the finalists of the second edition of the “Intanto Parto” award, organised by Betti Editrice; the project of Milanese singer-songwriter Jack Jaselli, called “Torno a Casa”, which will keep him busy on a tour along the Via Francigena until next April; and lastly the awards for the European Festival Vie Francigene, Cammini, Ways, Chemins 2018, with director Sandro Polci.

Lunch was hosted in the Pilgrim’s Hall, a space in the monumental complex of Abbadia Isola, recovered by the municipality of Monteriggioni with European funds made available through the region of Tuscany and enriched by the doorway, which was restored for free by a local business, New Design Porte, using the ancient beams of Abbadia Isola.

The Forum was organised – as it is every year – by the municipality of Monteriggioni, in collaboration with the European Association of Via Francigena Ways (EAVF) and the support of the region of Tuscany. All speeches from the “Comuni in Cammino” Forum are available as podcasts on the Radio Francigena site: www.radiofrancigena.com.

EAVF Press release – municipality of Monteriggioni.

During the 6^th “Comuni in Cammino. Francigena-Routes-Europe” Forum in Abbadia Isola on Saturday 2^nd February, the finalists of the literary award “Intanto Parto…tales and words on the road” were announced.

Many participated in this second edition, which, for the first time, offered a section specifically for people under 25. Twenty-one works made it to the finals: 10 for the over 25, given on 16^th March in Abbadia Isola, and 11 for the under 25 category, awarded in Pontremoli. The names of the winners will be announced at these two award ceremonies.

Our finalists: (ordered alphabetically by name of author):

Over 25:

“Mafall Diae: un ivoriano sulla Francigena” by Marina Berti

“La Mia Francigena” by Filippo Cirino

“Un passo avanti” by Francesca Corgiat Bondon

“Magda” by Estella Milianti

“Il riposo delle farfalle” by Matteo Minerva

“Le ferie di Paolo” by Luca Mirtilli (alias)

“Ritrovarsi camminando” by Tatiana Spadoni and Eduardo Enjuto Vàzquez

“Il sogno del pellegrino” by Luciano Valentini

“Destinazione Felice” by Valentina Zinzula

“La felicità accade” by Jamila Zitoune.

 Under 25:

“Perché cammini? Ascolta il tuo cuore” by Massimo Casale

“Risorgo come il sole all’indomani” by Isabella Cerasuolo

“Il viaggio di Hélène, una donna medioevale lungo la via Francigena” by Silvia Colligiani

“Passo dopo passo” by Alessia Delre

“Adesso è un buongiorno” by Giulia Frullini

“Uno strano pomeriggio” by Letizia Grasso

“Il cammino mortale” by Yassmine Mourabiti

“Il viaggio più bello della mia vita” by Giada Occhipinti

“Fatevi Portare dal vento” by Niccolò Paolino

“La via della speranza” by Rosa Piccolo

“L’albero della Grande Strada Bianca” by Ludovica Zenti

“The idea of this award – says editor Luca Betti – was born in our editing room as a project to give a voice to emerging authors who, inspired by the Via Francigena, could narrate the deep sense of travelling slowly, discovering the slow rhythm of a wayfarer and introducing another perspective on live, places and traditions. […] It was an idea which quickly gained the appreciation of public and private partners who, since the beginning, supported us.”

“We are extrememly happy with the quality of the texts – adds Betti – but also the fact that they arrived from various regions crossed, or not, by the Via Francigena: Piedmont, Lazio and Tuscany, but even Veneto and Marche. A sign of diversity and a rich depth of Italian territories that demand to be narrated”.

This selection of names was chosen through a complex selection process, followed by being edited by Betti Editrice and the precious work of judges: writers, Paolo Ciampi and Simona Baldanzi; journalists, Selin Sanli and Silvia Iuliano; Italian teacher at the Italian Institute of Krakow, Iza Frackowiak. All texts in this first selection will be part of two publications included in the Betti Editrice catalogue and will be distributed on a national level.

The award partners: the region of Tuscany, the European Association of Via Francigena Ways, the municipalities of Pontremoli, Lucca, Fucecchio, Siena and Monteriggioni, the Italian Institute of Culture in Krakow and the Siena Lions Club.

Source: Betti Editrice press release

Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, Enrico Rossi, president of the region of Tuscany and Giovanni D’Agliano, manager of the region of Tuscany: these are the personalities who have been awarded the 2019 Sigeric Award

established by the Municipality of Monteriggioni to pay tribute to those who have distinguished themselves in the protection, enhancement and promotion of the Via Francigena.

The names were announced during the “Comuni in Cammino” Forum dedicated to the ancient pilgrim route on Saturday 2^nd February in the monumental complex of Abbadia Isola and promoted by the Municipality of Monteriggioni and the European Association of Via Francigena Ways.

The award. A two-sided medal presenting, on one side, the symbol of the pilgrim and the year of the award and, on the other, the Castle of Monteriggioni, seen from the Porta Romea. The awards were given by Giovanni d’Agliano and Stefano Ciuoffo, Tourism Councillor of the region of Tuscany on behalf of President Enrico Rossi. Antonio Tajani sent a letter of thanks to the Municipality of Monteriggioni and the European Association of Via Francigena Ways for the award and to reaffirm its commitment to the promotion and the enhancement of cultural routes, starting from the Via Francigena and their support towards the candidacy to become UNESCO heritage.

“The candidacy is solid – wrote Tajani – and represents a victory for all of us and especially for Europe. If, one day, the forces that prefer to divide us will put our European project at risk, it will not be the economy or diplomacy to keep us united, but this identity that we must all defend without hesitation. Cultural routes have an unexpressed potential that is released through the promotion of a slow and sustainable tourism that unites cities, regions and countries with their hidden history, spirituality, culture and landscapes. This result was achieved thanks to the efforts on European, national and local level“.

The motivation. The 2019 Sigeric Award, in its second edition, was awarded to Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, “for institutional support given to the development of the Via Francigena and the cultural routes included in the specific Council of Europe Programme, with particular reference to the 2009-2014 period, when he held the position of European Commissioner of Tourism“.

The President of the region of Tuscany, Enrico Rossi, has been awarded the prize “for having believed in the Francigena Project in all its aspects, favouring significant investments from the region itself“. The recognition given to Giovanni D’Agliano, manager of the Tuscany Region, meanwhile was based on his “effective development of the Francigena Project in the region, with particular reference to the 2010 – 2014 period, when he was manager of the organisational structure of ‘Policies and incentives for the qualification and development of tourist and commercial destinations’”.

The Forum “Comuni in Cammino”, organised by the Municipality of Monteriggioni and the European Association of Via Francigena Ways, involved participants arriving from all the countries crossed by the Via Francigena – Italy, Switzerland, France and England. It opened with the progress of the UNESCO heritage application project that in recent days has registered a significant step forward with the registration of the Via Francigena in Italy in the ‘National Tentative List’ by the Board of Directors of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO.

The expansion of the network of the route traversed by Archbishop Sigeric in 990 AD and its increasingly European dimension were central themes of the speeches by Raffaella Senesi, mayor of Monteriggioni; Stefano Ciuoffo, Councillor of Tourism of the region of Tuscany; Massimo Tedeschi, president of the EAVF; Silvia Costa, MEP and Stefano Dominioni, Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. The Forum was then brought alive with the experiences of small towns and regions touched by the Via Francigena and was enriched by the presentation of the finalists of the second edition of the literary award “Intanto parto”, dedicated to the Via Francigena and created by Betti Editore.

All the speeches from the “Comuni in Cammino” Forum are available in podcasts on the Radio Francigena website, www.radiofrancigena.com. Source: press release Municipality of Monteriggioni.

There was a great turnout for the 6^th ‘Comuni in Cammino’ Forum. In the historical setting of Abbadia Isola, municipalities, regions and associations gathered for a day of dialogue and discussion on the Francigena, Routes and Europe.

This morning, the mayor of Monteriggioni, Raffaella Senesi, began the meeting. At the opening of her speech, she also wanted to remember Alberto Peruzzini, director of Toscana Promozione Turistica who died prematurely last November, wishing good luck to his successor Francesco Palumbo.

“Being interested in the Francigena is a daily adventure that moves, step by step, in the footsteps of the pilgrims of yesterday, today and tomorrow. The journey to holy places narrates our story, but it doesn’t end there. Today we are here in Abbadia Isola to write another page of this wonderful story (…) – says Senesi – the Francigena unites not only people and cultures, but also institutions. This edition of the Forum opens with the good news of the insertion of the Via Francigena in Italy to the ‘National Tentative List’ of UNESCO heritage; decided by the Governing Council of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO. A very important step forward in the application process started in 2015 right here in Monteriggioni, during the “Comuni in Cammino” International Forum, and then supported by the Province of Siena, the Region of Tuscany and the European Association of Via Francigena Ways“.

“Through this occasion we would like to reiterate the internationality of the Francigena. We’re not talking about a regional or national Italian route but a European route – says Massimo Tedeschi, president of the European Association of Via Francigena Ways (EAVF) – The synonym of the Via Francigena is Europe and European values. It has been a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 1994; in 2001 we founded this association of municipalities to promote it. Today we have people from all over the world joining us on the Via Francigena“.

The morning continued with numerous speeches that gave voice to the territories, to the commitment of local and regional administrators and to the associations along the Francigena of Europe. The themes of hospitality, accessibility and the projects put in place along the Italian route were at the centre of discussion. The event was broadened to a European level with the presence of European Parliamentarian, Silvia Costa, the director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, Stefano Dominioni, and the participation of some representatives of European routes such as the St. Olav Way, the Camino de Santiago, the via Romea Germanica and via Romea Strata.

Space was also given to culture with the presentation of the finalists of the second edition of the literary Prize “Intanto Parto” and the announcement of the Sigeric Award 2019. The forum also featured music by Jack Jaselli. The Milanese singer-songwriter, presented the project on the way “Torno a casa” that from April will see him on a walking tour along the Via Francigena. Closing the meeting was Sandro Polci with the awards of the European Festival Vie Francigene, Cammini, Ways, Chemins 2018.

The Forum was organised by the Municipality of Monteriggioni, in collaboration with the European Association of Via Francigena Ways (EAVF) and with the support of the region of Tuscany. All the speeches of the “Comuni in Cammino” Forum are available in podcasts on the Radio Francigena website, www.radiofrancigena.com.