Saturday 30 May we published video number 50 on Youtube in our series dedicated to the #IlFuturoNelleNostreRadici contest. In recent months, interest has grown exponentially and today it has become an international contest with 70 stories, 55 countries and 13 regions actively involved.
In this process we have collaborated with universities, regional development agencies and tour operators.
Why did we start?
We wanted to cheer the spirit of people, of small entrepreneurs in the period of the coronavirus emergency, starting with the promotion of our territories with the stories of those who live or have lived them.
But let's look back at how we got there.
It all started with a strategic reflection and we followed an intuition: we will have been inside our homes for a long time and we will have felt the need to have emotional anchors in order not to go crazy.
What is better than one's own roots to find serenity?
At this point we asked to write a first-person story about a country. We started with friends and everything changed after the thanks from Marzia who sent her story on the recipe of the Teramo Virtues and told us: 'Thanks for letting me spend a nice afternoon thinking about beautiful things'.
So we started thinking about spreading positivity and another story arrived that changed the course of our journey once again. Simone told of his childhood in Vinchiaturo and the post had the effect of bringing together a community. It was read in Italian but also in English by the whole Vinchiaturo diaspora who over the years had emigrated in search of fortune leave the country.
At this point we started to get serious and structured the contest in its full version: a recognition to the author and an award to the country that inspired the story.
The towns that have 'inspired' stories to date are: Aci Sant'Antonio, Agrigento, Catania, Cinisi, Menfi, Mussomeli, Noto, Pantelleria, Porto Empedocle, Sciacca, Scordia and Zafferana Etnea (Sicily), Grotteria and Vibo Valentia (Calabria ), Castel di Ieri, Civitella Alfedena, Ortona dei Marsi, Sante Marie and Teramo (Abruzzo), Cartoceto, Gradara and Montecarotto (Marche), Danta di Candore, Padua and Pove del Grappa (Veneto), Albano Laziale, Anagni, Arce, Canepina, Ceccano, Colleferro, Isola Liri, Magliano Sabina, Manziana, Paliano, Ponza, Torre Cajetani, Terracina, Segni, Sermoneta and Rocca Priora (Lazio), Sepino and Vinchiaturo (Molise), Pienza, Pitigliano, Livorno and Sorano (Tuscany) , Bergamo (Lombardy), Castellammare di Stabia, Morcone, Naples and Sassinoro (Campania), Genoa (Liguria), Polignano a Mare (Apulia), Matera (Basilicata).
And the thing that fills us with joy is that the project has also attracted international attention.
Stories from Italians abroad and emigrants who shared with us in their language their memories of Italy in their hearts arrived within the campaign.
We are all one big family.
The winners will be divided into 4 Categories and a Photography prize.
The final set-up was born after realizing that the most loved article by readers was the ironic / funny one that Nicoletta had written to us about the town of Segni. So we have defined 4 categories:
1) FUNNY STORY
2) FOOD STORY (also recipe) OR WINE LINKED TO A PLACE
3) TRADITIONS
4) MEMORIES
How to participate?
Free your mind and think positive. Then write a first-person story that is also about a country. The story must be no more than two pages long and send it with your name, email and photos to
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