December 13. National day of Italian Network of Folk Culture

Simultaneous events throughout Italy

On December 13 has been proclaimed the National Day of the Italian Network of Folk Culture. A day of celebration and parties, to remember and to enhance the role of traditions and knowledge that are handed down, often only orally, from generation to generation. Folk culture is an ephemere heritage, likely to get lost: that’s why it has to be safeguarded.

The initiative, of which the leader is the Italian Network of Folk Culture, takes place by means of multiple, simultaneous events throughout Italy. It wants to be a demonstration of how folk culture is rooted to the singular territories, with their customs and traditions which vary from area to area. But it wants to emphasize, at the same time, that there is a vitality involving the whole national territory, a totality represented by the pop knowledge .

The feast day is December 13 because of Saint Lucia, who was elected as patron of folk culture and that is celebrated on this same day. The martyr who, according to the tradition, has the gift of sight even without eyes is a light that shines on our traditions. The torches lighted in honor of Saint Lucia, in the past as now, become the lights fired up by and for the folk culture, symbolically and simultaneously, throughout Italy.

Associations, schools, museums, local authorities, libraries, artists and citizens (all those who belong to the network culture, not only virtual, which constitutes also an economic engine for the local communities) will be activated on their own territory. Each event will ideally join the myriad of expressions organized and distributed over the entire Italian Peninsula on December 13. This manifestation wants to give a loud message for the protection and enhancement of some critical components of our cultural heritage: folk culture and the intangibles goods.

Many initiatives are already previewed, other ones are been added these days. The Network has called to participate all those who want to present their proposals, which will be collected and promoted on the portal www.reteitalianaculturapopolare.org

The Network is now a reality in almost all Italian regions, aiming to identify, create and develop actions to convey that knowledge that is often transmitted only orally and that every day runs the risk of disappearing forever.

All the actions that the Network promotes have the statutory aim of facilitate the "passing of the baton", creating the conditions for the younger generation to come into relationship with pop knowledge and the Masters of a culture often forgot by the conventional circuits.

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