The Calabrian town of Riace, famous for the recovery of two magnificent ancient bronze statues from the sea bed, highlights the themes of migration, integration, environmental preservation and local culture in its annual Riaceln Festival (26-30 June 2013), now in its fourth edition.

One of the most innovative Italian events, the Festival features cinema (including a competition of short films), theatre and music as well as meetings and conferences centred on the problems of peaceful integration of immigrants and minority groups in local Italian territory. For the last few years, Riace and its neighbour Caulonia have launched an ambitious and far-sighted programme aimed at presenting the positive face of Calabria, in contrast to the negative picture sadly frequently presented. The towns have set up special welcoming centres and integration programmes for immigrants, publicly praised by film director Wim Wenders at the X summit for Nobel prize winners to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. In addition, the two towns have concentrated their efforts on environmental preservation and have installed an efficient system of selective rubbish collection, using donkeys.

The 28 June is dedicated to a meeting with other support organizations, including the Caffè˝ Sospeso Network (so called because of the custom of leaving money in a bar to pay for a coffee for someone who cannot afford it), of which Riace is part.  

On the 29 June, there will be a special event dedicated to trees, with the inauguration of the park entitled Parco Urbano Sara. During the ceremony, two pomegranate trees will be planted by representatives of various ethnic groups in the area. One, the Tree of Memory (Albero della Memoria), will be dedicated to the victims of the criminal organization 'Ndrangheta, and the other, the Tree of Hope (Albero della Speranza) to the refugees lost at sea. The town intends to plant a new tree for every new Riace citizen.

Riace has put forward its candidature to receive one of the three kaki fruit trees from Nagasaki in the Kaki Three Project for peace.

Info: www.comune.riace.rc.it   www.retecaffesospeso.com