IN EVIDENZA OLTRE I CONFINI The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy

San Marino in “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy”

by Osvaldo Bevilacqua 22 February 2024

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San Marino is the first foreign state in the history of “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy” to join the prestigious circuit as an International Guest Village.

San Marino, where Romagnol is spoken, is the oldest Republic in the world, one of the smallest, and already recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Its welcoming and lively historic center has earned the right to display the Flag of the Villages alongside the white and blue flag of San Marino. The event, celebrated in the Council Chamber on the upper floor of the historic Public Palace, had the privilege of being attended by the Captains Regent, Filippo Tamagnini and Gaetano Troini, who granted an audience in the presence of civil, military, and religious authorities, Captains of the Castles, the Commander of the Gendarmerie Corps, and the Director of the National Central INTERPOL Office, Maurizio Faraone, along with a delegation of Mayors from some Villages already holding the recognition.

The President of “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy,” Fiorello Primi, with the “Capitano di Castello” of San Marino, Tomaso Rossini.

In front of the Heads of State, who are two and remain in office for only six months, the official delivery of the parchment and flag from the President of the Association “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy,” Fiorello Primi, to the “Capitano di Castello” of San Marino, Tomaso Rossini.

Very significant and touching speeches were delivered by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Luca Beccàri, and the Secretary of State for Tourism, Federico Pedini, revealing all the love and dedication for their own country, treasured like a chest full of natural and artistic beauties and precious human values.

A day full of celebrations and enthusiastic tourists for the exhibition of flag throwers, musicians, drummers, trumpeters, and performers in refined and colorful medieval costumes of the Sammarinese Crossbow Federation, which, since 1956, have been reenacting historical events linked to the Republic. The historical procession began in the fourteenth-century Freedom Square with the iconic statue in Carrara marble, created in the second half of the 19th century, depicting a female warrior symbolizing freedom, with a crown of three towers, emblem of the fortified city, present on the national coat of arms.

We can say it was a grand finale, in the Titano Theater, a charming gem in the heart of the historic center, with the extraordinary and engaging Youth Orchestra Fontane di Roma, composed of around forty highly acclaimed musicians, all between 18 and 25 years old, masterfully conducted by the twenty-four-year-old Maestro Luciano Siani, who brought a delightful freshness.

A virtuous example of young people engaged in experimenting with new communication strategies to bring the charm of music to the latest generations and all those who have not yet had the opportunity to discover it.

The orchestra, which has a total of 60 members, continues its exciting artistic journey with triumphant tours nationally and internationally (these days they are participating in the Sikka Art and Design Festival in Dubai).

Visionaries Maurizio Tevere, President of the Cultural Association 7 Colonne, and Paola Porrovecchio, CEO of Events 3.0, who had the intuition to support them from the very beginning.

In San Marino, we also had the fortune and pleasure of meeting our friend Christian De Sica (follows video-interview), accompanied by his wife Silvia Verdone (my admirable co-host in an edition of Sereno Variabile), awarded the Equestrian Order of Sant’Agata as a Commander by the Secretary of State for Education and Culture Andrea Belluzzi for his commitment to the development of the Sammarinese film and audiovisual sector.

On this occasion, the film “I limoni d’inverno,” in which he stars, focused on neurodegenerative diseases, was screened, for which the authors collaborated with Dr. Susanna Guttmann, head of the Neurology Department of the San Marino Hospital.

Osvaldo with Silvia Verdone, Christian De Sica’s wife and Carlo Verdone’s sister

In 1946, his father, Vittorio De Sica, and Anna Magnani, two giants of Italian Cinema in the world, starred in the film “Lo sconosciuto di San Marino,” the story of a young Nazi’s repentance, where the Convent of the Capuchin Friars, Mount Titano, and the hills of Montefeltro appear. It is worth remembering that the Republic of San Marino stood out for offering refuge to a hundred thousand refugees during the Second World War.

Another special encounter was with the talented Maurizio Ferrini, alias the very amusing Signora Coriandoli, just back from a trip to the East, as he himself tells us in the following video interview, with whom I had the pleasure of sharing several special episodes of my television programs.

I am grateful for the presence of my sons Giorgio and Gabriele and my wife Sandra, and for the non-virtual presence for once of a qualified representation of the Team of our web platform Kronostories: Livia Cirone, Carmine De Ieso, Maria Letizia Andreassi with the coordination of Samuele Guiducci.

Special thanks to Antonio Cadei, digital manager of “The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.”