This year the third edition of the “Regional Festival of CAI Sicily” took place over the days of 20 and 21 April 2024in the area of Montalbano Elicona – Tripi (ME), with a success of participants exceeding expectations, more than 500 members who took part, coming from all over the Sicilian territory.
This party which is becoming increasingly consolidated, has a dual purposethe first, to make the CAI reality known, in environments where we are not present, the second, to create
moments of aggregation and conviviality among its members, through a series of activities specific to the association such as trekking, canyoning, cycle hiking and
Youth Mountaineering which allowed us to visit enchanting places, rich in landscape and environmental peculiarities.
During the gathering, in coherence with the founding mission of the CAI “Walking to Know, Knowing to Protect” A conference was also held as an opportunity to disseminate the issues covered in the 101st Congress in Rome “The mountains in the era of climate change”, with particular emphasis on the many emergencies affecting our region.
The two days were organized as follows: Saturday 20th, the morning took place with the following activities:
Trekking activities
1) “The Patriarchs of the forest – Malabotta Forest” (Montalbano)
2) “Malabotta Forest – Licopedi Torrent”
3) “Argimusco”
Cycle touring activities
1) “Angara Palazzolo Waterfall, Argimusco Megaliths and Malabotta Forest”
Canyoning activities
1) Forra Palazzolo Angara”
At the end of the activities with a packed lunch, all the participants moved to the hall of the Montalbano Elicona Castle, made available by the mayor, to attend the conference promoted by the CSR (Regional Scientific Committee) and the CRTAM (Regional Environmental Protection Committee Montano) whose theme was: “Dealing with Climate Change – Analysis, Impacts, Solutions and the role of the CAI”.
Immediately after the institutional greetings of the President GR Sicilia Francesco Lo Cascio and of the two mayors of the Municipality of Montalbano Elicona Dr. Antonino Todaro, of the Municipality of Tripi Dr. Michele Lemmo and all the members of the GR Sicilia, there was an exchange of plaques to seal the regional event.
Below are the various speakers with their topics:
– Climate changes in geological eras – Dr. Rosalda Punturo
– Impact of climate change on flora and fauna – Dr. Elisa
Musumeci
– Fires and rains in Sicily: statistical analysis and extreme phenomena in the latest
thirty years – Dr. Giuseppe Traina
– Refuges sentinel of the Climate and the Environment – Dr. Valentina Oliveri
– Role of the CAI in the era of climate change – Dr. Carmelo Bucolo.
Immediately after a musical moment, through the performance of the CAI choir of Acireale with some songs related to the mountains and finally a buffet kindly offered by the
mayor of Montalbano Elicona.
The activities that took place on Sunday 21st were:
1) “I Palmenti Rupestri” trekking activity
2) “Abakainon” trekking activity (participants visited 2 important sites
archaeological).
3) Cycle hiking activity “From Abakainon to Sperlinga”.
4) “Torrente Tallarita” river trekking activity.
For the management of the various outings, special thanks go to the OTTO Interregional Sicily-Calabria, Natale Giamboi (Ae), Nuccio Zanghi (ASE), Antonio
Ammendolia, Nino Privitera (ASC), Mario Laudani (Ae), Lillo Crisafulli (IST), Angelo La Rosa (Ae), Enrico Fisichella (ASC) and the two guides to the archaeological sites
Dr. Maura Arizia and Dr. Letteria Giordano.
At the end of the activities, all the members met in the main square of Tripi for a convivial lunch organized in collaboration with the Abakainon Food Club.
A warm and dutiful thanks also goes to all those who contributed to the creation and success of the CAI Sicilia Festival, a well-known event organized by the Regional Steering Committee, which for this edition saw the active collaboration of the Messina members, starting with the President Angelo La Rosa and the Past President Nuccio Zanghì, as well as the Mayors and Councilors of the Municipalities of Montalbano and Tripi, the Carabinieri, Traffic Police, the Civil Protection Associations and the Volunteer Association of the Archeo Club of Tripi, who have ensured in every the necessary logistical and security support was provided at the moment, with a warm welcome in which there was no lack of musical moments, thanks to two boys with accordion and tambourine who welcomed us to Tripi and kept us company during the convivial lunch in the square. Last but not least, a heartfelt thank you to Peppe Abramo and his son who dedicated 2 days to cleaning the paths of the Rock Palmenti to facilitate the path for the participants, as well as to Nino Gatto for marking the path that leads to the sites archaeologists of “Abakainon”.
