65 Sicilian schools will study the dialect. The “Not just mizzica” project begins

In Sicily the dialect will be studied at school, thanks to funding of over 400 thousand euros for the project “Not only Mizzica – Sicilian, the language of a people” and whose funds have already been assigned through a definitive ranking approved by the regional department of Education.

In practice, as lasicilia.it publishes, it would be a loan granted to 65 schools whose type A curricular and extracurricular proposals, which concerns schools of all levels, did not exceed five thousand euros.

Two other type B projects, which involve partnerships between high schools and in particular with a dance-music high school in the role of lead institute and with a maximum financeable cost of 60 thousand euros each.

The committed funds reach approximately 325 thousand euros for type A interventions, and just under 80 thousand euros for type B, for a total amount of approximately 404 thousand euros.

The fact that the decree approving the ranking provides for the immediate payment of 80 percent of the total expense appears important, while the remaining 20 percent will be paid upon reporting by the beneficiary schools.

The funded activities will concern, among other things, studies and research on local dialects (also in collaboration with universities, research centers, cultural associations and experts), to the discovery of proverbs, poems, sayings, songs, dirges, nursery rhymes, “cunti ”, according to the different expressive codes (phonic/auditory, visual/gestural).

Meetings and study days are also planned, also organized in aggregate form between several schools, for the analysis of cultural events typical of the Sicilian popular tradition (markets, typical shows, customs, traditions, religious rites); laboratories for the diffusion of the Sicilian language; meetings with storytellers, puppeteers and other artists; intergenerational exchange through meetings between young and old; artistic shows and works; creation of bibliographic sources and documentary archives, including audio ones; networking of archives and sources.

As part of the type B intervention, workshops will be promoted aimed at the creation of compositions, interpretations and artistic representations; events with Sicilian artists and personalities from the world of culture and entertainment.

The final destination will be a public event involving personalities and artists as testimonials.

The activities can also take place outside of school/academic periods and hours.

The full text of the decree and the definitive rankings are available on the institutional website of the Sicilian Region at this link.