Women, and more successful women. Who come together to organize great cultural events. It is the case of the International Association of Friends of Unical, the Calabrian university campus of Arcavacata. Their names are those of Patrizia PiroVice Rector of the University, Silvia MazzucaPresident of the International Association, Vice President Monica Lanzillottait’s the same Debora Colamino author of this essay on university excellence.
Debora Calomino she is a journalist who deals with tourism and territorial marketing. She graduated from the University of Calabria in Tourism Sciences and Enhancement of Cultural Tourist Systems, where she is currently enrolled in the third year of the PhD in “Politics, Culture and Development”. He won the Terre di Calabria International Journalism Award in 2018, the Hombres Itinerante Award in the “Journalism” section in 2020, and the International Literary Award “A friendly book for the winter”, for the essay category, with “Tourist Visions” in 2023.
-Debora, you have already written a lot about tourism and above all about roots tourism in the past. Today she comes out with this new job of hers…
“The book was born from the idea of describing a beautiful and proactive Calabria, made up not only of young people who escape from their land, but also and above all of people who want to make it flourish, with often innovative ideas. These are 28 stories that range across different sectors: lots of tourism, but also catering, agriculture, culture, events, music, storytelling on social media, crafts and more. Each of them recounted the path that led them to choose to stay in Calabria (or return), also dispensing some advice for anyone wishing to follow their example. I also tell you that the interviews contained in this volume were published from 2021 to 2023 in the Calabria Live News newspaper. Rereading those pages over time, I thought it would be nice to leave a tangible testimony of this path: the stories of these young Calabrians must be an example for future generations, they must be known, disseminated, read and reread again, so that they can give a new image of realized dreams that smell of satisfaction.”.
What drove you to carry out research of this kind?
“You see, there are many stories of those who leave Calabria to seek fortune and fulfillment elsewhere, but there are those who go against the trend and stubbornly decide to believe in a better future for this land, investing resources and energy in projects that have the aim of help the territory grow and give Calabria new life and opportunities. Staying often means working twice as hard, but the satisfactions you get have a different flavor. In Luminous stories of a flourishing Calabria, a collection of life experiences of young Calabrians who with courage and foresight have given another opportunity to their native land, restoring the image of a virtuous and courageous Calabria, which looks to the future with confidence and determination”.
-There are some stories that seem like modern fairy tales, is it all true?
“I’ll just tell you this, mine is a motivational book in some respects, because they are true stories of those who have made it, of those who wake up every day and know that there is so much to do to make this land flourish again. Hence the title “Bright Stories of a Blooming Calabria” and the hand-made drawing on the cover, an anemone emerging from fertile land. More than half of the young people present in the book have obtained a degree from the University of Calabria, a tangible sign of the importance of the university for the growth of the territory”.
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-What is the strongest emotion that remains within you today after writing it?
“The beauty is that each of the protagonists of this book has chosen to pursue a dream and through ups and downs, difficulties and goals achieved, and has focused on an area that represents his passion, in a land that according to the usual narrative does not offer opportunity. They are the clear example that if we truly believe in our potential, we can achieve important goals, if we sow a seed of hope in an apparently barren land, the fruits we reap will be very sweet. This is why I will never stop saying thank you to all those who believed in me, telling me their bright stories, trusting in my idea of a positive narrative of Calabria”.
This is the list of young people who only graduated from the University of Calabria and who are described in the essay by Debora Calomino. I am Flavia MediciDegree in Tourism Sciences obtained in 2006; Danilo VertaDegree in Political Science obtained in 2014; Alessandra ScangaDegree in History of Art obtained in 2012; Noemi GuzzoDegree in Theory of Public Communication obtained in 2016; Wlady NigroDegree in Tourism Sciences obtained in 2018; Antonio Biafora, Degree in Tourist Sciences obtained in 2008; Luigi Orsino, Degree in History and Conservation of Cultural Heritage achieved in 2010; Fabrizio Giuliano, Degree in Business Economics obtained in 2004; Mara Alessio, Degree in Enhancement of Cultural Tourist Systems obtained in 2019; Lorena NicolettiDegree in Enhancement of Cultural Tourist Systems obtained in 2009; Marco CarrozzinoDegree in Tourism Sciences obtained in 2019; Domenico BoiDegree in Business Economics obtained in 2006;Noemi Spinetti, Degree in Communication Sciences and Dams obtained in 2019; Raffaele Costabile, Bachelor’s degree in law.
Instead, these are the young managers who today lead the businesses and companies that they built with their own hands, practically at home in Calabria. I am Alessandra Porto, I’LL TAKE YOU TO CALABRIA; Miriam Pugliese, SILK NEST; Maria Praino – Sara Praino– Giusy Praino, MAGISA; Agnese Ferraro: LET’S GET MARRIED IN CALABRIA; Carmine Sangineto, Ancia Academy; Ursula Basta, Meridiani Threads & EMIRA DIGITAL; Francesco Pascale, KAIROS ; Alessandro Fedele, ALARIC OIL; Mary Teresa Boccuti, CASBAH PIZZERIA ROUTE; Francesca ConocchiellaKALA’ COUTURE; Giacomo Marinaro, RUBLANUM – GULIA URBANA ;Denisia Congi, San Bernardo Receptions; Vincenza Runco, Cuti Bakery.
The book launch ceremony will be opened by Lifetime Achievement Award that the Pro Rector Patrizia Piro and the President of the Friends of Unical Association Silvia Mazzuca, they will deliver to the journalist Franco Bartucci “for having told in his capacity as spokesperson and Head of the University Press Office the history of the University from its origins, following first hand the academic stories of at least four different rectors, the first of whom Beniamino Andreatta who as soon as he arrived in Cosenza chose him as the first communicator on Campus”. This is a celebration on Monday for Franco Bartucci which coincides with his first 80 years, which were extraordinarily well born.”
