“Special Encounters in 40 Years of Bel Paese” is the title of an initiative that our collaborator Emilio Buttaro is presenting in Italy and abroad. After the first event at the Mino Reitano Museum in Calabria, the next one on the French Riviera at the Masséna High School in Nice and the recent event at the Italian Cultural Institute in Athens, now it is Pisa’s turn. On Saturday 6 July the meeting will take place at the Istituto Linguistico Mediterraneo, the appreciated Italian language school for foreigners founded in 1981.
“With humility and enthusiasm I will tell in one of the most famous cities in the world my special encounters with the giants of entertainment and sports in 4 decades of activity, against the backdrop of an Italy that has changed a lot in the meantime” explained Emilio.
The initiative promoted by the Mediterranean Linguistic Institute will be moderated by the director of the same school, Professor Rossana Filippeschi, and will begin at 4:00 pm.
Through anecdotes and behind the scenes, journalist Emilio Buttaro will tell of his countless encounters that he defined as wonderful traveling companions. From Mike Bongiorno to Amadeus, from Gino Bramieri to Adriano Celentano and again from Claudia Cardinale to Belen Rodriguez, from Raffaella Carrà to Loretta Goggi passing through sports icons such as Gianni Rivera, Gigi Riva, Felice Gimondi, Paolo Rossi, Gigi Buffon, Francesco Totti up to the immortals Pelè and Maradona. Without forgetting Italian symbols in the world such as Al Bano, Roberto Benigni, Luciano Pavarotti, Umberto Tozzi, Lucio Dalla, Andrea Bocelli, Gianni Morandi and Toto Cutugno.
The backdrop is Italy, which has changed over the years, just as the way of doing journalism has changed, but above all there is the personal story, there is the behind the scenes of the interviews, the emotions that the journalist has felt during many special meetings and then the enthusiasm that has always remained intact over time.
The July 6 meeting will also be attended by students from the Ponte Program, an initiative that has been held in Italy for 25 years and is aimed at high school and university students from Italian-American families. The Program is promoted in the United States by the AIAE (Association of Italian American Educators) and in Italy by the Istituto Linguistico Mediterraneo in Pisa.
The President of the AIAE is Josephine Maietta Buscaglia, a tireless promoter of Italian tradition and culture in the United States and around the world, and also host of the highly popular radio program “Sabato Italiano” broadcast on Radio Hofstra University in New York.
The Mediterranean Language Institute of Pisa is a partner in organizing the students’ stay during which the young people themselves can learn about Italian culture both during lessons and in numerous extracurricular activities, such as trips, visits to museums and meetings. “For the students of the Bridge Program and not only – explained the director Rossana Filippeschi – the initiative with the journalist Emilio Buttaro will be a precious opportunity to better know some of the celebrities and sports figures who have left their mark on the recent history of the Bel Paese”.
