“Few doubts: when Italy wants to express the best of itself, it chooses craftsmanship. The excellent Apulian productions enchanted the Heads of State and the international delegations during the days of the G7: as Confartigianato we are proud to represent the entrepreneurs who, once again, with their work, have given prestige to our land and to our country.” As Francesco Sgherza, president of Confartigianato Imprese Pugliaat the end of the event held in Borgo Egnazia, underlines the role played by local productions over the course of these three days.
From lights to furnishing accessories, from woodworking to agri-food products, from ceramics to jewellery, the Apulian G7 was truly an extraordinary showcase for the artisan production of Puglia. There is no photograph or film of these days in which identifying products of our territory do not appear, objects and accessories created by the mastery of the best local artisans and entrepreneurs who have also been selected as precious gifts to pay homage to the illustrious guests.
Just to name a few: the knobs and horses personalized with the names of the Heads of State that adorned the summit rooms and convivial events, for example, are the work of the Grottagliese Franco Fasano (CNF Ceramiche Nicola Fasano), heir to a dynasty of ceramists that dates back to 1623. During a visit to Grottaglie, the delegations were able to witness the demonstrations of the masters and the evolution of the craft from the ancient wood-fired kiln to the most modern manufacturing techniques. For maestro Fasano: “we were proud to be able to show that, despite the effects of globalization having enormously increased the import of copies, especially from China, a centuries-old and original production tradition is still alive in our territory, a hotbed of skills and intensive creativity which is our duty preserve and nourish”.
Instead, it is called “regenerative harmony”, the olive wood sculpture donated by our country to the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, created by the artisans of Puglia woodan entrepreneurial reality that has made eco-sustainability and the recovery of wood the fulcrum of its production. Semmy Marzilianoowner of the business and president of the “Wood” category in Confartigianato Puglia, explains: “LThe sculpture describes the process of continuous rebirth that unites the low with the high in a motion of harmonic revolution. It is a reference to the collaboration described by the intertwining of the “rings”, on a base of transparent blue glass to recall a calm and prolific Mediterranean. The olive tree, symbol of Peace, is a tree that resists in extreme conditions, has a hard, beautiful, fragrant wood that never rots, and has its roots in a fertile land: the best wish for a tenacious Peace with anchored roots in justice.”
The lights that enlivened the outdoor dinners, however, were created by Paulicelli Srl Benefit Company, born in 1920 and now famous throughout the world for having curated installations such as those that framed some Dolce&Gabbana high fashion events or for having adorned, in 2006, the entrance to the Great Wall of China. For Domenico Paulicelliregional president of the “Luminaristi” category of Confartigianato Puglia: “The thing that struck us most was seeing the eyes of the G7 Heads of State shine. The illuminations, pure craftsmanship and culture of Southern Italy, confirm once again their ability to amaze and enchant. For us it was a great emotion to represent our land through our lights and our colours”.
For President Sgherza: “As also recognized by President Meloni, we Apulians have once again proven ourselves capable of the task assigned to us: to best represent not only our land but the whole of Italy. Of course, there has been no shortage of difficulties and inconveniences, such as in the management of roads and transport, but with a sense of responsibility and by constantly collaborating with the institutions, I believe we have managed to fully express the values of our land, our drive towards hospitality and our desire to show the whole world what we are capable of. In these days we have had the demonstration of how much strength lies in our businesses and how much potential there is in the know-how of entrepreneurs who spend themselves without reserve every day. The hope is, therefore – concludes Sgherza – that craftsmanship is increasingly central to the agenda of the country and the region: we will continue to work so that its extraordinary potential can be fully realized”.
