The San Savino Linking Festival: celebrating inclusion and diversity in Jesi

Multiculturalism is a fundamental asset for a community’s cultural growth: when people are exposed to different ways of life, they become more aware of themselves and of others; they gain the ability to see humanity in everyone, regardless of superficial differences like race or accent. A community with no cultural exchange is a stagnant community.

If you agree with this idea, you can’t miss the forth edition of San Savino Linking Festival, Saturday 29 September in Piazzale San Savino, Jesi.

Piazzale San Savino finds itself in the heart of San Giuseppe district, the area in Jesi populated by highest number of immigrants. Victoria International House, the renowned language centre, stands proudly in front of Piazzale San Savino, and its murals has become one of the symbols of the district.

«When I moved my school from the glamourous Viale della Vittoria to San Giuseppe, people said I was crazy», remembers Giuseppe Romagnoli, director and founder of Victoria IH, «they said it wasn’t exactly popular and things would never change. Then, one night years later, as I was walking past the school, contemplating the idea of closing it for good, I saw some weed growing at the feet of its wall. I walked back and pulled it out. At that moment I understood things don’t change if people don’t make them change, and I realized that being in a melting pot of cultures and races can be an opportunity».

That’s why, some years later, associazione Culturale Victoria (ACV) saw the light. This cultural association, whose main sponsor is Victoria IH, has the objective of promoting cultural awareness and multiculturalism in the Marche region. Today, on the very wall of the infamous weed, there is a murals depicting people from different countries walking together, as if to a bright future. This murales was one of ACV’ first accomplishments and was realized with the students of Liceo Artistico “Mannucci”. If you happen to be in San Savino, don’t forget to put your hand on the hand sculpture right in its green area. This is also another project of ACV: the hand has five colourful fingers, representing the continents, and spins slowly with the wind to greet all passers-by. At the bottom of it, there is the mold clay of Maria Pia Boria, Jesi’s oldest citizen.

If you happen to be in San Savino, don’t forget to put your hand on the hand sculpture right in the centre of its green area. This is also another project of ACV: the hand has five colourful fingers, representing the continents, and spins slowly with the wind to greet all passers-by. At the bottom of it, there is the mold clay of Maria Pia Boria, Jesi’s oldest citizen.

One of the most popular initiatives of the Association is undoubtedly the San Savino Linking Festival. On Saturday 29 September, we will celebrate the joy of being human in a whirlwind on diverse activities and creative labs: dance with the Italian school “Cinzia Scuppa” and the Cuban Association “Para un Principe Enano”, bodyflight show with Libelle Circus, drawing with various artists, chess, bodypaint, and music from all over the world. At 21:00, don’t miss the T-Rap festival: a contest for rap, hip-hop and trap emergent artists with the Italo-Congolian rapper Mudimbi as special guest.

The festival of San Savino involves numerous institutions; among which there are the public school Federico II and the “liceo artistico Mannucci”, the department of culture of Jesi, Astral Music, Aurora Basket, the bookshop Sabot, the Maroccan association, and, of course, Victoria International House. The entrance is free for everyone and the festival starts at 3 pm till late night.

In case of rain, most activities will be moved to “circolo L’Incontro”, beside the gym Carbonari.

In conclusion, the atmosphere of SSLF is quite difficult to explain to those who have never been there: we can assure this festival is worth a visit!