Modena: Neighbors celebrating, over 30 initiatives planned

Modena: Neighbors celebrating, over 30 initiatives planned.

“A great participation, a sign of the desire to be together and socialise, to strengthen good neighborly ties and therefore, ultimately, to create a community”. This was stated by the councilor for social policies Roberta Pinelli, commenting on the many registrations that continued to arrive even in the last days for the 2023 edition of “Let's stay close”, the Neighbors' Day promoted by the Municipality of Modena scheduled for Saturday 10 June.

Neighbors, residents of the same street or area, associations, youth aggregation centers, elderly spaces and territorial hubs are preparing for the 2023 edition of the Neighbors Festival, which is organized by the social cooperative Mediando as part of the Centre's activities for Families, which also distributed t-shirts, balls, shopping bags, flags and balloons through the Punto d'Accord.

“The Festival of Neighbors – continues councilor Pinelli who on Saturday morning will participate in the initiatives scheduled at the Center for Families in via del Gambero and at the Puass in via Giardini – is an important moment to affirm the value of relationships between people as element of social cohesion and well-being; it also enhances the activation of the individual citizen for the community".

In fact, there are many opportunities for meeting, such as aperitifs and snacks, dinners in the courtyard and in green spaces promoted by groups of neighbours; to which are added events with entertainment for adults and children, games, workshops and readings organized by associations and social-health services. Overall there will be over 30 festive initiatives that will take place in the city and in the surrounding areas to spend a moment of joy together and get to know each other.

On Saturday afternoon many private citizens will celebrate, like the residents of Puerto Rico and Como streets. From 17pm the residents of Via Cattaneo, Brunetto Latini, Baroni and Mar Caspio will often meet for an aperitif and from 19pm the residents of Via Meloni, Bentivoglio, Cividale and Piazzale Redecocca will also come down to the courtyard. Other initiatives are planned in via Giolitti, Santa Caterina Manzini and Codroipo, as in the hamlets: in Cognento the residents of via dei Traeri meet for an aperitif and in Paganine the residents of via Siracusa party in the public park from 16pm to 18pm.

Initiatives will also take place in the city in the green area of ​​via Anderlini thanks to the Il Ponte Center (from 17pm) and in the garden of the Gambero nursery with the Center for families, the Cresciamo Foundation and the volunteers of Nati per legge (from 10am workshops and games at 12), while in Piazza Liberazione there is a party with the Caleidos cooperative. The Puass Single Point of socio-health access organizes a multicultural aperitif at the Casa della Salute in via Montalcini from 9 to 11 and at Direzionale 70, staircase L, from 11 to 13.

In the morning we also celebrate in the Case Residenza Anziani Vignolese (from 10 to 11.30) and from 15.30 also at the Cra Ramazzini. From 15pm to 17pm also at the Spazio Anziani in via Pergolesi 276 where, at 15pm, the red bench donated by a volunteer and painted by the guests to say no to violence against women, dedicated to to Ghizlan, a family assistant known in the Musicians area, the young mother of two children killed by her husband in 2019.

This year the social centers of the territorial service are also organizing "Staci Vicini" with games and a convivial snack in the afternoon: in Ganaceto in the park in via Cambi for Polo 1, in Albareto in via del Frassino for Polo 2 and in the Estense sector of via Nilde Iotti for Polo 3.

And, after the day of celebration, all citizens who have joined "Staci Vicini 2023" are invited to send photos of the initiatives carried out: the most significant images will be published on social media and will compose the portrait of the 2023 Neighbors' Day.

The Neighbors Day was born on a European level to affirm the values ​​of good neighborliness and mutual help; Modena has been celebrating since 2008, when the municipal administration joined the network of European cities participating in the initiative on the occasion of the European Neighbors Day. Only in 2020, due to the pandemic, the event could not take place, but already in 2021 the organizers created "Guardiamoci Vicini", an edition respectful of distancing and anti-Covid-19 regulations, while in 2022 Statici Vicini returned in presence.