Bari, the 19th edition of the people's festival is underway: shows, concerts, food and wine and traditions

Returns to Bari from 23rd to 26th May the People's Day, the Intercultural Festival which, now in its 19th edition, promotes the meeting between peoples and cultures through events, shows, concerts and sharing of food and wine and popular traditions. Four days of real celebration, with free events, music, shows, dances, crafts and numerous activities designed for the little ones.

"Men and women in search of peace" and the theme chosen for this edition of the event, which will be held in Princigalli Garden of Bari (Mungivacca district, near the Showville multiplex) and is created by the Abusuan Intercultural Centre, the Combonian Missionaries and Cgil, with the collaboration of the Municipality of Bari, the Puglia Region and an important network of associations, foreign communities and schools. The event is in fact the result of a great deal of work of network and relationships woven with the many local associations that commit themselves every year, all together, to create and strengthen bonds and roots, to make the city of Bari an increasingly intercultural community.

Among new this year a African music masterclasses, for a maximum of 20 participants starting from 11 years old by the French-Cameroonian singer Valérie Èkoumè, which will teach the importance of rhythmic reading and writing together with vocal and percussion technique; in secondly, the establishment of an award in memory of Giacomo Princigalli, promoter of intercultural dialogue and protagonist of local and national political life, after whom the Garden in which the Festival takes place is named.

The award, established by the association of the same name James Princigalli and on an annual basis, will support intercultural musical and/or associative projects in which music and the arts offer themselves as opportunities for meeting and dialogue between people, peoples and cultures that overlook the Mediterranean Sea. And again, the increasingly environmentalist and eco-sustainable direction of the event, thanks also to the collaboration with the volunteers of Legambiente Bari, of the association of Plastic Free volunteering and the Seconda Chance association, a bridge between prisons and companies to create opportunities for reintegration, which, in the days preceding the start of the event, carried out a clean-up operation of the Garden and which, for the entire duration of the event, will support the public present in the correct disposal of waste into the containers designated for separate waste collection.

Also among the participating realities Bistro Ethnic Cook, project it promotes integration between migrants and the host community, as well as trademark registered as a social enterprise by the Origens association. In fact, Ethnic Cook offers free training for introduction into the professional world catering and baking, as well as numerous professional internships for refugee women. During the People's Day 2024 the contacts of Ethnic Cook will be present with their own stand in which they will create a biscuit decorating workshop with the little ones.

Program

We start on Thursday 23 May with an afternoon full of events: lopening of the 17.30th edition of the Festa dei Popoli, at XNUMX pm, will be dedicated to concert which represents the return of a laboratory that the Palestinian composer and musician Ramzi Aburedwan, accompanied by his musical ensemble Dal'Ouna and dai musicians from Bari Fabrizio Piepoli, Nabil Bey (Radio Dervish) e Anna Rita Di Leo, took place in recent days in Bari, in collaboration with students from the Conservatory and the Music High School, as well as from the secondary schools of I° Michelangelo of Bari and Capozzi-Galilei of Valenzano. A performance that will range from original compositions to a wide repertoire of Arabic music and, in particular, Palestinian, classical and folkloristic: a real journey through an original and innovative musical universe.

They will follow at 20.00 pm, the performances of The Dance Gallery, which he presents to the public, with his advanced group directed by Antonella Serini, two hip hop choreographies from the titles Energy and Beach Ball and at 20.25 of the Bari group Fabularasa: a sound of clear jazz and fusion matrix, with inserts inspired by ethnic music, particularly Mediterranean. At 21.00 space for the project sItalian-Palestinian special entitled"Music between the two worlds“: a residency work carried out in Bari, in the last few days, by the same international artist Ramzi Aburedwan مزي أبورضوان and its Dal'Ouna Ensemble – formed by Abo Gabo, Youssef Hbeisch from Palestine, and Ziad ben Youusef from Tunisia – with the aim fundamental to give relaunch, relevance and quality to music from the world.

Ramzi Aburedwan he is, in fact, known for his dedication to music as a tool for resistance and social change. Born in Al-Amari refugee camp, Ramzi has ffounded the Al Kamandjâti association, which is committed to provide music education to Palestinian children, especially to those living under occupation or in difficult conditions. In particular, during the artistic residency, the French-Palestinian and Italian/Apulian musicians, Fabrizio Piepoli, Nabil Bey and Anna Rita Di Leo they realized a new production during the artistic residency, using particular instruments of the Arab, Mediterranean, Western and Middle Eastern traditions, with songs in Italian and Arabic expressed in poetry.

Starting from 21.55 on stage the concert of 4Troubles quartet it's at follow, it will be the time of the Sister Queens: four women with different and well-matched vocal sounds that will excite the audience through a sound journey that will range between the international musical influences of the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Friday May 24th it will be an afternoon dedicated to school performances: starting from 17.30In fact, the students of the institutes will alternate "Alexander Leogrande", "Michelangelo", "Riccardo Monterisi", "Margherita","Nicola Zingarelli-Anne Frank", "Amedeo of Aosta".

to 20.10 it will be the turn ofmusical performance by the protagonists of the voluntary association In…Canti di Donne, which present five songs from the African, Italian and Jewish traditions which touch on the themes of peace, cohesion and humanity. Following, there will be a reading by Alma Terra and Squola senza confini Penny Wirton.

The musical evening continues concert by Perla Catucci in duo with Domenico Mercurio, that it will range between original songs written by herself and composed to the great successes of Italian music (cover of famous pieces by Pino Daniele, Cesare Cremonini, Brunori Sas, Mina) and international musicand (with hits by Lady Gaga, Jassie Glynne, Miguel Bosè). It's still, we will continue with the performance of the amateur sports association Samira Oriental Academy and will end with the concert of the CCM – Cantiere Comune Mediterraneo project, an orchestra and collective to raise awareness and research on the value of the diversity scattered across our sea, which unites people beyond borders.

Saturday May 25th will start with an event in the morning: at 11.00, in fact, one will be held in the same Princigalli Garden African music masterclasses, for a maximum of 20 participants aged 11 and over (reservation required to the e-mail address info@abusuan.com) by by the French-Cameroonian singer Valérie Èkoumè, which will teach the importance of reading and rhythmic writing along with vocal and percussion technique. Will follow, at 17.00 hours, reading by Title “United for Ukraine" And, at 18.00 pm, the S-Confin-Arti flash mob.

The afternoon will then come to life to 18.10 with the Peace Conference to which Monsignor Giovanni Ricchiuti will take part, National President of Pax Christi, Alessandro Marescotti, president di Peacelink, introduced and coordinated by Vito Micunco, Coordinator of the Network of Peace Committees in Puglia.

They will then follow a starting from 20.00 pm and ending at 23.30 pm, performances by the Alma Terra and Le Aquile di Sera associations – which they will bring into the Princigalli Garden, typical dances and songs of the Albanian land - And of the artists The Maltese, Apulian band in acoustic formation, Naib Abid – who will perform an engaging performance in which the audience will be invited to learn and interpret songs in Italian, English and Spanish relating to the themes of unity, humanity and kindness , Valerie Èkoume together with the drummer and percussionist Guy Nwogang and Papa Buju & Dub Fevah Band, a musical group born in Bari at the end of 2019 from the meeting of musicians of different ages and backgrounds united by a passion for reggae music.

The last day of the People's Day 2024, Sunday May 26, it will leave at 17.00 pm with the space dedicated tomusical performance by the Culture Organization of Bangladesh Debi and Sabana Suresh & Vidya association, with music, dance and typical Bangladeshi entertainment to follow the readings organized by the Gianni Ballerio Social Promotion Association and the Baha'i and Gep communities (Let's Educate ourselves for Peace Group).

At 19.15pm it will be the turn of “Approdi – Dances in travel”, dance performance a curated by Artidea Cultura, which will offer the public present traditional dances as an opportunity to learn about other cultures, discovering that ethnic-popular dance is collective dance, harmony of gestures, steps, expressions, smiles, closeness that allows us to feel united. It will follow at 19.40pm, the performance of Darwish Dream, curated by the BandeRumorose cultural association: a profound vocal and instrumental interpretation of the most significant poems of the great Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.

It's still, Kabila, group Italian-Lebanese which offers a fusion of languages (Arabic, English and Italian) and sounds, between rock, electronic, world music, progressive rock and pop, sounds and arrangements and 21.05 the Ukrainian duo Masha Ruta & Tetiana Rohocha, who will interpret excerpts from the story of the beauty of the land and the Ukrainian people, as well as of rebirth, the beauty of life and the strength of spirit of the people. Starting from 21.20pm the Let's Funk Under The Disco Sky projects will be on stage, with a medley of funky and disco songs inspired by peace, Spiff Onyuku, Nigerian musician who aims to combine the African musical tradition with the sounds of electronics and Lu Rusciu Nosciu, Salento pizzica group with sounds characterized by the rhythm of tambourines, together with rhythmic strokes of ethnic percussion, guitars and castanets combined with melodic sounds.

Feast of Peoples KIDS (activities for children)

- Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon, on the lawn, by “Help ATT" manual laboratories

- Saturday afternoon, in front of its stand, edited by “The Silk Eagles”: environmental laboratory

- Saturday afternoon, inside its stand, edited by "Migrantes Catholic Archdiocese Bari-Bitonto": peace laboratory

- Sunday afternoon, inside its stand, edited by “Ethnic Cook bistro“: biscuit decorating workshop

- Sunday afternoon, in front of its stand, edited by “The Silk Eagles”: laboratory on globality

- Sunday afternoon, on the lawn, by “AGESCI Bari 18”: fun activities

"Once again, after nineteen years, we are proud and enthusiastic to propose to the city of Bari its Festival dedicated to integration and intercultural exchange. - explains Koblan Amissah, organizer of the People's Festival –. Never before have we believed in the importance of dialogue between cultures and communities that inhabit our city together, as in this period of difficulty and international war scenarios. This event, which has become a recurring event in the cultural panorama of Bari, comes back every year to remind us that every difference represents a wealth and that, regardless of the social, professional, cultural contexts that each of us lives in, the common denominator must always remain humanity. That of men and women who today, in Bari, gather in search of peace”.

"The Chamber of Commerce of Bari wanted to dedicate to Futurae – migrant business programme, a stand as part of the Festa dei Popoli, in coherence with the activities already carried out to encourage the creation of immigrant businesses in our territory of competence and in the certainty that it is the right container to encourage further membership of the second edition still in progress – declared Luciana Di Bisceglie, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Bari -The agreement recently signed by Unioncamere Nazionale with Banca Etica and PerMicro, which offers migrant entrepreneurs participating in the project the possibility of requesting financing to start up their business, is confirmation that we are on the right path: for the benefits in terms of integration of foreign citizens and growth opportunities for the entire economic system”.

People's Day is promoted and organized by:Abusuan Intercultural Center, Comboni Missionaries, CGIL, Stop Border Violence.

Participating associations

Afghanistan, AIBA (Ivory Coast), Alma Terra, APS Gianni Ballerio, ArtiDea culture, Balasua, BANDERUMOROSE, Bari in jazz, Bari Sviluppo – Progetto Futurae 2, Brazil, CAMA – LILA, CAPS – Casa Shalom, Missionary Center – Migrantes – Caritas Catholic Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto, Communitas, Baha'i Community of Bari, Orthodox Community of Ethiopia, Palestinian Community of Puglia and Basilicata, CSV San Nicola, Culture organizations of Bangladesh – DEBI, Fasting for Justice in Solidarity with Migrants, Dioubo Diame Africa (Senegal), EMI – Italian Missionary Publishing House, Equanima, Ethnic Cook bistro, GEP – Let's Educate Ourselves to Peace Group, Govinda (Mauritius), GUAP (Ghana), Help ATT, Iraq, Le Aquile di Seta (Albania), Legambiente, Nawa Wax (Senegal), Nazma's Kitchen (Bangladesh), Nigerians of Bari and Puglia, PER.IPLO, Plastic Free, Refugees Welcome, S-CONFIN-ARTI, Penny Wirton Borderless School, Stop Border Violence, Combonian Missionary Sisters, Solidarity Cards, United for Ukraine, Unsolomondo

Solidarity partners

Agriturismo “Al Verneto”, Balafon Film Festival, Bistrot “Buò – raw, cooked and eaten”, bar “Caffè concierge”, boutique “Charity Chic”, garage “Dentico”, OdV “Eco Eventi”, bookshop “La Campus”, “Svoltastorie” bookshop, APS “Teatro Osservatorio – ImprOfficina”, consultancy company “SAMO Security & Business Solutions”

Participating schools

SS 1° G. “Amedeo d'Aosta” – Bari, I. “Margherita” – Bari, IC “Michelangelo” – Bari, SS1° G. “Riccardo Monterisi” – Bisceglie, IC “Nicola Zingarelli – Anna Frank”- Bari, CPIA 1 “Alessandro Leogrande” – Bari