Al Turin book salonthe stand of the Calabria Region welcomed the Arbëreshë traditions recalled by Salvatore Franco in his novel “Master and below – The game of life” published by Edizioni Beroe del Vibonese Renato Costa.
The meeting involved several Calabrian realities and saw the participation of the President of the Province of Cosenza Rosaria Succurro, of Sabrina Pugliese, director of the Caudex Festival who staged a theatrical representation of the book and the publisher. Turin and Tirana also were represented by the moderator Simona Sorbara, director of the head of Radio Italia Uno Piedmont, and of Dr. Diana Kastrati, executive director of the Study and Publications Center on the Arbereshet (QSPA). The presentation focused attention on the importance of enhancing the linguistic cultural heritage and Calabrian traditions and in particular of the Arbëreshe community. At the end of the interventions, the author Salvatore Franco performed some songs of popular music by transporting the public between Pollino and Albania.
“Calabria is a treasure chest in which – declares the publisher Renato Costa – many traditions coexist that nourish a strong desire to make themselves known. The duty of those who work in culture is precisely to press their memory and above all to export them outside the areas where they are placed. It was exciting to bring (perhaps for the first time) – continues Costa – the Arbëreshë melodies at the Book Fair. I hope that with master and below, and the work of many passionate artists, the Arbëreshe language and the other minorities living in Calabria can keep their memory alive and exploit to their advantage the technological progress that seems to be a threat to their survival. ” «The passion and talent shown by Salvatore Franco – declares President Rosaria Succurro – excite those who are lucky enough to read this novel. The author manages to enhance his identity Arbëreshe by describing the Arbëria Cosentina in detail, the Italian province which preserves the largest number of municipalities Arbëreshe. The use of words written in the original language still maintains the memory of an ancient identity language ».