VITAPIU

VITAPIUCANOSSIAN FOUNDATION

9th October 2010 Pavia (Italy) – 19th November 2011 Trent (Italy) – 24th March 2012 Lomè (Togo) These are the dates that mark 3 phases of a fantastic and exciting experience, still unfolding, that involves 3 schools: Centre for Professional Formation “M. Agatha Carelli” of Lomè (Togo), Centromoda Canossa and “Artigianelli” of Trent. “Urban African Tribes” is firstly a twinning between schools, with the aim of enriching the competences of the students who participate in it by broadening their minds and their dreams. The Department of Education of the Autonomous Province of Trent believes this firmly and has made it possible by supporting this project. What gives even more value to this initiative is that everyone knows it may provide a precious occasion for “getting to know each other”, an opportunity to amalgamate, with no claim to fuse together colours, sounds and fragrances of lands so distant apart. Creativity is the coagulative element of the whole experience which hopes, in a small way, to be the realization of the slogan “Living in an open house” of the Missionary Festival of Young People held in Pavia last October.

9th October 2010 Pavia (Italy)The idea surfaced during a chat with Sr. Maria Vezzoli, regarding her experience in Togo, while she was giving out colourful bags made by the girls of the Centre for Professional Formation “Agatha Carelli” in Lomè, Togo. This encounter took place in a small, open gazebo on a very cold day, but it was our growing dreams and enthusiasm that warmed us up. We parted exchanging phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other information that constituted the first cell of a dream destined to become a real project.

19th November 2011 Trent (Italy)At 7.30 p.m. ten Togolese girls landed at Milan airport accompanied by two teachers and Sr. Yvonne. Sr. Maria Vezzoli was there to meet them with pullovers and jackets and with a smile and an embrace that warmed their hearts; not only hearts, but also cold feet since some were wearing flip-flops. More than a year has passed since our meeting in Pavia, a time rich with contacts, meetings and new travelling

companions who have made this first journey possible: Sr. Vittorina Vaghi in Togo who saw to all the paper work and contacts with our Italian partners; the volcanic Canossian team Centromoda Canossa of Trent, Alberto Garniga, Giuliana Vender and Lorenzo Viesi, who worked so hard to dream, plan and organise this exchange project. Alongside them, sharing setbacks, ideas and the formative aspect, was another “dream team” representing “Artigianelli” of Trent: Erik Gadotti, Lorenzo Girardi and Daniel Fortarel. The stay of the Togolese delegation was a succession of school activities, visits and encounters with the welcoming atmosphere of Trent. Teachers and students of the participating schools were mesmerized and carried away by the radiant smiles and charm of their new friends from Togo. Now, their hearts and minds were not only open but flung wide to meet new things. Everyone gave of themselves to create and realise a series of dresses that would be part of a fashion collection for young people and would be presented in both Countries during a fashion parade at the end of the school year in each school. Materials, designs, colours: all will be connected by an invisible thread of hope, dreams and the enthusiasm that has animated each participant, their friends and teachers. Time flew and the experience in Trent came to a close. Sr. Antonietta Pisani, the welcoming hostess of the house in Trent, wished goodbye to her guests with a smile and a hug. The last days of this unforgettable phase in Italy for the Togolese contingent was spent in Verona, visiting the places where the long Canossian history has its roots.

Urban African Tribes“Living in an open house”

A story of an encounter between colours, sounds and creativity

24th March 2012 Lomè (Togo)This part of the project has still to be written. At present, activities are being planned, the scenery of “another world” can be imagined, but already today this is “the land of our future”. Twenty students and five teachers are already dreaming of a warm African welcome and this makes the winter seem less cold, even here in Trent.

Urban African Tribes is the result of an encounter and comparison between various people and sensibilities, of sharing ideas and information which are transformed into a programme and project, budget and relationships. It is an experience that wants to be a stimulus for other Canossian schools in Italy and abroad, an example of possible synergy in the immense, and often unknown, Canossian world. The pioneering spirit of Magdalene still finds today, as in the past, protagonists and new ways to promote and reanimate formative, educative and human experiences. “Talents” have been given to everyone; each of us has the task and responsibility of making them bear fruit.

150+1 Well, yes, another year has passed and more beautiful pages of life at the service of humanity have been forgrd in Canossian history. Many initiatives have been realised thanks to the many friends of the Canossian Foundation, or rather, the Canossian missions. They are the donors, individuals, schools, firms, public institutions (Trent Town Council, Schio Town Council, Autonomous Province of Trent, Region of Veneto and the Autonomous Region of Trento and Alto Adige) and private institutions (Cariverona Foundation, Catholic Insurance Foundation), as well as the Italian Bishop’s Conference. To all, indistinctly and with equal warmth, we express our sincere thanks.

Giancarlo UrbaniPerson Responsible for Projects

Canossian Foundation

TAX RETURNS FOR 2009Sincere THANKS to the 2,497 people who, in 2009, chose to destine their tax returns to the Canossian Foundation. The sum of 84,199.85 Euros we received will contribute, in a substantial way, to the realisation of our projects.

Alberto Garniga and the group from Togo visit Trent

First day at school … the girls and Sr. Yvonne introduce themselves

Teachers and students at work

Best wishes