Donne, parole e musica in festa - Undicesima edizione

On the occasion of International Women's Day, with the sponsorship and support of the Municipality of Castellana-Grotte, the social promotion association ViviCastellanaGrotte will host the 11th edition of "Women - Words and Music in Celebration" on the evening of Saturday, March 8, 2025.

Since 2015, March 8th in Castellana has coincided with a small, grand event: a wonderful experience for the participants, a tribute to women's contributions to the arts, and a public moment for women who often are not used to the spotlight but are no less deserving of recognition. Over the years, in a crescendo of emotions, more than two hundred women from Castellana have lent their voices to authors of the past, mostly unknown.

As per tradition, the event will take place in the Ceremony Hall of the Town Hall, a symbolic choice intended to highlight, in the most representative place for the community, the many facets of Castellana's femininity.

After speeches by the mayor of Castellana-Grotte, Domi Ciliberti, councilor Davide Sportelli, and sector II manager Anita Paolillo, fourteen women from Castellana, of different ages, professions, environments, and backgrounds, will give voice to authors little known to the general public. The themes are many: life, youth, nature, love, motherhood, violence, abandonment, intolerance, spirituality, the irrepressible longing for freedom, and the feminine archetype to return to. Here are the readers of the eleventh edition: Marilene Sgobba, Hasna el Khattabi, Antonella Serio, Rossella Pacello, Alma Blonda, Tonia Fanelli, Giovanna Amodio, Allison Olivera, Angela Primavera, Maria Rosaria Meuli, Graziana Santoro, Cinzia De Michele, Anna Recchia, and Nino Kvatchantiradze.

Introducing the readings is an exceptional "usher," Alessandro Guglielmi from Castellana, a literature student at "Aldo Moro" University of Bari. Musical interludes will be provided by Mariami Bokuchava, an eleven-year-old of Georgian origin, a violin student in the music program at "Viterbo" Middle School in Castellana-Grotte.

**To learn more**

*Why March 8th at Palazzo?*

In our country, as across the sea, women see their achievements waver. A glass ceiling limits their political, professional, and academic careers. Motherhood can result in job loss, and female political representation needs to be ensured by gender quotas. Even today, some believe that women should earn less than men or be primarily judged on their appearance. Not to mention the phenomenon of gender violence, to which ViviCastellanaGrotte has dedicated moments of reflection annually since 2013. An evening at the Palazzo will not change the state of affairs, but a tribute to the women who live and work in our community is a deserved act.

*The Protagonists and the Readings*

Every year, the selection process is challenging: many women from Castellana honor their gender and their city. The goal is always to provide a truly representative sample of our society, consisting of doctors and lawyers, but also agricultural laborers, unemployed women, mothers, psychologists, homemakers, workers, and athletes.

Moreover, among the protagonists, there are many "acquired Castellanese" women of Chinese, Ukrainian, Russian, Georgian, Albanian, and Moroccan origin, enriching presences in the City of Caves, ready to integrate and contribute to the city's social, cultural, and economic progress, while not forgetting their origins.

As for the readings, there will be continued effort to highlight lesser-known voices, near and far, in time and space. As with all editions, the artistic sensitivity of Marisa Clori will aid in the organizational phases of the event.

For information: email info@vivicastellanagrotte.it
Web: www.vivicastellanagrotte.it...