Dopo una pausa di diversi anni finalmente sì tenuto il Leichhardt Festival, una specie di “festa” che ha la pretesa di autodefinirsi “italiana”.
La giornata è stata favorevole e dopo le tante piogge delle scorse settimane, finalmente il sole l’ha fatta da padrone.
Migliaia di persone si sono riversate nella parte di Norton Street, chiusa per l’occasione, che va dalla Town Hall fino al nuovo raccordo, passato il parco dove Zuliani aveva il suo studio fotografico.
Per l’occasione, il comune dell’Inner West ha allestito una mostra di fotografie antiche, donate da un giornale locale, dimenticandosi comunque di menzionare l’autore… in questo caso foto Zuliani, un caro amico friulano che assieme a foto Pucci e foto Maisano e altri, immortalarono i nostri “avi” che fecero di questo quartiere la loro prima casa.
La festa, comunque, con le sue bancherelle multietniche, ha attirato i visitatori come le api al miele… tanta la voglia di uscire, tanta la voglia di incontrasi, tanta la voglia di assaggiare quattro gnocchi del cuoco Sandro Isabella, aiutato dall’amico Tony Madau e compagnia. Buoni gli gnocchi! Nel mio caso, indeciso se con ragù o con pesto, ho optato per tutti e due, giusto per non fare un torto a nessuno.
Tra la calca si incontrano persone che non vedevi da secoli e, a volte, ti meravigli che siano ancora residenti in questi paraggio. Nino e Gaetana a passeggio, come hanno sempre fatto per oltre 70 anni. Anche Nino è stato un grande fotografo e chissà quante sue foto sono finite nella famosa collezione comunale.
E quando ci sono tante persone, ci sono anche tanti “acchiappavoti” locali, statali e internazionali, che mischiandosi tra la folla, danno l’impressione di divertirsi con cose semplici, vestono come loro in maglietta e jeans e assaggiano volentieri un gelato del Bar Italia o un piatto di Pajella o di Gozleme…
Devo ammettere che è bello vedere il nostro Primo Ministro con la maglietta leggera e un sorriso affabile, mescolarsi tra la folla, farsi foto-selfie con tutti, ridere e scherzare come se fosse il nostro amico di sempre.
Anni luce dalle tre persone che, forse male consigliate, si sono presentate in giacca e cravatta… Va be, era la prima volta e sono sicuro che l’anno prossimo sapranno adattarsi meglio al modo di vita locale.
Dopo gli inni nazionale, cantati magistralmente bene da un gruppo di ragazzini di una scuola bilingue locale, sono seguiti i discorsi… purtroppo strettamente in inglese, a parte un “buon giorno a tutti” da parte Anthony.
Almeno dal nostro nuovo ambasciatore, un ciao in italiano me lo sarei aspettato… ma andrà meglio l’anno prossimo.
Prime Minister, the Hon. Anthony Albanese:
Buon giorno a tutti!
Welcome the Ambassador of Italy Paolo Crudele, the premier of New South Wales, Dominic Perrottet, the local member, Jamie Parker, the Mayor of the Inner West Darcie Burn, and his extraordinary team of counselors who are all here.
I’m very proud to be back here. I have been coming to this “festa” ever since it was started, ever since I’ve been around, but this is the first time coming back since 2019.
We missed a couple of years and this is my first time to come back here with the great honor of being Australia’s Prime Minister and I thank you for giving me that honour.
And in case you didn’t know I am the first ever prime minister of Italian descent for Australia.
And I’m so proud to represent this community here in the Inner West. It’s about a community and it’s a multicultural community.
It’s a community where we take up the words in the second part of the national anthem sung so beautifully by the children’s choir: “for those who come across the sea, We’ve boundless plains to share”.
We need to make sure that’s more than just the word for the song. That’s the story of Australia recognising, which we need to do, that our history began 65,000 years ago and that should be a source of our national pride.
And I’ll take this opportunity to thank premier Perrottet and every state leader and territory leader across the political spectrum who are all supporting the boosting of Parliament, they all understand that this is a moment for our nation that should be national unity.
But the story since 1788 is a story of migration. It’s a story of people who’ve come to Australia, including from Italy to this local community to make a better life for themselves, both for their children and their grandchildren who have been loyal to this country of Australia, but have also shared their culture, their language, their dancing, their music, and of course, who can forget the food?
It’s a time, in this world in conflict, where this country has an opportunity to be a beacon for the world, a microcosm that shows people can come here from different backgrounds, from different faiths, and being enriched by its diversity.
And the Italian community has made such an extraordinary contribution, now with the Prime Minister called Albanese, with a premier who we had called Iemma, with people who have made contributions from the Italian Australian community in politics, in sport, in business, in culture.
And it is a rich culture. It’s one that we celebrate today and it’s one rich.
We are being shown upon, from upstairs today, because this is a beautiful day of celebration.
I congratulate all those who are involved with it, including the Council e including the Chamber of Commerce.
A particular shoutout to Bar Italia for the 70 years that they’re celebrating. I’ve only been going there for 50. You know it is, it’s an institution here in Leichhardt.
So have a fantastic day. Viva Italia! Have a great day.
The premier of NSW the Honorable Dominic Perrottet:
Thanks so much. I’m sorry, I can’t speak Italian, like our prime minister.
I acknowledge the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Aberese, and I think it is a tribute to our wonderful multicultural country to have a prime minister with Italian heritage, here in our great country.
Also Darcy Burnes, my favorite man sometimes, sometimes when we don’t have issue, Jamie Parker as well, the local member here who’s retiring at the next election but he has done a marvelous job representing this community in the New South Wales Parliament
These festivals are all about community, and it’s a great aspect of our Italian heritage, which many of you have, as it either was born with you or you have family from Italy who have come here. That great focus on family and community, and it’s been a really difficult time. As we all know, over the last couple of years, this “festa” has not been able to be held.
In fact, I was here at the last one with all of my children, half them got lost… like today.
Hopefully, the most beautiful aspect about days like this, is that there’s so many different people, it’s a great celebration of heritage, culture, family.
Events like this, I think, make us all acknowledge how blessed we are to live in this wonderful country, in joining the best that we have to offer, and what I love about the Italian heritage and why it has really enriched our great culture, is that sense of family and that sense of community and that what makes our country great.
And I want to go back to the Prime Minister’s words, how we do acknowledge our First Nations people. And we do have this rich tapestry of Australian history, our First Nations people, our colonial history.
But since 1788, ultimately our multicultural communities have made Australia what it is today. And our Italian heritage has been at the forefront of all of that.
So can I thank everybody, the organisers, people who have given time as events like this don’t just happen. I was just looking up at so many people who came here, enjoying so many, so many stores that are open for people right across this area. It doesn’t just happen, there are so many hours of work, so many volunteers, so many hours of volunteering to make this event.
The event that it is, engaging everybody and all the families who are around here today.
Enjoy.
His Excellency, the Italian Ambassador Paolo Crudele:
Good morning.
Well, first of all, let me just say I’m overwhelmed by this wonderful crowd. Being the Italian Ambassador in Australia is just a strong commitment towards a community like yours. And, we arrived a couple of months ago, my wife, two daughters, and this is a place that we already love dearly.
Prime Minister, thanks for your word, Premier Perrottet thanks for your words talking about Italy in such a heartfelt and touching way. As you know, Sydney is a very cosmopolitan city, and Italians have contributed a lot to shape this wonderful city in which we are. By the beginning of the century, there were only six thousand Italians present in Australia. Now we are 170,000 registered, with about over a million of Italian descendants.
This is a great pride. And it’s also, let me say, the pride of integration, because this is a community which is shaping the form of Australia we have today, together with other communities. And you see, I didn’t read my speech. Let me underline the point of pride of being Italian is about being so integrated in this wonderful society. Today it’s not just an Italian celebration, today is an Australian celebration and this is very important.
Thank you. This country has welcomed a lot of cultural differences. But sticking to values that we are very proud to subscribe to, like liberty of expression, fairness, tolerance, love.
Thank you very much for inviting me to this celebration.
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