Tuesday, July 11 was a momentous day for the youth of the Friulian Club of Adelaide, who visited the Furlan Club of Melbourne.
The goal of this meeting was to “forge a more operational partnership” and expand the scope of an ambitious new project called ‘New Bridge’.
The project aims to bring together Friulian communities throughout Australia, offering support to clubs that are facing difficulties in engaging and communicating with new generations.
“Here in Australia, the Friulian associations of Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney still represent very important communities that confront the same problems, such as the lack of involvement of the new generations, the lack of young emigrants and the uncertainty in thinking about a future,” explained Giovanni Freschi, manager of the Fogolar Furlan Adelaide.
Freschi was a guest in the studios of Rete Italia during an interview conducted by Poni Poselli, as part of the radio program Together with Poni.
The launch of ‘New Bridge’ seeks to strengthen ties within the Friulian community, from the Fogolar Furlan of Adelaide to the wider Friulian community in Australia and finally to the region in Italy and the flow of new emigrants.
It is a project that currently involves of a group of six young emigrants from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as they manage the cultural and commercial and promotional activities of the initiative.
The goal is to revitalise the great associations of the past, that like many other clubs, is experiencing a decline in interest from younger generations.
“The idea is to turn the club into a real home for all young Friulians and those people who, from Italy, move here for work or more simply to have an experience in Australia,” said Patrizia Corelli, president of the Friulian Club of Melbourne.
“[We want to] make sure that on the one hand, they can enjoy our culture and rediscover it, while on the other hand we can learn something new.”
The club, which has always prioritised the older generation by putting their interests and their heartfelt sense of togetherness at the centre of setting the social calendar, has decided to join forces with the Adelaide Fogoral youth to create opportunities that will hopefully lead to younger people getting involved.
“Many young people show a particular attachment to Friulian culture and traditions. Having a club that brings all these stories together, uniting young and old generations, allows them to embrace the past in a much deeper way,” Corelli continued.
Michele De Bona, spokesperson for the culture of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, its language and traditions, noted a greater closeness of communities in Australia with their cultural roots.
“Here they’re trying to break down the distance between Australia and their homeland. Friulian traditions must be carried on in an engaging way for all generations, not just the first migrants,” Michele said.
To do this, it becomes essential to create a relationship between young and old generations, a goal that the Fogolar Furlan of Adelaide is pursuing through a series of cultural events.
Migrants’ Stories is an event where the older generations tell stories from the past, leading to a more enveloping reflection that is useful for community planning.
“The most important challenge has been rekindling the Fogolar,” Giovanni explained.
“We have seen club members return and second and third generations join, thanks to the renewed management of the association.
“We are now open five days a week, offering food services with regional Friulian cuisine and free community spaces.
“In Adelaide we have a bocce court, a library and outdoor recreational spaces, similar to those of the Fogolar in Melbourne.”
The Friulian Club of Melbourne welcomed the Adelaide youths with an excellent dinner of typical Friulian dishes and made it even more special with the presence of some former members of ‘Il Coro Friulian,’ who entertained the guests by singing songs from Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Only a few months after its official launch, the ‘New Bridge’ project has already achieved important milestones. The restarting of the club by young people under 30, and the newfound spirit of unity in the Friulian community are significant.
This initiative promises to build a bridge between generations, promoting Friulian culture and strengthening the bond between communities across the country.
