An invitation to be good, because "being good means being strong". Andrea Bocelli he addressed this in the Cristallini church to the children of the Rione Sanità in NAPLES who will be part of the choir made up of 50 children's voices.
The project “ABF Voice of Italy – NAPLES”, supported by the Bocelli Foundation, which helps support children in difficulty, will in fact be based right in the heart of NAPLES, in the church of Santa Maria della Maddalena in via dei Cristallini which will be inaugurated on August 28. Together with his wife and his daughter Virginia ('who loves NAPLES very much especially after seeing Mare fuori'), Bocelli spoke about music, of course, but also about goodness. “Since we are in a church I steal the words from those who have the right to speak, Jesus – he told the children – every time he performed a miracle he would dismiss the miracle recipient by telling him 'be good'.
What does it mean to be good? It means to be strong. Let me give you an example. Think of a toy, it doesn’t take much to destroy it, just take a hammer. How long does it take to rebuild it? A lot of strength, skill, intelligence. Do you see how being good is much more difficult than being bad? From this church I invite you to pursue goodness, which is the best way to show ourselves and the world that we are strong.” Then, he also mentions music and who he defines as “one of the greatest singers of all time, Enrico Caruso.” “You have a great responsibility, to carry on this immense tradition that this city has expressed,” he said.
The purpose of the choir 'Abf Voices of Italy – NAPLES' is to promote the emergence of talents. A project through which the Andrea Bocelli Foundation – Philanthropic Body, intends to realize a high-quality educational opportunity, enhancing the resources of the territory to create a new educational, vocational, open and inclusive space.
Through the possibility of experimenting and cultivating one's own aptitudes thanks to music and singing, and thanks to the multidisciplinary team made up of educators, psychologists and local musicians – trained and coordinated at an international level by Abf – the project aims to give back the "voice" to girls and boys, but also to represent a concrete possibility of professional growth for the young people of the area.
The project, a note recalls, "is based on an integrated training program that sees vocal practice inserted within a broader educational framework, aimed at the acquisition, development and consolidation of socio-emotional and transversal skills". The choir will be based at "Cristallini 73" in Rione Sanità, a space "made available by the local project partner Fondazione di Comunità San Gennaro, and is composed of 42 choristers aged between 6 and 16, coming from families who live in the area".
"The San Gennaro Foundation - says President Pasquale Calemme - on behalf of the local community, organizations and families in the area, expresses deep gratitude and great joy for the beginning of this new experience. The choice and commitment of Abf here in the Rione Sanità strengthens the path of a community that has aimed at a development centered on the transformative power of culture, on educational empowerment and the weaving of bonds inspired by trust and welcoming openness"
Article published on 21 August 2023 - 21:20
