Association, 2014 events, purposes The Association “Comunali Oggi” is a reality at complete citizens’ disposal and promotes, for their leisure time, recreational events ranging among tourism, wine and food, culture and sport. In the social fabric for more than 30 years, it represents a benchmark for a lot of people and fosters capital values such as solidarity, treatment, freedom of expression, involvement and no-profit, safe handholds to find again that social cohesion our rich and welcoming territory deserves. So, our activity basically concerns human relationships and educational/recreational actions meant as synonyms of active community. “Comunali Oggi” proposes an interesting project where the wealth of artistic talents and a new usability of the inner cities of Mantova and province converge, on a festive background of peaceful sharing. The basis is a synergy between Municipalities and Association, a collaboration that produces a circuit of several events from Spring to Christmas time: ▪ “Mantova Folk Capital” Festival (from March to September - 22 events) ▪ “Gospel Songs” Festival (November/December - 6 events) Lively experiences, perfect moments of aggregation in order to revive that common wish to feel unique, authentic, and at the same time part of a community. This is the necessary intellectual and logistical fuel to bring people back to theaters and squares, inflaming once again the pride of belonging to one-of-a-kind communities. The purposes of such an initiative are various. Among them, there are undeniable benefits for the population, such as: - Increasing of opportunities of aggregation and improvement of life quality - Meeting with ancient or modern customs, traditions and art forms - Revival and promotion of Mantova’s social and cultural features The participating groups are requested no particular conditions, just to be collaborative, honest and punctual: ◦ They should carry typical wine and food products of their region of provenance, enough to arrange a dinner ◦ They will be offered board and lodging (agritourism, public buildings or hotels) for the weekend, until the return trip Mantova and its province, and their inner cities, are the ideal context to set the mentioned events: these latters can become annual permanent and colourful appointments with some of the noblest art forms. Visitors, participants and performers will be able to know and live a folklore experience in first person in fascinating old town centers, surrounded by beautiful ancient monuments or the decorated walls of a theater.

GOSPEL SONGS FESTIVAL MANTOVA PROPOSAL 1 ° “GOSPEL SONGS” FESTIVAL GENERAL SCHEDULE (WEEKEND) Wednesday Group arrival Typical mantuan dinner Fundraising concert in theater or church Overnight stay in agritourism or hotel Thursday Breakfast Guided tour of the territory Departure and return home trip DATES: NOVEMBER 12/ / /27 DECEMBER 3/4 - 10/ /18 Winter is upon us, it is seriously cooling down: to warm up soul and atmosphere getting closer to Christmas, nothing is better than the amazing voices starting to sing the best of the Gospel and Spiritual tradition. November and December are the months of the first “Gospel Songs” Festival, 6 exhibitions introducing, on the stage of a beautiful theater or from the inside of an ancient church, some of the best available choirs. Unforgettable experience to try out at least once in your life, a concert sees some instruments, not always present, accompany warm, powerful, striking voices perfectly harmonized. The charismatic and emotional skills of leaders are supported by a precise choral arrangement, that can often be assimilated with a real vocal orchestra. Such ensembles turn out to be a perfectly successful mix of expressiveness and technique. The performed songs are mostly ‘traditionals’, songs of religious inspiration, known world- wide, derived from the ancient spontaneous chants of the afroamerican communities reduced to slavery in the extended plantations of the United States of America. The intense sensations of joy, communion and brotherhood transmitted, experienced in a place of great effect, enrich and turn a lively concert into a genuine nourishment for the soul.