The 28th edition of the Corsa Internazionale Oderzo Città Archeologica will take place on May 1st 2025 in Oderzo (Treviso) and will be combined with the Trofeo Opitergium International Road Race will see the participation of high-level international athletes and young European talents with races for the absolute and under-20 categories The official presentation was held on April 22nd with the participation of the vice-president of FIDAL underlined how the event represents a perfect combination of sport and culture Levorato recalled the presence of international-level athletes such as Nadia Battocletti and urged young people to draw inspiration from her career the spotlight will be on athletes such as Pasquale Selvarolo and Eyob Faniel who are among the protagonists of the previous editions and on other Italian athletes such as Ahmed Ouhda and Nicolò Bedini The women’s 5 km race will see the return of Klara Lukan and the participation of Valentina Gemetto Micol Majori and other international athletes including Britain’s Verity Clare Ockenden the Opitergium International Road Race Under 20 Trophy will be held The youth races will also offer an important opportunity for the new promises of athletics to compete the Youth Grand Prix for the under 18 categories will start the day but also the cultural tradition of the city of Oderzo which has hosted world-famous athletes for years Past participants include champions such as Francesco Panetta with a special focus on Eastern European athletes in recent years The event also stands out for the integration of sports competitions and moments of cultural exchange especially with the addition of the Opitergium Trophy which promotes growth and comparison between young European athletes QUINTESSENZA.Prosecco Doc Extra Dry Millesimato The festive atmosphere Marcadoc – The hills of Venice deals with tourist cultural and food and wine information of the Marca Trevigiana and the Veneto ADAMANT: Dioli 7, Sackey 8, Casagrande 14, Drigo 11, Santiago 6, Tio 6, Yarbanga, Solaroli 11, Chessari 8, Ballabio 16, Braga 1, Marchini 10. Coach Benedetto. ODERZO: Vanin 3, Spanic, Alberti 6, Pierucci 10, Masocco 9, Mincleri 1, Lombardo 5, Perin 5, Razzi, Reimundo 9, Bellato 10, Mutton. Coach Lorenzon. It is a practically perfect Adamant that dominates game 1 of the playoff quarterfinals against Oderzo, in a one-way game conducted for forty minutes by Drigo and his teammates. In front of a packed Bondi Arena, Ferrara makes things clear already in the first possessions and dominates the opponents thanks to a suffocating defense and a lucid and precise attack. With all due respect to Oderzo, the gap between the two teams seemed quite clear, and Adamant has all the credentials to close out the series in Game 2 on Wednesday night and focus on the semifinal series. The aggressiveness of Tio and Yarbanga inside the area is a factor, Oderzo is forced to shoot from the arc and Solaroli's three-point play gives Adamant the maximum advantage of the evening at +18 (42-24). At the start of the second half, Drigo's support is worth the 'twenty' advantage, and at 23' the match seems already over with the score at 53-30 in favor of the white and blues: Oderzo can do nothing against the overwhelming power of the Estensi, who concede just two points in five minutes and further extend their lead to +25. Ferrara is literally devastating, the last 15' are a very long garbage time and now the goal is to close the accounts already on Wednesday in game 2 to immediately think about the semifinal and save energy for the next weekend. The path towards the national B is still to be written. You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Suffolk Sister Cities International welcomes special guests from Oderzo on Saturday to celebrate 30 years of friendship Italian Artist Ezio Burigana and his family came together with Suffolk officials during a special Obici-Oderzo Foundation Rededication held on Saturday Held alongside members of Suffolk City Council Suffolk Sister Cities Commission and fellow esteemed city officials Burigana unveiled a new version of the mosaic fountain he created for the city’s courtyard Burigana has had art exhibitions worldwide since his first exhibition in 1962 at the Venice Biennale Along with being given the title of “Maestro Accademico in Arte Del Mosaico Antico (Academy Maestro of Antique Mosaic Art) by the Il Mazzocco Art Academy and the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence in 1992 the President of the Italian Republic granted Burigana the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2011 for “merit acquired by the nation” in the fields of literature philanthropic and humanitarian activities and long service in civilian and military careers Burigana is also the last of the Italian professional mosaic artists to use the ancient Roman-Byzantine technique Suffolk Sister Cities International President Michelle Wren discussed the longtime friendship of Suffolk and Oderzo having been deeply linked as Sister Cities since 1995 Wren detailed that the union is thanks to Amedeo Obici Founder of Planters Nut and Chocolate Company and Obici Hospital who left his home of Oderzo as a young boy and grew to become a renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist “The bond between Suffolk and Oderzo is not only a testament to Obici’s legacy but also a living social cultural bridge that has been nurtured by the dedicated work of volunteers of the Suffolk Sister Cities Committee and the collaboration of both our Suffolk City administration and also Oderzo’s administration,” Wren said during the ceremony “Our partnership has flourished for many intercultural exchanges and initiatives over the past 30 years.” who also served as head of the Italian delegation of the visit Burigana called the artwork a tale of friendship between “the old Roman city of Oderzo “This mosaic represents the union of the past the present and the future,” Burigana said during the ceremony “The gold background is a testament to the light and the richness of the Byzantine art present in Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice The past (the amphora) is plunged in the modernity represented by the water white and golden stripes becoming darker as they reach the bottom of the mosaic earth and light are the source of life through which [the ] past talks to the future telling stories of positivity hope and brotherhood among the peoples of the whole world,” he said thanking the Suffolk Sister Cities Organization and city staff for continuing the connection with Oderzo maintain such a strong relationship,” Duman said our Sister Cities Organization has traveled to Italy as well as welcoming several Italian delegations to our city it is my sincere hope that the bond between Suffolk and Oderzo will continue to flourish forever linking generations of our American and Italian descendants.” Discussing the importance of the overall Sister Cities International nonprofit Eisenhower’s founding of the sister cities movement on Sept aiming to have people worldwide promote peace Duman presented a Certificate of Recognition to the City of Oderzo for their 30-year friendship “Residents of both cities have fostered lifelong friendships and created a unique spirit of peace through person-to-person citizen diplomacy,” Duman read “These dedicated ambassadors have shared ideas and information in the areas of art and culture The City of Suffolk is honored to present this Certificate of Recognition to the City of Oderzo on this auspicious occasion and extends its best wishes to all of its citizens for a prosperous future.” Burigana had a chance to speak more about the mosaic he gifted to the city He expressed what he hopes Suffolk residents will see when they walk past the beautiful piece of art the union between Suffolk and Oderzo,” Burigana said the elements and the fountain itself…you will think that life is beautiful it’s worth living even if we find ourselves in trouble sometimes.” There are four games on the college basketball schedule on Monday that feature MEAC squads 10-2 MEAC) are traveling to face the North Carolina Central Eagles (12-17 The Miami Heat (28-31) are at home in Southeast Division action against the Washington Wizards (11-48) on Monday,… The Washington Capitals’ Dylan Strome and the Ottawa Senators’ Tim Stutzle are two of the best players to… The Norfolk State Spartans (25-4) will look to continue a 14-game winning stretch when visiting the North Carolina… Oderzo is hosting a major exhibition on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the death of Alberto Martini (Oderzo where the Pinacoteca dedicated to him is located is held at Palazzo Foscolo and is curated by Paola Bonifacio and Alessandro Botta with scientific coordination by Carlo Sala Promoted by the Fondazione Oderzo Cultura and included among the Great Events of the Veneto Region under the patronage of the Municipality of Oderzo the exhibition brings together more than 120 works many of them unpublished or never exhibited before prestigious private collections and the artist’s heirs Organized by Villaggio Globale International the exhibition also features a selection of drawings that Martini made inspired by the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe brought together for the first time in such a large corpus.The exhibition opens with the 1914Self-Portrait and the famous Lucifer taken from the illustrations of The Divine Comedy dating from the last years of the 19th century his strong ties to the Treviso countryside and his sensitivity to the living conditions of workers and the humbler social classes the sketch on cardboard and the large oil on canvas depicting anAntica gualchiera trevigiana This is followed by drawings from the cycle The Courts of Miracles composed on Martini’s original subjects a style emerges that recalls 16th-century Nordic graphic art combining macabre imagery with an epic tone between symbolist visions of nature and a poetic narrative charged with social tension Martini approached theillustration of literary texts creating a series of celebrated heroicomic drawings for Tassoni’s La Secchia Rapita (actually 252 plates) a selection of which will be on view in the exhibition A crucial role in his career was played by his meeting with Vittorio Pica a Neapolitan art critic and one of the founders of the Venice Biennale of which he was secretary general from 1920 to 1928 The exhibition pays tribute to this association by displaying the Ex libris created for Pica and presented at the 1905 Biennale testifies to the strong link between painting and drawing in Martini’s production The itinerary continues with two drawings from the cycle La parabola dei celibi presented in Venice in 1904: images with a strong dreamlike impact that deal with the theme of femininity as a corrupting force a typical vision of international symbolism The same tension emerges in Moon in the Dead Lagoon a multifaceted and visionary artist and advocate of total art found one of his greatest expressions in the Symbolist oils destined for the Sala del Sogno at the Seventh International Art Exhibition in Venice in 1907 Diavolessa and Notturno are brought together on this occasion for the second time since the historic Biennale twelve years after the last joint exhibition the landscape is transformed into a projection of the state of mind Despite the controversy that led to the exclusion of Diavolessa from the Biennale Martini continued his artistic journey with new creations including pastels made between 1912 and 1913 characterized by the recurring theme of butterflies Another section of the exhibition explores Martini’s strong connection to foreign literature culminates in the visionary invention of Tetiteatro in 1923 The exhibition includes drawings inspired by Shakespearean tragedies which anticipate the macabre and disturbing aesthetic of the illustrations dedicated to Poe Martini forged relationships with important cultural figures of the time from Filippo Tommaso Marinetti to Gabriele D’Annunzio from Margherita Sarfatti to Luisa Casati Stampa in an association that profoundly influenced both the artist’s most ambitious project remains the cycle of illustrations for Edgar Allan Poe’s Extraordinary Tales consisting of 105 drawings made between 1905 and 1908 and then continuously until 1936 Martini did not merely illustrate the texts interpreting and amplifying the imagery of the American writer His imagination is expressed through hallucinated visions and macabre details creating a dreamlike universe that has fascinated entire generations Works such as The Descent into the Maelstrom The Mask of the Red Death and The Black Cat are presented alongside some of the earliest Italian illustrations of Poe’s tales including Édouard Manet ’s drawings for Le Corbeau (1875) and those by Gaetano Previati exhibited at the 1901 Biennale Poe’s writing opens up new horizons for Martini enriching his visual repertoire with skeletons The artist develops a unique expressive language mirroring an ideal dialogue with the writer Both analyze detail to the point of obsession immersing themselves in a magnetic and surreal atmosphere Closing the exhibition is a series of self-portraits made between 1928 and 1929 Conversazione con i miei fantasmi and L’esprit travaille in which Martini depicts himself as a demiurge confirming his adherence to an esoteric and alchemical aesthetic much in vogue in Europe where he moved in 1926 in search of greater recognition living his last years in financial straits Psyche’s Window in the Poet’s House closes the exhibition as an artistic testament and symbol of the existential anxieties of the first half of the 20th century The exhibition is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m and 2 to 7 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 7 p.m England Athletics is delighted to announce the team selected to compete at the European Under 20 Road Race at the Trofeo Opitergium on 1 May The race will see the England teams competing against some of Europe's best Under 20 athletes in a team competition over 5k and 10k The race takes place in the beautiful Italian town of Oderzo in Italy and has become a regular fixture for England teams over the past few years In 2024 the England women won their 5k team event and the men took bronze in the 10k team event The team will be supported by Team Leader Hayley Hemmings and Team Coach Spencer Duval Matthew Pickering winning the U20 national XC: photo by Graham Smith We were very good from the beginning, everyone was called into play and gave what we expected from them: now we must not think that it is already over, oderzo It's a well-trained team, which in the end played even better than many other teams that beat us. They will play at home and will want to make a good impression in front of their fans, in playoff they are all games in themselves and what we did yesterday is of no use. What we will need instead is what we will be able to do on Wednesday, we are happy but at the same time focused on the next match". It is worth highlighting, in a match that had very little to say, the response of the white and blue public, who packed the stands of the Bondi Arena: about 1300 spectators present on a warm Sunday in early May, and the feeling is that – in case Ferrara should advance to the next round – this number will increase further. with the patronage of the municipality of Oderzo a series of four evenings dedicated entirely to entertainment all of which will take place in the park of Palazzo Foscolo The festival begins on 6 July with a performance of Mistero buffo by Dario Fo and Franca Rame with the participation of Matthias Martelli and directed by Eugenio Allegri it is the turn of La morte arriva in paradiso presented by the TeatrOpitergium theatre company in which macabre episodes concerning well-known figures in the music industry are explored The third event is on 20 July and consists of a comedy show called Pacottiglia Deluxe offered by Circo Pacco and starring Frank Duro & Gustavo Leumann The last evening is on 27 July and is the turn of the comedy Le mirabolanti avventure di Arlecchino e peripezie dei comici dell’arte The events are free and responsible admission It is necessary to bring a blanket or cushion to sit on the grass Ceramics workshop with Sara Dall’Antonia An afternoon of Three more games are scheduled for game-1 of the first round of the interregional Serie B playoffs: Pordenone-Iseo, Monfalcone-Gardonese, Sangiorgese-Mantova. The game-7 will be played on Wednesday 2, the possible "deal" is scheduled for Sunday 11 May at the home of the best-ranked team. Critics say plan to issue fines of up to €500 for climbing trees in Oderzo’s public spaces is ‘absurd’ An Italian council has come under fire for banning people from climbing trees. Anyone caught climbing a tree in public spaces in the centre of Oderzo, a town in the northern province of Treviso, risks fines of between €25 (£21) and €500 (£428). The measure reportedly had been part of urban regulations for some time but returned to the spotlight when councillors were asked to approve the fines as part of a package of rules that also includes a ban on lying down on benches. Maria Scardellato, the rightwing mayor of Oderzo, said the tree-climbing rule was intended to keep people safe and to protect the trees. But Giulia Princivalli, a centre-left councillor, said it was absurd. “It’s paradoxical to ban children from climbing trees when we complain about them always being in front of a mobile phone,” she told Corriere del Veneto. “It would be enough to put signs up warning parents that the council is not liable [in the event of an accident].” telling the local press that “playful activity He added: “The experience of climbing trees allows children to know their limits.” Scardellato said she had been hit with a deluge of calls from people asking for her to explain the rule “Obviously it does not apply to trees in the countryside or in private gardens but to those in the town centre or public areas … I have never seen a city [centre] where people climb trees,” she wrote on Facebook “There is absolutely no wish to limit children’s play.” Torna al sito The altarpiece is a representation of the conceptual hypothesis of the founding of the Church on the rock of Saint Peter and apostolic succession patron saint of the church where the painting originally hung Saint Peter asked to evangelise the metropolitan see of Aquilea; to the right is the bishop Titian of Oderzo (sixth–seventh century) to which the parish church of Fontanelle from which the work comes belongs The two female saints on either side of the cathedra who are distinguished solely by the palm branch of martyrdom have traditionally been identified with Justina of Padua (third–fourth century) and Augusta (fifth century) The painting dates from the first half of the ’20s just before the Saint Barbara Polyptych in Santa Maria Formosa in Venice and demonstrates the artist’s dependence on models derived from Titian in composing the scene and in the felicity of his colour scheme THE TICKET DESKS CLOSE AT 1 PM ON MONDAY TICKET SALES END AT 6.00 PM ©Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia, OFFICIAL SITE Privacy e cookie policy the home of businessman Lorenzo Bucciol and his family has been transformed by Roberto Peregalli and Laura Sartori Rimini of the Milan-based design firm Studio Peregalli Seen here are Dorianna and Lorenzo Bucciol with their Cavalier King Charles spaniel Amy.Save this storySaveSave this storySaveThis article originally appeared in the July 2013 issue of Architectural Digest That coldness was part of what made the project so appealing to the duo, who embraced the challenge of enlivening the spaces with compelling handcrafted alterations. “It is easier to start from scratch,” says Sartori Rimini. “But it is so much more satisfying to intervene at a later stage, as we did here. It took us three years and a multitude of artisans to get it done.” Not all the decorative elements in Villa Bucciol were made to measure. Some, like the kitchen’s 18th-century majolica wall tiles, were sourced from antiques dealers. And much of the inspiration came from the client’s personal collection. “One of the perks of this job,” Sartori Rimini says, “was working with Lorenzo Bucciol, who has an inborn passion for beautiful things.” In the end, it is his eye for the unusual and eclectic that gives true depth to their shared vision. Dinner guests helping celebrate the first anniversary of Amedeo’s Ristorante are George Birdsong with Elizabeth Dalzell Amedeo’s Ristorante pays homage to the man known affectionately as “Mr Peanut,” now the globally recognized mascot for Planters Peanuts If the name Obici seems familiar you may have noticed it on Sentara Obici Hospital the historic Obici House at Sleepy Hole Golf Course the Meridian Obici apartment complex in downtown Suffolk or even a glass of cold Birra Del Obici at the Nansemond Brewing Station aimed to correct that loss when they named their newest North Suffolk ventures Amedeo’s Italian Ristorante and Amedeo’s Bakery the entrepreneurial couple celebrated the restaurant and bakery’s first anniversary with a toast to Amedeo Obici – a dinner party for three dozen locals who share fond memories of the man The dinner guests remember the story of the pre-teen boy who left Oderzo in 1889 to travel alone to the United States The young Amedeo Obici arrived in New York with a Scranton address tag pinned to his jacket and speaking no English His uncle had encouraged Obici’s widowed mother to send the boy to him in Scranton and ease her struggles to support Amedeo and his three younger siblings in Oderzo They also remember that same plucky boy grew into the celebrated peanut king who shared his hard-earned fortune with Suffolk Amedeo Obici’s legacy lives in the recognition he brought to Suffolk his continuing benevolence and a life story that reads like a novel It was that legacy that the Mullinses hoped to bring to light line the walls of the restaurant’s banquet room distinctive among the black and white photos is a reproduction of one of Obici’s favorites that hung in his mansion on the Nansemond River in Suffolk The dinner menu read like it might in an Oderzo café – or the dining room of the Obici home in Sleepy Hole Starting with a garden salad and the traditional Italian appetizer Filetto Carpaccio – finely shaved tenderloin dressed with Dijon aioli sundried tomato and arugula – the dinner guests enjoyed veal chop basil pesto pappardelle and chicken saltimbocca topped off with Amedeo’s tiramisu and a nod to local cuisine – Lilly Farms strawberry shortcake a gathering of peanut royalty as Tom Powell president of The Addison Group and the evening’s emcee the century old peanut processor that takes peanuts from the fields to the end manufacturers of peanut products when the Birdsong shelling plant in Courtland burned in 1939 with enabling the Birdsongs to move their business from Courtland to Suffolk to work in concert with Obici’s own Planters Peanuts have been actively involved in Suffolk’s Sister Cities International since it launched 40 years ago The non-profit program seeks to promote understanding and unite people around the world Suffolk has enjoyed a sister cities relationship with Oderzo retired head of school at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy remembers that the residents of Oderzo were as enthused as the Suffolk Sister Cities group to formalize their connection When the Italians arrived in Suffolk for the first exchange visit business and anything else connected with him Naismith explained that while many early 1900s immigrants from Italy struggled over long years to make a decent living “Because of that he was a hero and a man to be celebrated in Oderzo.” Obici’s popularity there grew even greater when he donated a new wing on the Oderzo hospital settled into place in front of the Oderzo vocational school named for Amedeo Obici a relationship that inspired the couple to spend years researching the Obici family history The photos in the restaurant came from their collection and include several not seen before in the Suffolk area and representing the James River Greyhounds Tabi (short for her racing name of Tabloid Tabi) convinced the couple that the retired racers can be great pets as well The Mullinses were happy to see so many people there to celebrate Amedeo Obici and enjoy dining in their newest restaurant River Stone Chop House and Decoy’s Seafood and plan to open a new restaurant in Chesapeake’s new Summit Pointe development in the fall If you would like to know more about Amedeo Obici watch for a new book about his incredible life and business acumen The Birdsong Charitable Foundation and the Obici Healthcare Foundation are co-sponsoring the book scheduled for release in 2023 We know very well what the objective is, we have never hidden and the victory with Iseo has given us confidence, I hope that we will be able to complete the work for which we all came here to Ferrara. We feel the support and the push of our people, the last performance gave us awareness and morale: regardless of who we will find in front of us, it will depend on us". Adamant has reached the decisive point of its season, the moment it has been waiting for since last August, when Benedetto's group began training together. Tickets for Game 1 went on sale yesterday afternoon at Bondi Arena, with pre-emption reserved for season ticket holders, which will continue today. Starting tomorrow, general sales will open online at www.etes.it, and on Friday and Saturday also in person at the box office in the arena. The Este supporters, always present in large numbers in the stands, are called to make an extra effort and from now on we expect truly important crowds, to push Ferrara to the much-desired promotion to the National B. We are pleased to announce a 5k (women) and 10k (men) road running representative opportunity for Under 20 athletes at the Trofeo Opitergium in Oderzo England Athletics values the importance of competitive road running opportunities for developing athletes looking to gain international experience A minimum scoring team of up to three men and women will be selected A further male and female athlete may be selected as well as two non-travelling reserves for each team The first three runners in each category will score for the team with the men’s and women’s team scores being added for an overall team score For questions, contact England Athletics National Endurance Manager (Off Track), Tom Craggs,tcraggs@englandathletics.org The Team will be selected week beginning 7 August 2023 Download the full Oderzo Selection Policy (PDF 320kB) The year 2024 marks the anniversary of the passing of Alberto Martini (Oderzo 1876 - Milan 1954) one of the most influential and visionary artists of the Symbolist scene and forerunner of Surrealism and celebrations are being prepared to commemorate the importance of his figure will culminate in two major exhibitions scheduled for the fall: The Extraordinary Stories Alberto Martini and Edgar Allan Poe at the Palazzo Foscolo in Oderzo and Alberto Martini The Dance Macabre at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan.The celebrations designed to immerse audiences in Alberto Martini’s unique and visionary world European-spanning intellectual dimension and the mysteries of his creations Described by the British press as an “Italian pen-and-ink genius” at the 1914 London exhibition Martini was a leading figure on the international art scene between the late 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century but mostly an illustrator of literary works Martini showed a predilection for drawing that may have limited his fame among posterity his visionary inventions fertilized the imagery of artists helping to renew attention to his extraordinary art Martini’s hometown and home to the Pinacoteca dedicated to him thus becomes the driving force behind the celebrations thanks to the Fondazione Oderzo Cultura The main event will be the exhibition The Extraordinary Stories which will be held at Palazzo Foscolo from September 27 Curated by Paola Bonifacio and Alessandro Botta the exhibition will feature more than 120 works including paintings many of which have never been exhibited before or never before This exhibition is intended as a pathway to discover Martini’s universe and follow his maturation With a focus on his dream world and the “dark side” of his art the exhibition will highlight his famous series of ink illustrations of Edgar Allan Poe’s fantastic tales Popularized in Europe especially in Charles Baudelaire’s 1856 French translation Poe’s tales deeply affected the imaginations of artists of the time The exhibition will include focused comparisons with works by Gaetano Previati highlighting the originality and visionary power of Martini’s illustrations the Castello Sforzesco will host the exhibition Alberto Martini This exhibition will present about sixty precious drawings preserved in the Gabinetto dei Disegni and the Raccolta delle Stampe A The exhibition will also include examples of European graphic art on the Totentanz theme with the organizational support of Villaggio Globale International the celebrations count on a curatorial team composed of Paola Bonifacio and Alessandro Botta joined by a scientific committee of internationally renowned experts: Giorgio Marini The scientific coordination of the celebrations is entrusted to Carlo Sala The celebrations involve several institutions: the Castello Sforzesco in Milan the Venice Biennale’s Historical Archives of Contemporary Arts - ASAC the Italian Cultural Institute and the Veneto Region headquarters in Brussels a monographic room dedicated to Martini at the Bajlo Museum will continue to explore the modernity of his artistic lesson The Oderzo Cultura Foundation will publish with Dario Cimorelli Editore a volume of studies entitled Alberto Martini European Artist and the catalogs of the Oderzo and Milan exhibitions which will be presented during the “Martiniane Days” in November edited by Paola Bonifacio and Alessandro Botta represents an important point of arrival for the valorization of the figure of Alberto Martini since to date there is still no systematic study on the author Contributing to this publication will be essays by: Paola Bonifacio other Italian cities such as Treviso and Venice will participate in the celebrations with leading exhibitions and initiatives the collaboration between the Oderzo Cultura Foundation and the Treviso Civic Museums which has already led to the opening of a monographic room dedicated to Martini at the Bajlo Museum in 2022 will see a series of events to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the artist’s death questioning the modernity of his artistic lesson the Historical Archives of Contemporary Arts - ASAC of the Venice Biennale will promote a specific itinerary for young students and researchers dedicated to illustration and graphics in relation to the figure of Alberto Martini a selection of illustrations from the Divine Comedy cycle will be set up in Garda appointments and exhibitions are being defined to renew the fame and knowledge of Alberto Martini a Sister Cities student ambassador in 2019 a delegation of student ambassadors from Suffolk pauses for a photo in Italy with their host siblings during a student exchange Suffolk Sister Cities has been helping form bonds between people from Suffolk and those around the world Sister Cities International was created at President Dwight D Eisenhower’s 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy Eisenhower believed people of different cultures could celebrate and appreciate their differences and build partnerships through this new organization Suffolk Sister Cities formed in 1995 with its first partnership with Suffolk County Suffolk has strong historical ties with both of its sister cities The tie to Suffolk County is obvious; the tie to Oderzo the founder of Planters Peanuts and benefactor of Suffolk immigrated to the United States from his hometown of Oderzo as a boy eventually landing here by way of Wilkes Barre Suffolk and its sister cities partner on programs including youth exchanges and adult exchanges there is also an arts showcase for students and more became involved in the organization because of its work with young people her family hosted a middle school musician from Suffolk County when the band traveled here to play concerts and experience America “It was just a phenomenal experience,” Wren said they both went on short exchange trips to Italy I think that’s huge to bring kids together that aren’t normally around each other and working together and they’re experiencing something unique.” they stay in the homes of Italian families and have an itinerary that brings them together on planned trips along with their host families Italian students visiting Suffolk stay with American families and are able to visit many historic sites ranging from Obici-related sites in Suffolk such as the Obici House to regional sites like Colonial Williamsburg Although it’s been a few years since the exchanges have happened thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic Wren said a group of adults is planned to go to Italy later this year She hopes youth exchanges will start back up soon There also are plans to repair the Obici-Oderzo Fountain which sits in the park adjacent to the courthouse on North Main Street the fountain honors the Obicis and commemorates the Sister Cities relationship between Suffolk and Oderzo It embodies elements of classic design symbolizing the ancient Roman origins of Oderzo The mosaic tiles were a gift from the citizens of Oderzo Suffolk Sister Cities was able to send monetary aid to Oderzo to purchase medical supplies further cementing the “sisterhood” between the two Find more information on Suffolk Sister Cities at suffolksistercitiesinternational.org and the surrounding areas pause their downtown tour on Thursday for a photo in front of the Obici-Oderzo Fountain near the Godwin Courts Building A group of 26 Italians and their American hosts toured Suffolk on Thursday stopping at several sites pertinent to the multi-faceted relationship between Suffolk and Italy The trip was sponsored by Suffolk Sister Cities which has sibling relationship with Oderzo It is the town from which Amedeo Obici — Planters Peanuts founder hospital founder and Suffolk beneficiary — hailed as a young boy Obici immigrated to Pennsylvania before settling in Suffolk to be closer to the producers of his product He later would found the Louise Obici Memorial Hospital Proceeds from his estate now fund grants from the Obici Healthcare Foundation “It’s a way of keeping Amedeo Obici’s legacy alive by doing these exchanges,” said Susan Blair the group spent Thursday morning touring the Italian-based Massimo Zanetti Beverage Company’s plant on Progress Road toured downtown and visited the Obici-Oderzo Fountain near the courthouse Most of the group stopped in at Amici’s for espresso and then they went to visit the Obici Healthcare Foundation’s headquarters Visiting Suffolk for the seventh time was Ermes Campigotto “He feels like it’s his home here,” said Nicoletta Dalla Pozzo “He organized the Italian delegation coming to Suffolk due to his very deep friendship.” Campigotto stays with Blair and her husband every year who is the mayor of a small town south of Oderzo called Fossalta di Piave “One day is not enough,” he said when asked his impression of Suffolk very fine; beautiful” and said his hosts “have a great sense of hospitality.” He learned about the story of Obici’s connection with Suffolk two years ago and told a friend he was interested in coming to see Suffolk “I think it’s important for us to show people and the world this is who Americans are,” said Maryanne Persons of Suffolk Sister Cities Some of these people didn’t necessarily know each other when they came on this trip together I think Obici was practicing it before it was called citizen diplomacy.” on Sunday 4th May the playoff for promotion in National Serie B Adamant Ferrara Basket approaches the post season strong of the second place in the standings achieved at the end of the Play-In Gold and in the first round will face Oderzo Basketball Together” is the claim chosen by the company for this new and intense phase in which the fate of the entire season will be decided to keep the prices of the Tickets for home games compared to the regular season Please note that season ticket cards are no longer valid Suffolk Sister Cities International is an organization with a goal to unite the world through personal connections and will not let a global pandemic stop it from doing so Suffolk has two sister cities: Suffolk County These cities have made personal connections over the years through visitations and student exchanges “We still want to remain engaged with our Sister Cities and express solidarity as well as support,” said Suffolk Sister Cities International President the organization felt the need to help those struggling due to the pandemic the organization made donations of $1,000 each to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia as well as to a fund set up by Oderzo’s mayor Sister Cities participants in Oderzo have kept their friends and former host families in Suffolk up to date on what they are facing overseas Their letters were published in the latest newsletter with firsthand accounts of what was happening “There are many students who came here for the exchange program who came back to shadow physicians at Obici Hospital,” said Maryanne Persons member of the executive committee for Suffolk Sister Cities International all of these students are on the frontlines during the pandemic.” He wrote a letter in January that had an update on the status of the pandemic in Italy “Entire wards have been emptied to prepare for new intensive and semi-intensive therapies,” said Marcuzzo “The operating rooms remain open only for emergency or cancer surgery and everything that is deferrable is not done in order to free respirators for new arrivals.” Other friends in Oderzo shared similar stories Maria Teresa Miori shared how she could not leave her home except for work or health reasons in March She is also a nurse and was working 12 hour shifts seven days a week Martina Manzato and Marco Calogero shared their concerns for the economic impact of the shutdown Suffolk County was in a stay-at-home order similar to the one here Angela Rossi wrote in her letter about making the best of their time at home as she and her husband took care of her parents with Alzheimer’s Tim and Nita Jenkins noted how a woman Tim works with contracted the virus “Not much chance of things being relaxed at the moment because we had 980 deaths in the past 24 hours,” the Jenkinses said in their letter Suffolk Sister Cities International is now looking for ways to continue civil diplomacy and develop relations in a new way “Suffolk Sister Cities is having to consider the new normal and new world we live in,” said Persons “We don’t know what that will look like quite yet but we want to explore the new possibilities of how to keep developing these relationships.” Donations are still open for anyone who would like to give to the COVID relief fund A few dozen people gathered at a picnic Tuesday evening at the Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion to meet several guests of honor The Suffolk Sister Cities group held the membership picnic for members to meet the three members of the Italian youth delegation who are visiting Suffolk this month Giacomo Matera and twins Daniele and Riccardo Barro are visiting Suffolk for a couple of weeks from Oderzo the businessman and Suffolk benefactor who founded Planters Peanuts after immigrating to America and named Louise Obici Memorial Hospital after his wife The trio said they have enjoyed their trip so far they help us to understand what they’re saying and don’t make too much fuss.” stayed with the Barro family last year as part of the Sister Cities youth exchange “It was cool how they hosted me and took me all over when I was there and now I can do the same thing,” Will said Riccardo said he wanted to come see Will again and see how he lives in America Riccardo said he is jealous that Will can already drive New drivers in Italy have to be at least 18 years old Giacomo said this is his third trip to America as he has visited New York and Boston in the past it’s important to learn English to help me in my future,” he said “I want to experience the real American life.” which included Obici House — the home of Amedeo and Louise Obici when they were living — and Sentara Obici Hospital which retained the Obici name even after being acquired by Sentara Other places of interest they have seen have included Jamestown where they were allowed to choose a museum and decided on the Holocaust Museum Each of the three has also been doing separate activities with their host families as well “I really wanted to see Washington,” Giacomo said You are very open to other people and different cultures.” The three said they were surprised by how much newer the buildings are here as Suffolk is a much younger city than Oderzo but also by the emphasis on preserving history as the Oderzo area does not have a lot of trees Two Suffolk youth have been visiting Italy for the last two weeks and are now traveling back by way of Spain where they are visiting a relative of one of the young men Suffolk will also send seven or eight young people to the Youth Leadership Summit at the 61st annual Sister Cities International Conference in Virginia Beach this week Among them will be Kaitlyn Holmes and Mackenzie Sheppard because I loved the people there,” Kaitlyn said Nobody judged you on how you dressed or spoke.” Kaitlyn said she also wants to return because this year’s theme deals with the oceans and you experience so much,” Mackenzie said “I was so impressed with the people and what I experienced A group of 16 adults from Suffolk also will visit Italy this September Sister Cities leaders said the group’s programs are important for a number of reasons “The international experience is more important because we have internet and movies and things but those are not people,” Maryanne Persons added Call Persons at 539-7188 for more information about Suffolk Sister Cities Suffolk also has a Sister Cities relationship with Suffolk County Johnson from Mayor Pietro Della Libere of Oderzo An 18-member delegation from Suffolk visited the city’s Sister City in September from Suffolk recently returned home bearing gifts About half of the Sister Cities delegation arrived at Wednesday’s City Council meeting to present gifts to Mayor Linda T “It was an awesome trip,” said Mary Jane Naismith Oderzo is a Sister City of Suffolk because it is the hometown of Amedeo Obici who founded the Planters Nut and Chocolate Company and founded Louise Obici Memorial Hospital in honor of his wife The 18 ambassadors from Suffolk went for five days in September discussed ways to strengthen the ties between the two cities and saw a variety of sights in Italy and all activities and meals in Italy were paid for by Italian citizens The visitors were treated to a tour and reception at Amedeo Obici High School The statue was a gift from Suffolk to Oderzo in 2004 the Roman ruins and the Dolomite Mountains where a surprise snowfall canceled their tram trip to the top of the mountain They also visited Venice and toured La Fenice They also met with city and regional officials including Franco Manzatto (roughly the equivalent of Virginia’s lieutenant governor Naismith and Libere toasted to an agreement to exchange Oderzo wine and cheese for Suffolk peanuts The gifts include a paperweight with the official city seal of Oderzo as well as a publication with photos of Oderzo Johnson said they would be displayed in city hall The Italians also accepted an invitation to come to Suffolk next year A group of Italians visiting this weekend from Suffolk’s sister city will have a surprise awaiting them on Sunday Suffolk benefactor and Planters Peanuts founder smiling from a pedestal mounted in a circular rose garden in front of the house Peanut is shown leaning on his signature cane and sporting a monocle and top hat Peanut statue in front of the restored Obici House will greet a delegation of Italian visitors this weekend the Obici House recently was restored by Ronnie Rountree who has a lease on the home and the Sleepy Hole Golf Course surrounding it It now serves as pro shop and grill for the golf course Deputy City Manager Patrick Roberts said the city learned a member of the Sister Cities group had the statue The city approached the group with the idea of putting the statue in front of Obici House The statue was restored by Suffolk Iron Works and erected using an annual contract for small jobs It initially was meant to be a secret until the visit of the Italian delegation but once installed it became the worst-kept secret at Sleepy Hole “It’s hard to keep a seven-foot statue wide out in the open a secret,” he said “I think it will still be a surprise (to the Italians) It’s something that adds a very unique but relevant piece of history to the work that’s been done at the house.” The last time a delegation from Oderzo visited the city made the group sign liability waivers because the house was in full-blown renovation phase “We think they’re going to be blown away by what they see,” he said After Obici founded Planters Peanuts in Pennsylvania following his emigration from Italy he moved the company to Suffolk to be closer to peanut producers Peanut character was born when a boy from Hall Place sketched him for a contest to design a Planters mascot Rountree said he discovered the secret shortly before the statue was constructed Peanut statue would be “the icing on the cake.” The Italian delegation arrives on Thursday They also will visit the Planters Peanuts factory the Nansemond Indian Tribe’s annual powwow and the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts as well as take a walking tour of downtown The four young travelers got a table at That Good BBQ on Friday afternoon for an indoor lunch with the thick sweet smell of delicious barbecue inside the restaurant For her second lunch at That Good BBQ since she came to the United States the week prior But her favorite treats by far were the hushpuppies “I love them,” she said as she reached for one more “With the sauce it had a taste that I never tasted before It was the first time that I ever had fried bread like that.” but his favorite American meal was still the bacon cheeseburger he devoured from Five Guys “We’ve had other students who just love the way Americans put bacon on everything,” said Maryanne Persons commissioner and board member for Suffolk Sister Cities International Sister Cities International was created by President Dwight D Today the nonprofit network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers in nearly 500 member communities with more than 2,000 partnerships in more than 140 countries The Suffolk chapter began its program in 1981 with Suffolk County in England the Italian city where Amedeo Obici — the founder of Planters Peanuts and Obici Hospital — was born Suffolk Sister Cities sponsored four students to participate in an exchange program this summer with host families and volunteers in Oderzo arrived at Norfolk International Airport on the evening of June 28 A group of teens from Suffolk is in Oderzo right now and the Suffolk chapter will also sponsor a group of students to attend the Sister Cities Youth Leadership Summit that will be held at the University of Denver this August “For our students that travel independently gaining a new appreciation and building new friendship Hopefully they can bring those experiences back to their own classrooms.” The four from Oderzo have spent the past week or so jumping from one new experience to another and dove into both Suffolk and Virginia history They visited the Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg and were impressed by efforts made for historical accuracy “It was like back-in-time traveling,” Leonardo said “Everyone was wearing the original clothes of the time They also explored the history of Obici himself at Sentara Obici Hospital and the Obici House Seaboard Station Railroad Museum and the first Planters factory “Here in the United States you don’t have as much history as in Europe but what you have is better presented through great museums,” Elie said but there are lots of explanations on the history.” It hasn’t all been history lessons for the teens They also enjoyed a day of kayaking and canoeing in a Suffolk lake — ending in a grilled cookout with one of the host families — and on another day the girls got pedicures in North Suffolk while the boys went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg I’ve never done a roller coaster because I was always scared,” according to Leonardo “but I said ‘I’m in America and I want to try.’ It was very good but I did do ‘Apollo’s Chariot,’” Elie admitted it’s important for exchange students to spend a good portion of their visit with their host families “The point is to see what life is like for teenagers in America,” she said Melissa said her host family in Eclipse has been a good fit She and the others got to see the Crittenden Eclipse and Hobson Ruritan Club’s Fourth of July fireworks light up the sky Wednesday evening She’s even enjoyed some surprise dolphin sightings from her host family’s waterside home “We can see their fins from the window,” she said as she pantomimed a fin’s bobbing motion with her hands The four have learned much about life in the United States during their stay in Suffolk They were impressed by everyone’s unbridled patriotism and wild array of red “Everyone had many flags in their houses and in the streets It looks like everyone is proud to be American,” Vittoria said Leonardo was surprised by the sheer size of the land He said it doesn’t take more than 10 minutes driving to get where you need to go in Oderzo but in Suffolk there’s wide swaths of land filled with vegetation and wildlife “I love the fact that here you have this beautiful nature with many animals and landscapes,” he said We don’t have many trees or green everywhere like here.” Persons said that the mottos of Suffolk Sister Cities are “peace through people” and “building international and global understanding through friendships “In many ways today being in the digital age yet they don’t get to know the people,” she said “It’s being able to see their schools and their towns to gain a better understanding of the people There’s greater opportunities for peace because of the mutual understanding through the relationships that you’ve built.” The visiting teens expressed their gratitude for everything they’ve been able to experience through this long-standing “I’ve had the opportunity to see an important nation of the world that I probably never would have seen if it weren’t for this relationship between the two cities,” Elie said The four will have a farewell supper for the organization’s membership next week at the Visitor Center to spend their last weekend stateside in the nation’s capital the fun continued Friday night with plans to go see “Lynyrd Skynyrd” perform in Virginia Beach ‘Free Bird’ and ‘Simple Man,’” Leonardo said excitedly Eight students from the Suffolk Sister Cities International’s summer program had the opportunity to attend the organization’s annual Youth Leadership Summit or travel to Oderzo Suffolk Sister Cities International hosted a dinner Tuesday to celebrate students who participated in this summer’s program friends and city officials were in attendance The organization sponsored two groups of students this year One group attended the Youth Leadership Summit in the nation’s capital Both groups were equally impacted by their experiences “I was visiting all the different places and countries through the people,” said Donielle Blake one of the students who attended the summit “Everywhere you go looks like a painting,” said McKayla West The students were a mix of local public school and homeschooled students visited the United States during the exchange Cadamuro said she had a great overall experience and found joy in the simple things she became a huge fan of peanut butter and she loved going to the beach there was one thing in particular she didn’t like “She didn’t like root beer floats; she said it tasted like mouthwash,” said Kristin Johnston whose family hosted Cadamuro during her stay This year’s leadership summit was the largest to date attracting 115 high school students from across the globe students participated in diplomatic simulations listened to keynote speakers and also visited various landmarks and buildings “It is important for students to develop citizenship skills,” said Maryanne Persons former president and youth coordinator for Suffolk Sister Cities The students that traveled to Italy cherished their time there “I made lifelong friends there and the [host] family really tried to make me comfortable,” West said Cadamuro also had some lasting impressions about the U.S “We only care about our past,” she said of her home you can be born like that and can change it Sister Cities International was founded by former president Dwight D He sought to involve all citizens in a grass-roots effort to promote world peace cities have partnerships with communities in 150 countries around the world the Suffolk chapter began its program with Suffolk County in England founder of Planters Peanuts and Obici Hospital Amedeo Obici was born just north of Venice in the small town of Oderzo and by age 12 he found himself alone aboard a steam ship headed to a Brooklyn train station and as his railcar rolled from the New York borough to Scranton (where he was to live with his uncle’s family) he was misdirected and wound up in Wilkes-Barre instead The Musante’s would become Obici’s second family in Pennsylvania In 1906, by age 29, the up-and-coming nut purveyor had partnered with his friend, Mario Peruzzi, and founded the Planters Peanut Company Obici held a contest to see who could create the most fitting brand mascot began sketching possible entries for the contest How Mr. Peanut came to be, and his connection to @smithsonian. https://t.co/GSHgMrHM5e — Smithsonian Magazine (@SmithsonianMag) January 25, 2020 He drew a friendly and humanized peanut, who leisurely strolled with a dignified cane. A commercial artist added a top hat and monocle, and the universally-liked Mr. Peanut was born, according to Smithsonian magazine bow-tied peanut has greeted and pleased the masses the centenarian’s run came to a surprisingly abrupt and bittersweet end this week when Planters took to social media and announced that Mr Peanut had sacrificed himself to save the lives of his paesani It is with heavy hearts that we confirm that Mr. Peanut has died at 104. In the ultimate selfless act, he sacrificed himself to save his friends when they needed him most. Please pay your respects with #RIPeanut pic.twitter.com/VFnEFod4Zp — Mr. Peanut (@MrPeanut) January 22, 2020 The company said his death will be tied to a Super Bowl commercial that will air on Feb Obici’s and Gentile’s remain in tact passed away in 1947 and left millions for the construction of two major hospitals one in Suffolk and one in his Italian hometown of Oderzo Gentile became an Eagle Scout and graduated as valedictorian from Suffolk’s  high school class in 1920 earning honors and three degrees: undergraduate He became a surgeon and started a family of his own No matter what happens to the monocle-wearing nut the brand icon–in an admittedly unique way–symbolizes the creativity and drive buried deep within two Italian boys who went from modest beginnings to the height of business Smithsonian (YouTube screenshot); Robert Slade Italian immigrants toiled to change their lives where we turned a dream into Italian America—a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the world has seen ISDA has kept its strong sense of community alive and thriving to become one of the largest and most financially successful Italian American organizations in the country We now unite Italian Americans across states nationwide to celebrate our culture and preserve the traditions our ancestors brought with them from Italy Share your email address with us Italian Sons & Daughters of America 419 Wood St. © 2025 Italian Sons & Daughters of America director of operations for the Obici House leads a group from Suffolk Sister Cities through the historic residence Serene Cadamuro and Andrea Brugnera listen on Four Italian teens on Wednesday took a tour of Suffolk’s famed Obici House as a part of a Suffolk Sister Cities-hosted student exchange Serena Cadamuro and Andrea Brugnera all hail from around Oderzo the founder of the Planters Nut and Chocolate Company and the former owner of the house She walked the guests through each room in the house and told about the house’s construction and the people that lived in it The house was modeled after a villa in Obici’s native Italy and has many features made from materials brought in from Oderzo Tagg regaled them with stories of possible ghosts in the house talking about her experiences with doors creepily opening and slamming shut Each of the teenagers that came to Suffolk from Italy remarked about how different life in Suffolk is emphasizing differences ranging from the culture to the architecture “The whole experience for me is the most different,” Zulianello said Ghirardo said that another big difference is the openness of the people in America “The people are a lot more confident,” Ghirardo said “They will always start a conversation with you.” Ghirardo added that Suffolk is much more spread out because in Italy one can bike or walk from place to place Suffolk Sister Cities has made sure that its guests get to experience quintessential American sites and eaten plenty of American food in the time they have been here Brugnera and Cadamuro agreed that s’mores were the best American treat they had also praising hamburgers and fried chicken they enjoyed the tour and have liked Suffolk so far and it showed the connection between Oderzo and Suffolk The teens were accompanied on their tour by Theresa Sims the vice president of Suffolk Sister Cities; Joe Questore The airlines are hopping between Suffolk and Oderzo this summer — two Suffolk teens are currently visiting Italy and a delegation of 26 adults from Oderzo will visit here in August who have participated in this year’s Suffolk Sister Cities cultural exchange pose for a photo Front row from left are host brothers David Raines and Austin Raines Back row from left are Italian Francesco Leschi Pop-Tarts and the correct way to eat pasta were among the discoveries of a group of two teens from Suffolk and three from Oderzo who recently participated in a cultural exchange sponsored by Suffolk Sister Cities joined in siblinghood because Suffolk benefactor and Planters Peanuts founder Amedeo Obici was born in Oderzo “It’s been great in both directions,” said Maryanne Persons of Suffolk Sister Cities The American visitors to Italy were Laura Smith recently graduated as the valedictorian of King’s Fork High School a rising senior at Nansemond River High School It was the first trip out of America for both young ladies They returned from their two-week trip on Tuesday night Each stayed with two host families for one week each of the trip “We basically just went where they went,” Smith said “We didn’t change their habits; we just sort of blended in with them.” Smith’s host families took her to see the sights she picked up on many differences in their way of life compared to America “It was like they intuitively know how to enjoy life more,” Smith said Smith said the houses use plenty of natural light There are no ceiling fans or digital clocks and very little use of air conditioning “They spend a lot of time outside,” she said Bazemore’s host families took her to different sites so she could see the architecture She also learned the correct way to eat pasta from her first host family after being with them only a couple hours seeing the nation’s capital proved to be a favorite for all three of the teens — Francesco Leschi “I really enjoyed when we went to Washington,” said Leschi adding that he enjoyed the Capitol and Lincoln Memorial Corona said she also enjoyed visiting New York City Marelli confirmed the observations of her fellow Italians but also said she “enjoyed staying in the countryside” because it is “the real America.” Corona discovered a new culinary treat — Pop-Tarts which are not available in Italy — and Marelli learned a new way to eat cereal “They eat cereal in a different way than we do,” she said explaining that at home she heats the milk and then adds cereal rather than pouring cereal and adding cold milk The Italian visitors will return to Oderzo on Monday For more information on the adult or youth Sister Cities programs helps Italian exchange visitor Arianna Caroli play an icebreaker game at a welcome picnic on Friday A group of five Italian visitors are in Suffolk for a month and two Suffolk teenagers are visiting Italy beginning next week A group of young people from Suffolk and from Oderzo is helping to continue an emerging tradition of cultural exchange between the two communities this summer paired as part of Sister Cities International Two rising seniors from Lakeland High School are leaving this week to visit Oderzo for four weeks arrived in Suffolk last week for a month-long visit The two cities are paired because Amedeo Obici the founder of Planters Peanuts and namesake of Obici Hospital was born in Oderzo and spent the first decade of his life there “I was very curious to see the town where Mr who at 27 is the oldest of the Italian visitors The visitors were welcomed at a picnic Friday evening at the home of Douglas and Mary Jane Naismith where Suffolk’s emissaries to Italy also were honored The Italian visitors speak English with varying levels of proficiency but Fay and Barnes do not speak Italian at all — and their host families do not speak English “It sounded like a really good opportunity,” said Fay who first heard about the trip and then convinced Barnes to go Neither Fay nor Barnes has flown or visited another country before “You need to learn different cultures,” she said “You gain an appreciation for where you come from.” Each traveler on both sides of the exchange will be staying with a host family in her host country Some Italian parents who sent a child to Suffolk will be hosting an American visitor you see what the way of life is like,” Persons said The visitors here will be treated to a tour of Suffolk Jamestown and Busch Gardens while they’re in America She also visited as part of the exchange two years ago “It’s a great experience for us and a great opportunity,” she said “Not everyone has the opportunity to come and be so welcomed.” For more information on Suffolk Sister Cities Strong running and good depth took England to the bronze medal at the Trofeo Opitergium for the combined team competition in a highly competitive event in Oderzo Both races were run in sweltering 27 degree sunshine The athletes demonstrated great professionalism to cope well with the temperature and maximised use of ice packs and shade to keep themselves cool prior to the start.  The men ran as a pack for much of the 9 lap race with Jamie Richardson (club: West Cheshire) just drifting off the group around halfway Strong performances by Sam Burkitt (club: Ipswich/ Birmingham Uni coach: Andrew Hobdell) and Joe O’Connell (club: Aldershot coach: Mick Woods) to finish with 17 seconds of each other ensured the team finished in fifth place only 27 seconds behind the bronze medal The women’s race was highly competitive with Rebecca Flaherty (club: Bingley) and Libby Huxley (club: Preston coach: Andy Bibby) staying with the leading pack for the first half of the race They were closely supported by Lily Neate (club: Winchester coach: Nick Anderson) and Faye O'’h'Hare (club: Liverpool Harriers The hard work and commitment alongside the depth in the England team was rewarded with a Bronze medal in the closely contested Women’s competition with just 17 seconds splitting the gold medal team from the England Women.  "Most of the team were competing in their first international competition and displayed exceptional maturity and professionalism to run strong races in challenging hot conditions." the Junior men to step up to 10k - especially Ethan and Jamie who made their debuts over this distance Alongside the experience of Sam and Joe who executed good races to finish well Their closely matched individual results ensured the team finished high in the rankings."  In fact three of the men ran a new road 10k PB and Rebecca Flaherty ran a new road 5k PB "The women were outstanding in their commitment Especially Rebecca and Libby who ran with confidence in the leading pack for much of the race They were supported strongly by Lily and Faye who pushed hard to keep in touch to ensure the team finished with the well deserved bronze medal."  "To finish third overall in the combined competition was a very just reward for the whole team.” 1st: France 1:32:382nd: Spain 1:33:233rd: Italy 1:33:274th: Romania 1:33:305th: England 1:33:54 (27 seconds off bronze medal) 1st: Italy 51:132nd: Sweden 51:233rd: England 51:30 (17 seconds off gold medal)5th: France 51:59 1st: France  2:24:372nd: Italy  2:24:403rd: England 2:25:24 A team of nine athletes and 2 team support staff travelled to the small city of Oderzo in northern Italy for the 'Trofeo Opitergium' U20 European Road Race on Wednesday 1 May There was an individual win for Jessica Mitchell (Havering AC Patrick Gahagan) in the U20 women’s 5k in a time of 16:45 just two seconds ahead of Italy’s Angela Mattevi Her England team mates Becky Briggs (City of Hull AC Andrew Carter) was 15th (17:59) and Lucy Elms (Dulwich AC) was 28th (19:03) They also took team bronze on cumulative times Kabir Kemp) and Max Davis  (Avon Valley Runners Steve Williams) led the England team home to another team bronze finishing 6th and 7th respectively in the U20 men’s 10k race Both athletes were given the same time of 31:54 The race was won by Sweden’s Millan de la Magnell in 31:03 Chris McLeod (Solihull & Smallheath Peter Crook) took 13th (32:47) and Sam Goodchild (Cornwall AC England Athletics are delighted to announce a strong team of eight Under 20 athletes to compete at the Trofeo Opitergium Road Races in Oderzo The teams will compete against nations from across Europe over 5km and 10km on a multi-lap course through the narrow streets of this historic location with great spectator atmosphere The event organisers are passionate about promoting the values of friendship and developing the experience of high level international competition through the race The team can expect a friendly welcome from our Italian hosts Pippa Roessler (coach: Mick Woods; club: Aldershot Farnham & District) won the U20 race at Intercounties XC Championships in March going on to win the Muller UK Under 20 Athletics Championships over 3000m Mia Waldmann (Reading AC) finished 2nd at the prestigious English Schools 3000m Championships in July She was 6th at the 2022 UK Muller Under 20 Championships over 3000m Wolverhampton & Bilston) set a road 5km PB of 16:48 in Cardiff in May and won the English Schools XC Championship in March Hercules Wimbledon) won the CrossCup Diest and was a silver medallist at the English National XC Championships in February before setting 5000m PB of 16:30 in June Bradley Giblin (Trafford AC) has a 5000m PB of 14:48 and was selected after winning the English Schools 3000m Championships and finishing 2nd at the England under 20 3000m Championships in 8:17 Blackburn Harriers) ran 14:18 over 5000m and 8:21 over 3000m in May He also achieved a 7th place finish at the Intercounties XC in March Radley) ran 14:33 to finish 2nd Under 20 at the Cardiff Race For Victory 5K in May and was 5th at the Muller UK under 20 Athletics Championships over 3000m Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) is selected after excellent recent form including a 14:40 5000m in August and a 2nd placed finish at the English Schools 3000m Championships in July This week the England under-20 contingent were in action at the Trofeo Opitergium Road Race taking place in the beautiful Italian town of Oderzo against seven strong European teams the race takes place over a series of 1km loops with the teams completing ten laps during the 10km race Despite not taking place at the peak of summer the athletes still had to contend with very humid conditions which affected some in the latter stages The women’s race was equally competitive with Isobelle Jones (Wolverhampton & Bilston Isobelle earned her place on the podium finishing in second the women were determined to make it on to the team podium their combined times topped the rankings leaving them the overall champions this was their first experience of representing England and competing abroad and they did themselves their clubs and England Athletics very proud the English men stuck in the pack for the first five laps Wendy Miell-Ingram) was up at the front for most of the race with Mark Ruby (Poole AC the pace slowly wound up as some athletes started to drop off giving 100% to the line to be rewarded with third place overall "It was a great experience and such an enjoyable trip The longer distance as well as the heat made it a very tough race I was slightly disappointed about how it played out but I am very happy with the 3rd place team result The organisation and team spirit were excellent I met some great people and learned more about racing abroad." ADAMANT: Dioli, Sackey 10, Casagrande 6, Drigo 8, Santiago 12, Tio 1, Yarbanga 8, Solaroli 14, Chessari 7, Ballabio 8, Braga 2, Marchini 17. Coach Benedetto. ISEO: Zugni, Raineri ne, Cravedi 17, Procacci 2, Gentili 6, Bonavida 13, Tommasetto 4, Milovanovic 14, Ballini, Arrighi, Balogun 8. Coach Mazzoli.