This Wednesday, January 24th, the City of Caxias do Sul, through the Municipal Secretariat of Culture, kicked off preparations to celebrate the sesquicentenary of Italian Immigration in Rio Grande do Sul, scheduled for 2025. In a meeting held in the Hall of Acts of the Rectory of the University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), rector Gelson Leonardo Rech presented the plans to the members of the Organizing Committee.
According to municipal decree nº 22,897, of December 20, 2023, UCS will assume the coordination of the Executive Committee, solidifying its responsibility for the event. The rector highlighted the importance of joining efforts between the public sector, entities and citizens interested in celebrating and praising Italian immigration in the State, especially in the local region.
UCS, through its Historical and Cultural Memory Institute (IMHC), committed to leading the initiatives proposed by the commission, which includes the city hall, local entities and groups. The choice of UCS as leader of activities is due to its notable trajectory in research and teaching.
This initial meeting marks the beginning of the planning of actions scheduled for 2025 in honor of 150 years of Italian Immigration in Rio Grande do Sul. Magali Quadros, general director of the Municipal Secretariat of Culture, highlighted that the celebrations will be a milestone not only for the municipality, but for the entire region. “We are about to celebrate our immigrants, recognizing their history and honoring their legacy”, emphasized the director. She also recalled that the National Grape Festival 2024 will mark the beginning of the celebrations, with the launch of a commemorative stamp and several local activities.
The commission plans to hold a new meeting in the coming months to present a detailed schedule of the actions that will take place in 2024.