Italians For Tohoku – Grazie mille!
A few hours ago, as by a miracle, the heavy rains we’ve been having in Tokyo since yesterday evening stopped at exactly noon, just when the annual Aoyama International Festival was scheduled to start. As usual I wasn’t one to give up on an interesting festival just for a little rain, but even though I had an umbrella I was pretty much drenched just getting to the subway station. The festival started without any trouble at all, and although the crowds were pretty much nonexistent the traditional parade of different foreign and cultural groups took place as planned. One of the parading groups were the “Italians For Tohoku” who had the honor to represent Italy. I recognized Mr. Marco Staccioli (right on first picture, and last picture) who together with the group had done fantastic grassroots work to bring food and relief from the Italian community in Japan to the disaster ravaged North-east of Japan and especially the town of Rikuzen-Takata, the worst hit of them all. Thanks to private initiatives like this people like Mr. Staccioli and countless others all did their best and helped bring his two countries together, Italy and Japan. I haven’t seen anything about “Italians For Tohoku” in the news so I thought I’d do my best to bring them to public awareness. If you are Italian and reading this, please recommend the group and Mr. Staccioli for a medal or something, at least! It’s people like him, and all the others in his group that make me feel proud to be a foreigner in Japan! Italians For Tohoku, Grazie mille! You can read about their work here and here, and lots of photos and text in Japanese here.
So many people, Japanese and foreigners in and outside Japan have given so much help. I thank them all. Great to know the Italian community was one of them too. The people in Rikuzen Takada must have been amazed to see food prepared by an Italian chef. The Italian/Japanese flag on the first photo is such a good idea!
Japanese love Italian food so it was just the right gift to raise spirits I think! I liked the flag mash-up too, the red sun was a sticker that the organizers handed out so it must have been improvised on the spot.
What a post that would totally delight my dear mama!
Thanks! I think it did Juuri! (^-^)
nice! I was in Sendai last week, where it eems ‘normal’, but then my friends and family live in the real problem areas and I find it overwhelming-this post and the efforts of kind people are positive for me personally, but, more importantly, for the people of Tohoku.
I haven’t been in Sendai since early April. Did they clean up those huge mountains of cars along the river and up to the airport? It’s been over half a year so it should be fine by now I think. I hope they keep their spirits up!
That little girl looks so sad…:(
But that is so cool that they went to support Tohoku.
Haha…. I think she wasn’t all that thrilled to be walking in a parade actually… (^-^;)
Very, very cool!
She s’Hanae Sumi, daughter of Cristina MoriniSumi, co-founder of Italians for Tohoku. She has 7 years and ‘went with mom many times as a small voluntary at Rikusentakata. Every single trip of help are 1300 km and 16 hour/car. No one is forcing you to go, and ‘she asked to go. Compared to only one trip that Hanae has done in Tohoku, the parade was like eating an ice cream for her.
Thank you for commenting! I’m happy to hear from someone with connections in the group! Fantastic work, both little Hanae and her parent are the pride of their nation and should be next in line for medals I think. Well done! I’ve done that trip two times as well, so I know how hard it is, and how cold it was in March last year. What a wonderful experience for her. I hope she is happy about it. Thanks!