Posted on Nov 30, 2016 in
FEATURES
Joe Zimmerman presents a crystal star with the logo of Sugar Land to Spello Mayor Moreno Landrini.
By Debi Beauregard –
Last September, a delegation including Sugar Land Mayor Joe R. Zimmerman, Sugar Land Cultural Arts Manager Lindsay Davis and President and CEO of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce Keri Schmidt were invited by the Italian region of Umbria to visit the area to create a political and cultural friendship program to promote the region to the people of Sugar Land and the Fort Bend area. The trip was generously underwritten by the region of Umbria. For four days, the group met with City leaders, mayors, tourism, marketing and chambers of commerce in the anticipation of business exchanges between the two regions.
“The delegation, whose mission is to enhance mutual understanding and friendship, reached an agreement, through friendly consultation, to strengthen the communication and collaboration in economy, education, cultural exchange and other areas where we have mutual interests,” said Schmidt.
A view of Palazzo del Podesta as seen from the roof of the Palazzo dei Consoli (Town Hall) in Gubbio, Italy.
In addition to the educational tour, Donatella Cocchini, founder and president of the Festival del Cinema Città di Spello e dei Borghi Umbri, a celebration of professionals, craftsmen and artists, who work behind the scenes of the film machine, wanted to bring this festival to the United States. She shared her idea with her longtime friend Manuela Tentoni, who has a special bond with Umbria, since she married a native from Perugia, and with Texas, where she lives with her family and works for the Consulate General of Italy in Houston.
Tentoni knew that Texas would be an optimal place to bring the festival and had the perfect person for the project: her friend Tiziana Triolo, a Sugar Land resident who is very involved with the Italian community. Triolo, the public relations, communication consultant and manager for the Houston locations of Lombardi Family Concepts, was appointed Director of Project for USA in 2015, leading since then this cultural initiative.
Joseph Cohen, Lindsay Davis, Mai Pham, Vania Rulli Gabbiani, Paul Schmidt, Francesco Mastrorilli, Keri Schmidt and Nancy and Joe Zimmerman touring Asissi, Italy.
Triolo went straight to one of Fort Bend’s leading cultural resources, Owner and Curator of the KCAM Contemporary Art Museum of Fort Bend Ana Villaronga-Roman, whose connections with the local community is strong due to her years of buying and selling art internationally. Villaronga-Roman was nominated Business Development Coordinator of the project.
Triolo and Villaronga-Roman felt that Sugar Land was the perfect fit with its rich cultural diversity. “Remembering the day that Tiziana Triolo met with me at KCAM to introduce the idea to me, she said, ‘The festival director wants to bring it to Texas. Where do you suggest?’ It took me literally seconds to say Sugar Land!” said Villaronga-Roman. “And Tiziana’s beautiful eyes lit up and her smile appeared. She said, ‘That’s where I live! I love it!’”
The Turin Café in Perugia, Italy specializes in chocolates and pastries. Tables on the terrace allow visitors to watch the activity in the city center.
The City of Sugar Land was eager to create a joint program with the City of Spello and the Region of Umbria. Additionally, the City of Sugar Land recently hired a cultural arts manager and has a new performing arts center scheduled to open in 2017 in addition to galleries and performance venues. Triolo and Villaronga-Roman felt that the city was the perfect match to bring an event that would incorporate, food, fashion and art, as well as the films, to the area.
Zimmerman, who traveled with the group as the official ambassador of Sugar Land, presented the Umbrian delegation with a custom-made key as a welcome. “The City of Sugar Land is delighted to have the opportunity to host a cultural event of this magnitude,” said Zimmerman. “By creating this partnership with the Region of Umbria and Spello, we bring a world-class film festival and Italian wine, food and internationally-renowned hospitality. It is an exciting opportunity for Sugar Land.”
Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman presented the Umbrian delegation a custom-made key of pecan wood in a case made of pecan and mesquite wood. At the presentation were Donatella Cocchini, Keri Schmidt, Lindsay Davis, Donatella Porzi, Fabio Paparelli and Zimmerman.
Plans are for the Festival del Cinema Città di Spello e dei Borghi Umbri to debut in Sugar Land in 2017 with screenings of films at the historic Sugar Land Auditorium. Events will be planned around the city to promote Italian arts and culture.
“I’m ecstatic about the City officials, the City management and the economic development council understanding the great value this festival will bring to our area. The county is thrilled as well,” said Villaronga-Roman. “Now we’ve had the first official visit to Sugar Land’s partner city Spello and Fort Bend’s partner region Umbria, and the story is just beginning to unfold. These are exciting times indeed!”
