There are evenings that do not just take place: happen.
And the one staged on December 19 at the Circle of Officers of the Armed Forces of Italy (CUFA), in the extraordinary context of Barberini Palace in Rome, was one of those rare occasions when different languages - music, art, taste, nature and education - Have found a common voice: solidarity.
The Benefit Concert organized in support of the Project UNICEF “Children of Uganda” demonstrated, once again, that culture can become a concrete tool for awareness and action.
Heartfelt thanks go to the Commander Colonel Generoso Mele, at Lt. Col. Orazio Leotta, at Captain Joseph La Fiandra and to the Lt. Paola Paolicelli for their hospitality and sensitivity in hosting an event of such high human value in the magnificent setting of the Circle.
When the language of taste and the language of art become a voice
At CUFA in Rome, the ANPA Academies - ANPA School National Academy of Hotel Professions, l’Ateneo del Gelato Italiano and the ANPA ART Department, partners of the event, brought to the stage a real mosaic of languages: an interweaving of skills, visions and sensibilities that contributed greatly to the success of the evening.
I have always believed that art and taste can change the gaze, make visible what often remains in the margins, ignite a new awareness.
Last night we did it together, For those who need to be seen most: children.
“VITA”: an ice cream that nourishes and tells.
The symbolic heart of the evening was the ice cream flavor “LIFE”, a name that is already a statement of intent.
A tale of hope and dignity, dedicated to the children supported by UNICEF, created as a reminder that every child has the right to grow up healthy, happy and free.
Masterfully crafted by the Master ice cream makers Marco De Bellis and Angelo Moscetti, “LIFE” was not just a dessert, but a language. Each ingredient was chosen for its symbolic value:
-
Rice, universal nourishment, to remind us that food is a right and not a privilege.
-
Ugandan banana, cultural root and “mother of society,” a symbol of resilience, community and future.
-
Dark chocolate, joy that becomes denunciation, a narrative bridge against child exploitation on cocoa plantations.
-
African honey, supportive sweetness, a golden thread that unites hands and hearts turning pain into hope.
Making the invisible visible: art that builds future
With ANPA ART, the evening also provided space for visual art thanks to the work “Making the invisible visible.” (50×50, drawing, graphic and digital technique) by the Master Stephen Cat.
A powerful work, received with great interest by the public and the President of the UNICEF Committee of Rome, Dr. David Santodonato, in whose presence the work was officially donated to UNICEF.
The message is clear and profound: real change comes from quiet, everyday gestures, from the invisible work that builds schools, reduces disease, eases the burden on families.
When the invisible takes shape, a child no longer has to imagine his or her tomorrow: he or she can finally experience it.
Nature as a poetic language
Nature has also spoken, thanks to the floral art of the Flower Designer Pierpaola Di Santo, which transformed the space into a visual tale of healing and rebirth.
Its elegant centerpieces, made with Christmas greens, red amaryllis and ilex, they were not simply decorations, but silent messages of hope, designed to remind us that even in the most fragile contexts beauty can flourish.
EVO oil: roots, rights and identity
To complete the sensory experience, the tasting of the BIO extra virgin oils from the Azienda Agricola Tenute Donna Vittoria farm., part of the network Evoo School Foundation - UNAPROL - Coldiretti.
Cultivars Leccino, Coratina and Peranzana have narrated the land of the Gargano as a metaphor for rights, resilience and balance, through the oldest and most authentic language we know: that of EVO oil.
Music that unites
Opening the evening was the Benefit Concert organized by ICARUS and from the’Classical Orchestra of Rome, headed by the Master Raffaele Iannicelli.
The audience was enchanted by the performances of the soloists Kameliya Naydenova (violin), Flavio Musillo (flute) and Danilo Bughetti (trumpet), as well as the extraordinary voice of the soprano Rossana Potenza.
A long and heartfelt applause confirmed the value of music as a instrument of union and awareness.
A recognition that gives meaning to the work
The contribution of our Academies has been publicly acknowledged and applauded by the President of the UNICEF Committee of Rome, Dr. David Santodonato, from the Circle director, Colonel Mele, and from the top leadership of the Armed Forces Officers' Circle, who expressed sincere gratitude for the cultural, symbolic and human value of the initiative.
Not just creations, but visions
Once again, this evening proved that When art, taste, music, tradition and education meet, solidarity becomes stronger, more visible, more concrete.
Not only creations, but visions.
Visions capable of reminding us of what really matters.
