Beneficial Carnival Association of Lugagnano (VR)

In 1998, three members of the Carnival Committee Tzigano The Beneficial, Elisha Merzari, Renzo Gasparato Perina and Francis, moved by curiosity to know other cultures carnival, to ask 'then Assessor of Culture of the Province of Verona, Sergio Ruzzenente, to be put in touch with some members of the Carnival of Weiler.

From the first meeting between our citizens and Alfons Molitor, then responsible for the culture of the regional circulation of Mainz / Bingen, who kept in touch since then, it came to 1999, when the first representative of Weiler parades Lugagnano.

Between 1999 and early 2000 is then traced the path that will lead to the twinning of the Carnival Committee and the Beneficent the Tzigano Weilerer Carnival Verein. Importantly, this is the 1 ° twinning carnival in Europe and The Tzigano and his court was the first and only Italian band to parade in Mainz.

Credit for this goes to two friends from beyond the Alps: Werner Bappert, and Alfredo Cesaro, components of the carnival Weiler, who arrived in Lugagnano with the task of representing the carnival of the Rhine Valley to the carnival parade of Lugagnano.

Werner Bappert		Alfredo Cesaro

A twinning carnival officially sealed March 24, 2000 in Lugagnano, and confirmed the following year, February 25, 2001, in Weiler, but then she thought maybe nobody would have led to something far more official and important.

From this first act, in fact, has arrived in March 2002 for signature at the City of Sona, Sona of the twinning between local and Weiler, and the following year, March 1, 2003, the countersignature of the twinning agreement in Weiler.

It 'was, therefore, through the Committees carnival that has come to town twinning, Committees in the 2 years prior to the municipal seal have been working hard, believing in the value of twinning and have strongly supported, involving the respective municipal authorities. And what began as a sign of friendship between two groups goliardic, became another important building block of the common European home.

In the meantime there have been many activities that involved the two municipalities. Cultural exchanges youth football tournament between the various Italian and German ensembles, concert bands and choirs of the respective municipalities, the exchange and exhibition of local products, in addition to the continuation of a friendship that will increase each year in a visceral, to the emotional and physical involvement with joyful and dramatic events of the two municipalities.

Tenth anniversary of the twinning Mirandola -Lugagnano
It all began on a Thursday grease so many years ago in Modena, home of Society of Sandrone.
We watched then, quite surprised, given that the current group was still in its infancy in the participation in events extraterritorial arrival of different, colorful carnival of Verona coach.
After the lunch prepared by the host society, while full and sympathetic, we were headed to the starting point of the parade, began speaking with the Veronese.
In "pour parler" some invited us to their parade. The team of France Short was numerous, but as we waited for the important task of the parade Carpi decided to divide into two groups one of which, with, among others, Messrs. Benatti Italo and Poletti Corrado, he would go Lugagnano.
The day did not begin auspiciously as it had just died the mayor of that town, but the widow insisted organizers because the parade was also made. This was the first hint of what, for these our new friends, were the major Carnival parades that Modena in our territories, we were unfortunately long been much reduced number, quality and participation.

This was the first step for us to rediscover, through them, the meaning and the value of the festival as a get-together, friendship, even rediscovery values of a tradition that is often expressed in many forms, including unexpected.
Since then we formed a friendship, even on a personal level, which is still going and that has led to the signing of the twinning between the two municipalities and two companies carnival. This friendship has enabled us to rediscover the value of parades, spurred by competition from the many groups active ones, to make changes and improvements to our customs and, not least, to increase our presence in the province of Verona and friends to return the visits Mirandola and Carpi.
This relationship has also allowed our group to participate in Carnivals in Germany, especially that of Mainz which, no doubt, is the largest and most opulent of Germany. Subsequently, we attended along with two shows in Croatia and European Carnivals held in the magnificent setting of the Arena of Verona. Now we have to do something to expand our interests and cooperation at the level institutional: the ideas are many, but the first commitment will be essential to renew, with the two delegations in both towns, the Covenant of Twinning.

The President of "Principato di Francia Corta" Italo Benatti

Italo Benatti