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news Expo 2020: Training completed for the first-shift volunteers at the San Marino Pavilion 27 August 2021

The first-shift volunteers of the San Marino Pavilion, who will leave their homeland in a few days, on 19th September, to live the exciting experience of Expo Dubai, have just completed a full programme of in-class sessions and guided tours of the Republic's companies.

 

In order to welcome and assist in the best possible way the visitors who will see the San Marino Pavilion, the volunteers firstly received important information from Commissioner General Mauro Maiani. The main themes addressed were related to the Pavilion characteristics and the exhibition theme with which the Republic is ready to present itself to the world: the "Treasures of San Marino", whose main element is the "Treasure of Domagnano". An ad hoc lecture was devoted to the latter by Dr. Paola Bigi, Director of the Archaeological Section of the State Museum of San Marino, which houses the experimental reproduction that will be sent to Dubai in a few weeks to be exhibited from 1st October and for the next six months in the San Marino Pavilion.

 

The State Office for Tourism, in the person of Director Nicoletta Corbelli, Communications Manager Franca Rastelli and Roberto D'Errico, then introduced the San Marino tourist system by examining the main themes and activities carried out in the territory to promote, stimulate and enhance visitors' stay in the Republic.

 

Equally important was the meeting with Denis Cecchetti, the Director General of the Development Agency, who, together with the Director of the Internationalisation Division Laura Fabbri, analysed the socio-economic situation in San Marino providing valuable concepts to approach not only curious tourists but also potential investors.

 

The volunteers later met Giacomo Vespignani, Managing Director of AC&D Solutions and leader of the project team that, together with the Gruppo Roncaglia communication agency, took care of the graphic and multimedia aspects of the Pavilion. Among those aspects, they developed the App that will make the experience of visiting the exhibition spaces more immersive thanks to images, videos and extra content in 3D mode.

 

The volunteers were then welcomed at Casa Fabbrica, headquarters of the Consorzio Terra di San Marino, by its coordinator, Arianna Serra, and by the President of the Agricultural Producers' Association, Lorenzo Canini, who explained the agricultural reality and the peculiarities of the territory and the six San Marino Agricultural Cooperatives belonging to the Consorzio Terra di San Marino. Later on, he gave the floor to the President of the Olive Growers' Cooperative, Flavio Benedettini, and the President of the Beekeepers' Cooperative, Melissa Marzi, who discussed the world of oil and honey.

 

After the meeting, the volunteers were able to taste a range of products of the Agricultural Cooperatives branded Terra di San Marino, which will be sold in the Pavilion shop in Dubai. Included in the banquet were the iconic Titano and Tre Monti cakes produced by the historic "La Serenissima" company, whose sales manager Giacomo Carattoni talked about its foundation and traditions.

 

The training days continued with a visit to the Stamp and Coin Museum, recently inaugurated in Piazzetta Garibaldi, and to the Multimedia Museum "Titanus Museum", where the students proudly rediscovered interesting anecdotes on the history and traditions of the Republic.

 

The meetings with local companies continued with a series of visits to San Marino's top jewellery producers. First of all, the volunteers met Michele Casadei of Klepto Gioielli, who described in detail the first component of the Klepto parure created ad hoc for Expo Dubai 2020.

 

The stores’ visits proceeded with Marlù Gioielli in the Atlante shopping centre. Surrounded by the shop's modern, pop style, the students learned how to describe, handle and wrap up Marlù's jewellery collections that will be sold in the Pavilion shop.

 

Similarly, after narrating the fascinating history of Palazzo Arzilli and their generation of jewellers, Marco and Michele Arzilli of the historic jewellery shop, showed and described every peculiarity of the items meant to be sold in the Pavilion, namely the coats of arms and the precious pins in gold, silver and rose gold bearing the emblem of the Serenissima.

 

Plenty of room was also dedicated to ceramics, with a visit to the Barbo' laboratory in Acquaviva. Here, Paolo Canarezza passionately described the production of customisable unique pieces and serial products, designed to give an authentic souvenir of San Marino to every visitor of the Pavilion, including the Official jug built especially for Expo Dubai 2020 which is a reproduction of the historic master potter Cellarosi.


 

To round off, the last day of training saw the volunteers familiarise themselves with the Arabic language and culture with oriental languages teacher Maria Rosaria Ottaviani. They discovered the Arabic alphabet and learnt some expressions belonging to the everyday jargon. Along with this, discussions arose on anecdotes and curiosities linked to the habits and customs of the Emirates, that the volunteers will surely encounter in a few weeks' time.


 

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