L'articolo descrive il Festival dell'Ospitalità che si celebra ogni anno a Bertinoro, in Emilia Romagna. La festa ebbe inizio nel XIII secolo. Ogni anno si svolgono eventi in Piazza della Libertà, tra Palazzo Ordelaffi e la Colonna delle Anelle. La Colonna è l'emblema dell'ospitalità non solo di Bertinoro ma di tutta l'Emilia Romagna. Ancora oggi il paese segue gli stessi riti di ospitalità. La festa si è svolta il 3 settembre 2023. Il tema era: Terra – Vivere, difendere. Come al solito, la festa è stata un successo ed un evento ricco di storia e rituali.

A small hill town in the region of Emilia Romagna near Forli, Bertinoro, celebrates its centuries-old tradition of hospitality with an array of events in early September, culminating this past year on Sunday, September 3.

The Hospitality Festival, the Festa dell’Ospitalita, is the largest event in Southern Italy dedicated to the Hospitality and Tourism sector. It was born in 2015 with the mission of inspiring and educating operators, communities and territories in slow, sustainable, responsible, and ecological tourism made by people for people.

The Piazza della Liberta is the grand stage for the events during the Festa dell’Ospitalita. The piazza is backed by the majestic 14th century civic palace, Palazzo Ordelaffi. On the other side of the piazza, the Colonna delle Anella (“Column of the Rings”) a large column encircled with 12 iron rings, rises proudly. Bertinoro has prided itself as la citta’ dell’ospitalita since the 13th century and that column, also known as Ia colonna dell’ospitalita, is linked to events at that time.

The Colonna is the emblem of hospitality itself not just in Bertinoro but for all of Emilia-Romagna. According to the Bertinoro tradition, it was erected in the town’s main piazza in 1247 by local judge Guido del Duca and his friend Arrigo Mainardi to truncate one of many disputes between the noble families at the time. This particular dispute was over who would host the strangers and pilgrims passing through Bertinoro.

Twelve rings, one for each resident noble family, were afixed to the Colonna carved of the limestone of San Marino. Once the horse’s bridle or the walking staff of a pilgrim was tied to one of the rings, the visitor would be hosted by the family linked to that ring.

As of 1926, this rito dell’ospitalita (rite of hospitality) has been the focus of Bertinoro’s annual Festa dell’Ospitalita. Red and blue Bertinoro festive banners drape from the windows of Palazzo Ordelaffi in early September. The banners flank the palazzo balcony where official announcements were once made and now the bordeau banner of the Festa dell’Ospitalita  announces the event to all. 

Addressing the crowd with the Colonna as his backdrop, the master of ceremonies announced the official gran finale of la Festa dell’Ospitalita. A visitor on horseback in 13th century costume dismounted and walked to the column, choosing a paper from one of the rings, his invitation from a noble family welcoming him to their palazzo. The hosting “noble family” joined him at the base of the Colonna as trumpeters, drummers, medieval banner-wavers of all ages, and “nobility” of all ages in elegant costumes entered the piazza, joyfully announcing the festival of hospitality. 

The 2023 event’s theme was “Terra – Da Vivere, Da Difendere” (“The Earth – to Live, to Defend”). The banner-wavers paid tribute to the Colonna. Near them, children released doves, a symbol of peace, as all applauded, including the “nobility”. For this was the day celebrating the Colonna dell’Ospitalita and goodwill among all. The mayor joined the master of ceremonies to welcome all and announce the 12 recipients of the 2023 ospitalita bertorinese which included the fire departments and scouts who had been instrumental in assisting those with damaged homes in the devastating early May floods in Emilia Romagna. All 12 individuals and groups who were welcomed into Bertinoro homes or restaurants that day had been committed to saving the Earth and healings its traumas. Each committed to Bertinoro’s theme of la Festa dell’Ospitalita, 2023.