A central focus of the ICBIE mission is to strenghten the ties between Brazil and Italy, so it is only natural that we should work to tighten the bonds between committed Italians working here in Salvador. In order to get the ball rolling, Pietro unleashed another spectacular feast, knowing that the best way to get Italians to cooperate is to bombard them with the best culinary delights.
The fortunate guests were Mauro Porru, Carlo Loria, and his brother Alessandro. Mauro is the head of the Italian Department at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and has lived in Brazil for decades; Carlo is a dynamic volunteer with the Projeto Vida, an association that offers education and cultural resources in the Bomfin area, not far away from us; and his brother Sandro is a scenographer and writer who is another longtime Brazilian resident.
Because two other invited guests were unable to attend, after lunch the group drove to downtown Salvador to meet with Stefano Barbi Cinti, the president of Italia Amica, which has operated for many years, and with the well known film critic Paolo Spedicato. Stefano and Paolo were dismayed when they heard about the cuisine they had missed, and they made Pietro promise to give them another chance!
In their long conversations, these leaders of the local Italian cultural scene exchanged stories and experiences, and they agreed to find new ways of sharing their talents and pooling their resources, in order to augment the impact of their noble efforts on behalf of the local community.
