Catania, Italy

The Catania Committee promotes and encourages activities and exchanges to promote art, culture, education and business opportunities between Catania and Phoenix. The Committee welcomes new ideas and projects that will help it achieve its long term goal of bringing the cultures of these two important urban centers closer. The Catania Committee actively supports the Phoenix Sister Cities Youth Ambassador Exchange Program and seeks out business opportunities that are beneficial to each city. It also participates in hosting visiting delegations and has a role in all major events produced by Phoenix Sister Cities. The Catania Committee meets on the third Thursday of each month at the Arizona American Italian Club at 7509 N. 12th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85020 and welcomes new members. For information on Catania, Italy click here.

Chairperson: Patty Syverson
PSC's Staff Liaison: Rick Gerrard rick.gerrard@phoenix.gov

Catania per te
Italian Vice Consulate in Phoenix

In keeping with the Catania Committee's mission, we have organized our 2008-2009 Programs around three areas of exchange between the cities of Catania and Phoenix: Cultural Exchange, Educational Exchange and economic Exchange.

Art Exchange with the City of Catania

Through Each Other's Eyes (TEOE) Exchanges

Catania Art Exposition at Sky Harbor Airport and other venues around the City of Phoenix

Promote and Participate in the Youth Ambassador Exchange Program (YEAP)

Continue Existing Educational Exchanges Between the University of Catania and Arizona State University and Work to Develop Additional Exchanges

Bel Canto Opera Engagement Puts Phoenix - Catania Sister Cities on the Map!

We know that well-performed music elevates our spirits and stimulates our intellect, and by every measure the dress rehearsal and October 5th concert at the Orpheum Theater by the Teatro Massimo Bellini, featuring world renowned soloists Dimitra Theodossiou, Nidia Palacios and Giorgio Casciarri, accomplished these purposes beyond the fondest expectations of their audiences. Nonetheless, the argument that cultural exchanges are purposeful beyond a few hours of shared beauty was punctuated by the substantial interactions within the joint-community orchestra and by the following:

Secondary school students were exposed to Italian opera, most of them for the first time in their lives

University music students of the viola were treated to an extraordinary lesson in instrumental performance in the Italian style through a Master Class

Ten university vocal students gained great insight from a consummately professional soloist, Dimitra Theodossiou, in the methods of European operatic performance and some of the students were able to audition for the Teatro Bellini with three of them selected to travel to Europe to further their operatic schooling

The Administration of the Arizona State University School of Music was introduced to the Teatro Massimo Bellini Administration, to begin discussion of student performance exchanges

The Administration of the Arizona Opera Company had preliminary discussions for long term, joint projects with the Teatro Massimo Bellini

Hundreds of thousands of Phoenix residents are being introduced to the beauty of opera costuming at the Sky Harbor International Airport Terminal 4 through a marvelous exhibit sent to Phoenix from the Teatro Massimo Bellini

The Teatro Massimo Bellini Company and soloists were introduced to the cultures of the "Pioneer Arizona" and Mexican-American peoples during social activities coordinated by the Catania Committee volunteers.

As superb as the concert was, the Catania Committee's great hope is that the linkages commenced during the visit will yield long-term benefits reaching beyond the collective memories of numerous glorious melodies. Congratulations go to the Sicilian Region on having a cultural treasure of infinite worth in the Teatro Massimo Bellini, along with our thanks for sharing the talents of those extraordinary musicians and the soloists with the citizens of Phoenix! Equally important is a profound expression of gratitude to the members of the Catania Committee and Chairman, Rosario Strano. Without the tremendous efforts and self-sacrifice from this special group, the Bel Canto Opera Engagement would have been an impossible feat. We look forward to even bigger things from the committee.

Feeling a bit insignificant in view of stony silence from the municipal government of the Sister City, three members of the Catania Committee and Rick Gerard, Deputy Chief of Protocol, traveled to Catania from January 28 through February 2, 2007 to present Phoenix's agenda before some representatives of the municipality, administrators of the University of Catania, employees of the Sicilian Regional government and private citizens of the area. The visit with this array of hosts was productive and at times moving, as the working group discovered a genuine desire for the relationship between the cities to be significant. The group's goals were targeted and finite in number. Primarily, the intentions were to attempt to resurrect the Youth Ambassador Exchange; to specify parameters for a possible concert of opera singers and musicians from Catania in Phoenix; and to begin to explore the mutual interests for visual arts exchanges between the Sister Cities. The response to these initiatives literally was overwhelming, and the Catania Committee now faces an agenda that will involve multiple public and private agencies in Maricopa County. The working group discovered that by acting as brokers of exchange, the opportunities seemingly are limited only by the imagination.