Arbëreshe cultural identity represents an intangible heritage of inestimable value that we all have a duty to defend and enhance.
The Arbëreshe language, which has been characterized since the 15th century, i.e. since small Balkan communities settled permanently and continuously in central-southern Italy, is undoubtedly the most important element of this cultural heritage, but its survival , as we all sadly know, is at risk of extinction despite the efforts to defend it by many scholars and linguists.
A second fundamental element of this heritage is linked to the craft and artistic activities that have contributed to keeping this cultural identity alive, as in the case of the Traditional Costume of Piana degli Albanesi or iconographic art.
However, the almost heroic activity of these artisans and artists very often remains confined to restricted territorial areas and cannot be handed down and renewed, with the risk that it may be lost. An all too real risk and also connected to the fact that the new generations generally show little interest in undertaking such a specific craft activity as embroidery, also because it is seen as an activity that does not guarantee a young person a real, concrete and stable economic advantage.
This last aspect is very often conditioned by a poor attitude or knowledge of modern marketing tools, which allow to significantly expand the audience of potential customers. Customers who would thus no longer be sought after in a very limited area with few resources but would be sought after in much wider areas, with much greater economic potential and with a much wider audience of enthusiasts, collectors and resellers and therefore of potential new customers.
Visitpiana.com was created with the aim of enhancing and promoting the unique identity of Piana degli Albanesi and in particular its monumental, artistic, naturalistic and last but not least agri-food heritage. If the defense and the strategy for keeping the language alive is entrusted to scholars and linguists with regard to craftsmanship and art, visitpiana.com wishes to actively engage in the enhancement of these activities and their productions by offering its know-how which is based on territorial marketing and computer skills which in a short time have led the visitpiana.com site to be the first result in the ranking of the most important search engine in the world.
The goal we set ourselves was to support Arbëreshe craftsmanship and art with winning marketing strategies and with latest generation IT tools that take the form of a marketplace aimed exclusively at enhancing and promoting the products made by our Arbëresh artisans and artists.
A marketplace is for non-experts, a global virtual showcase on the internet, where it is possible to exhibit products and services that can be seen and purchased without any territorial limitation. This evidently offers tremendous business growth opportunities.
In the startup phase, this service will be accessible only from realities present in Piana degli Albanesi and in Santa Cristina Gela, to then be extended in a second phase to the Albanian-speaking communities of Sicily and by the end of this year, on a dedicated platform, it will be open to the whole Italian territory.
Visitpiana.com has already started the research and selection of products and services that will be chosen to be included in this marketplace, of which it will take care of every aspect related to marketing and technical support, offering selected partners an extensive package of dedicated and personalized services .
With this initiative, visitpiana.com actively supports the Museum of the Collegio di Maria.
To send your application, please register for free by clicking the button below and send us your proposal in which you will briefly describe your business and your products.
Once your proposal has been received, it will be processed and you will be contacted for details.
We are waiting for you
Salvatore Vasotti
founder/director
visitpiana.com