Italian Night Life Thrives in Abandoned Buildings

Thanks to self-managed social centers, Italians have found a space to enjoy concerts, dinners, movie nights and more

Concert at XM24. Zeroincondotta. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 

Since the 1970s, self-managed social centers have offered a place for Italians to gather as a community. Usually located on the outskirts of cities, these centers are established and operated entirely by locals. They are often formed as a direct response to social issues such as lack of affordable housing, drug addiction and marginalization. Members of the community occupy buildings that have fallen into disuse, such as schools, apartment complexes, forts and even farms. 

CSOA Forte Prenestino. boklm. CC0 1.0

The legal status of these centers varies, and some face eviction by authorities despite their value to the community. Many of the centers take a strong political stance, defining themselves as anti-fascist, anti-sexist, anti-racist and anti-capitalist. These spaces serve as important refuges for members of the community and a place for diverse groups of people to meet and collaborate.

Concert at XM24. Zeroincondotta. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 

One of the most famous of these self-managed social centers was XM24, or ExMarket, of Bologna. It emerged during a period of repression as the mayor of the city engaged in a campaign against social housing and squatter movements. The center established itself in several abandoned spaces, including a former fruit and vegetable market from which it took its name. It offered a number of services to the community, including a cafe, a bike shop, a vegetable garden, live concerts, a gym, and a dormitory for migrants, refugees and the houseless. It was run by a general assembly of local volunteers.

XM24 Graffiti, Against those who close our spaces, let’s ignite our rage. Zeroincondotta. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

In 2013, XM24 was able to reach an agreement with the local government, allowing the center to operate independently and utilize the abandoned spaces. However, the agreement expired in 2017. Members of the community attempted to protest the eviction in a struggle with the city that lasted two years, but in 2019 the space was evicted and bulldozers arrived to clear it out. As of 2024, the center no longer exists. 

Leoncavallo Spazio Pubblico Autogestito. Robertino Radovix. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 

XM24 was not the only self-managed center to be evicted by the government, but many centers have still found a way to thrive. The Leoncavallo Spazio Pubblico Autogestito of Milan still offers jazz concerts, stand-up comedy, dinners, English lessons and more to locals. It is currently open Thursdays through Sundays in the afternoon and evening, although they face eviction on June 18th, 2024 by the bailiff and the property’s lawyers. 

Daniele Sepe & Aldolà Chivalà. L’Asilo. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 

Je So’ Pazzo is a self-managed center in the Marterdei district on the outskirts of the city of Naples in a former asylum for the criminally insane. When it was occupied in 2015, it was managed by the Penitentiary Police. Volunteers collaborate with local associations to house, collect clothing for and distribute meals to the houseless. Their services include medical clinics, psychiatric support and migrant aid. They also offer a number of recreational activities, such as Naples’ only indoor rock climbing wall, a football pitch, a gym, a theater, a bar, social dinners, concerts, and so much more. It is still active and open 24 hours a day, six days a week. Like most places in Italy, it is closed on Sundays.

Concert at CPA, Firenze. GothEric. CC BY-SA 2.0

The Centro Popolare Autogestito Firenze Sud and LaPolveriera SpazioComune are both self-managed centers located in Florence. Like other social centers, they offer a variety of recreational activities during the days and the evenings, such as ceramics classes and concerts, as well as important social services for the community, 

Whether you are looking to participate in a ukulele workshop, enjoy a dinner and movie, discuss politics with local Italians, or let loose at a heavy metal concert, self-managed social centers are the perfect place.

Rebecca Pitcairn

Rebecca studies Italian Language and Literature, Classical Civilizations, and English Writing at the University of Pittsburgh. She hopes to one day attain a PhD in Classical Archeology. She is passionate about feminism and climate justice. She enjoys reading, playing the lyre, and longboarding in her free time. 

A 4-day Guide to Exploring Rome

Rome is a city full of must-see sites, but it can be overwhelming to plan for. Here is a 4-day itinerary to make sure you see all the top spots, while getting the atmosphere of a unique European summer.

Rome, Italy. @Bert Kaufmann. CC BY-SA 2.0

“A European Summer” is now the aesthetic of the season, spurred on by Gen Z and Millennial creators on TikTok. It’s a fashion statement, and young American women are obsessed with flowing white dresses, gold jewelry, maxi skirts, and more. The romanticization of European cities is a perfect escape from the monotonous urban environment Stateside. 
Over the past month I was lucky enough to travel to Rome, Italy and experience a taste of the European summer that influencers have been talking about nonstop. But a trip to the Eternal City takes a lot of planning and, while it was only my first time exploring the history-rich city, I feel as though I know enough to compose an ideal 4-day itinerary — so travelers can experience every aspect of the European summer.

Day 1

As your feet touch the streets of Rome, it’s important to keep two things in mind: firstly, your primary means of transportation will be by walking, especially if your hotel accommodations are in the heart of the city itself, something I definitely recommend. So, pack footwear accordingly. Second, temperatures will be soaring. Expect around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, particularly in mid-summer.

Trevi Fountain. @NikonZ711. CC BY-SA 4.0

I recommend getting familiar with the main tourist sites on the first day. These include the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, which are located relatively close to one another. Both are beautiful in the daylight and won’t eat up too much of your time. Throughout the streets it’s common to find small stores that sell gelato or souvenirs — pop into one and notice that prices are surprisingly cheap, especially compared to costs in the US. 

One of the things I enjoyed about my time in Rome was the vibrant nightlife, so make sure to take advantage of all the city has to offer when the sun sets. The temperatures are much more bearable and the streets are filled with small, lively alleyways that offer restaurants and more stores. Live music is usually always playing, especially in places where tourists are likely to flock. If you’re looking for an opportunity to wear that white flowy dress you bought just for the sake of fitting the Italian summer aesthetic, now’s the time. 

Enjoy the unique scenery and environment, and make sure to visit the Spanish Steps once more — while a great place to visit in the daytime, this tourist site comes to life at night and brings that perfect feeling of that “European Summer” the TikToks show so often. 

Day 2

Hopefully you got a full night’s rest, because day two is the perfect day to visit Vatican City — a landlocked independent country within the borders of Rome itself. It’s important to dedicate an entire day to this because, while you’ll most likely only spend a few hours exploring, the exhaustion will set in quickly.

If interested in the Vatican Museums, I strongly recommend buying tickets weeks beforehand and selecting an earlier time. The tourists that were hoping to get tickets on the day of had to wait in line for hours on end in the burning heat. Make sure to arrive early, since the museum is a little further than expected from the main entrance to Vatican City.

Vatican City. @Diliff. CC BY-SA 3.0

Once in the museum, you can either follow your tour guide or explore at your own pace, depending on the ticket you bought. You’ll get a glimpse of St. Peter’s Basilica — a famous church built in Renaissance style — from a viewing platform and get to visit the Sistine Chapel, a Catholic church located inside the Vatican Museums home to some of Michelangelo’s finest work.

Because Vatican City is a Theocratic city-state, most websites will advise you to wear a certain type of outfit. But because it’s so hot in the summer months, it’s alright to push the rules a little. Showing up in shorts and a T-shirt is completely acceptable.

Take the rest of the day to recharge. Walking to, from and around Vatican City can get very tiring, especially if it’s hot out. Stay close to your hotel for dinner, and day two will shoot past in the blink of an eye.

Day 3

Depending on whether or not you’re fascinated by Roman culture, Day 3 is dedicated to the rest of the places you weren’t able to see. For me, this included the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, which are both very close to one another. Shopping in Rome was also a pleasant experience, with such cheap prices, so I recommend it if you’re able to fit it in. 

Pantheon. @laszlo-photo. CC BY 2.0

For dinner, venture on over to Trastevere — a neighborhood filled with authentic Italian restaurants, located just across the Tiber River. The pasta and pizza is, of course, something every visitor should try. Paired with a drink of your choice, it’s hard to question why Rome is a city that attracts so many people from all over the world. The constant chatter of customers, the lights hung up as decoration, and the comfortable temperature combine to make a perfect getaway.

Day 4

Your last day in Rome should be dedicated to doing whatever you want. After three full days of so much walking, your body is bound to be tired, so just take this day as a time to relax and soak this experience in.

I know I haven’t mentioned the Colosseum — and it isn’t because it’s been forgotten. During my trip, I visited the Colosseum at night on my last full day in Rome, and it was the right decision. Of course, depending on the kind of traveler you are, this might not be your ideal itinerary but I loved seeing one of the most iconic landmarks in the world at night. I didn’t have to worry about the heat, and there is something so special about seeing the Colosseum lit up with hundreds of lights as it towers above you. It’s a great image to part Rome with, and along the road you’ll most likely pass the Roman Forum, which is impossible to miss. 

A night view of the Colosseum. @Aaron Logan. CC BY 1.0

Personally, this 4-day itinerary helped me get the feel of every aspect of the “European Summer” — from its nightlife to its famous sites, it didn’t disappoint. Depending on the type of person you are, this itinerary is bound to change but as someone who loves spontaneity and surprises, I followed this rough guide and was able to soak in all the wonders of this eternally beloved city.

Michelle Tian

Michelle is a senior at Boston University, majoring in journalism and minoring in philosophy. Her parents are first-generation immigrants from China, so her love for different cultures and traveling came naturally at a young age. After graduation, she hopes to continue sharing important messages through her work.

The Efforts to Rid Italy of Organized Crime

Images of the Mafia are ingrained in the public imagination of Italy. However, steps have been taken to eliminate it, making the country safer than in prior generations.

A protest banner erected after the murder of Peppino Impastato that says, “The mafia kills; so does silence.” ragnagne. CC BY-SA 2.0.

The proliferation of movies and television shows on the subject have caused some Americans to associate Italy with the Mafia. While it is true that organized crime is still causing headaches to law enforcement today, organized crime in the country is much more than just the Mafia, which is confined to Sicily. Other criminal organizations exist, such as the ‘Ndrangheta in Calabria and the Sacra Corona Unita in Apulia. The Camorra, which is based in the region of Campania and the city of Naples, is notable for using illicit methods to gain control of building contracts and garbage disposal, allowing them to control a large portion of Neapolitan society. Their negligence has also resulted in a lack of garbage collection services, causing large piles of trash on the streets to the ire of many residents of Naples. 

Each of these organizations operate somewhat differently, but they are all powerful players in the international drug trade. However, great strides have been made to eliminate their threat.

Some of the criminal organizations have their roots in the 18th century, when southern Italy was under Spanish rule. They prospered in the 19th and early 20th century, bribing politicians to ignore their activities. Sporadic but well-intentioned efforts emerged in the late 20th century to curb their influence. In the 1970s, Peppino Impastato emerged as a lone voice in questioning the tight grip the Sicilian Mafia held on his hometown of Cinisi, mocking them in his radio show, but it resulted in his murder in 1978. The Maxi Trials, the largest trial to occur in history, lasting from 1986 to 1992, resulted in the conviction and sentencing of 338 Mafia members. However, the aftermath of the trial showed that there was still a long way to go; the two judges leading the trial, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, were killed shortly after its conclusion.

An Addiopizzo branded T-shirt,  encouraging critical consumption by only supporting businesses that do not pay extortion money to the Sicilian Mafia. Addiopizzo Travel. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Today, interventions with widespread community support have been more successful in limiting the reach of organized crime. A more recent push includes more grassroots efforts, such as Addiopizzo, which is the movement for businesses to refuse to pay extortion money, called “pizzo,” to the Mafia. Businesses had traditionally paid the Mafia money to be left alone, but in 2004, a group of young university graduates started the campaign to end the practice. Soon, the entire Palermitan community was in solidarity with them, causing untold misery to the Mafia bosses still operating by cutting their main source of income. Relying on the slogan, “An entire population that pays the pizzo is a population without dignity,” Addiopizzo has galvanized Sicilian society to push back against paying the Mafia.

Now based in several organizations in both Palermo and Catania, two major cities in Sicily, Addiopizzo is encouraging ordinary people to only buy from places that do not pay the pizzo. Stores that refuse to pay the protection money are labeled with a sign that says, “Pago chi non paga [I pay those who do not pay].” The organization Addiopizzo Travel also provides visitors to Sicily with sustainable accommodations and encourages them to frequent those businesses. 

Negligence by the Camorra, the criminal organization of Naples, has caused trash to pile on the streets. chrisjohnbeckett. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The government is also taking action against organized crime. With the public getting tired of the control over garbage disposal by the Camorra in Campania, the governments of some cities are taking action. In the city of Castellammare, near Naples, the government is cutting off all contracts with the Camorra, while insisting it “will not stop the city” by doing so. The city prefect is going even further by declaring that “unwelcome people are not even candidates” for mayor.

To fully eliminate the threat of organized crime in Italy, however, their effects must be addressed. The organization Libera. Associazioni, nomi e numeri contro le mafie works to invest in education to spread knowledge of the extent of the networks of organized crime. It also repurposes property confiscated from criminal organizations for social uses by the community, helping to mitigate the effects of organized crime. The combination of grassroots, governmental and nonprofit movements ensure all aspects of organized crime are being eliminated.

Bryan Fok

Bryan is currently a History and Global Affairs major at the University of Notre Dame. He aims to apply the notion of Integral Human Development as a framework for analyzing global issues. He enjoys hiking and visiting national parks.

Art Campaign Draws Attention to Detention of Human Rights Student

Coptic Christian University of Bologna graduate student Patrick Zaki has been detained in Cairo for his human rights work. He awaits his trial amidst international protest and artistic efforts to raise awareness of his case.

Patrick Zaki pre-detention in 2020. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Cutouts and paintings of a line-drawn young man with “Freedom for Patrick Zaki” scrawled across the chest are plastered on almost every surface around the college-town of Bologna, Italy. Zaki is a Coptic Egyptian master’s student with an Erasmus scholarship to pursue a degree in Women and Gender Studies at the University of Bologna. He also serves as a researcher and advocate for the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a Cairo-based human rights organization.

Zaki returned to Egypt for a short family visit on February 7, 2020. Upon arriving at the airport in Cairo, he was arrested by the National Security Agency (NSA) of Egypt and detained on the grounds of “disseminating false news” and “inciting to protest” because of an article he published about discrimination faced by Coptic Christians in Egypt. He was taken to an undisclosed location, where, according to Zaki’s lawyer, he was blindfolded, handcuffed, threatened, beaten on the back and stomach, and tortured with electrical shocks during a17-hour-long interrogation about his human rights work and time in Italy. 

The drawing on the cutouts was created by artist Gianluca Constantini a few hours after the news of Zaki’s disappearance broke. The illustration was then adopted by Amnesty International’s campaign for his release. It can be seen printed on giant posters at Piazza Maggiore (the central square) and under the Two Towers (Bologna’s main tourist attraction). It was featured prominently in the protests organized by students, human rights organizations and several Italian universities, which have led 100 cities in Italy (including Bologna, Florence, Milan and Naples) to grant Zaki honorary citizenship. 

The audience of the drawing and its intended audience depends on where the cutouts are placed. Those placed around college campuses—including 150 filling an entire university library—immediately after Zaki’s arrest were meant to generate awareness and outrage. Now, students in Bologna have known about the case for two years, so the purpose of the cutouts isn’t as much to inform and inflame but to serve as a reminder that the struggle is far from over. The drawings placed in and around popular tourist attractions serve to draw international awareness to the ongoing issue. 

Following a robust student movement and international outcry, Zaki was released from prison on December 9, 2021, after 22 months behind bars. The charges against him have not been dropped, and if convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. His hearing has been postponed from February 1, 2022 to April 6. Zaki, who sees the drawn out judicial process as another form of torture, has requested authorization from Egyptian authorities to return to Italy.

Still, Zaki and his family are thankful for the partial victory. When he was released, his mother told journalists, “I’m jumping for joy!”  

Zaki, with quiet optimism, says, “The first thing I will do when I return to Bologna is to go and spend the whole day in Piazza Maggiore, meet my friends from the university and eat the exquisite Italian food.” 

He is also aware of the drawing and the accompanying journalism. 

“Art plays a leading role in advancing the cases of political prisoners and expanding their circles of support by creating awareness of their legal affairs” Zaki said. “My case is living proof: art has played a fundamental part in regaining my freedom, albeit still partially. I would like to thank Gianluca and journalist Laura Cappon who wrote a book about the case illustrated by Constantini for their activism over the past two years and for their support. I hope they continue to use their talents to free other prisoners of conscience.” 

To Get Involved

As Zaki’s case continues and the hearing unfolds, artwork by Gianluca and others will likely play a central role in stirring public consciousness and continued investment. To support the case and continue to apply international pressure, you can sign the Scholars at Risk Network (SAR) letter of appeal to release Zaki. The organization also provides a letter template to send to your representatives, requesting they engage with their Egyptian counterparts to work towards freeing Zaki. Social media can also be used to raise awareness by tagging your elected officials in tweets with #FreePatrick.

Izzy Balaban

Izzy is a student at the University of Chicago, currently pursuing a Creative Writing degree with a minor in Human Rights. She is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling, trying new food and reading in her hammock. 

Hut-to-Hut: Hiking in the Italian Dolomites

Mountain Huts, called Rifugios, make multiple day treks through the Italian Alps accessible to hikers.

Puez-Geisler nature park in the Dolomites. Dmitry Djouce. CC BY 2.0

The mountain range located in northern Italy has 18 major peaks and uniquely diverse mountain landscapes. The Dolomites have sharp peaks in varying shapes, along with alpine meadows and valleys that have drawn hikers for years. Mountain huts, also known as rifugios, are placed throughout the Italian mountain range, all within a day’s hike of the next hut. The trek to visit each hut is a total of 75 miles, and typically takes hikers ten days to complete. The huts are stocked with food, and offer basic bedding for travelers. While not every rifugio offers places for hikers to stay overnight, many only serve food, so travelers can stop for lunch before continuing to the next hut. The huts allow hikers to do multiple day-treks without having to pack much. All they will need is personal items and sleeping bag linings. The rifugios are open starting in June and often draw travelers of varying hiking experience.

The Dolomites first started attracting hikers during the ‘golden age of mountaineering’ in the late 19th century. Many mountaineers who first summited the peaks wrote early travel guides for the region, drawing more explorers. Then, in World War One, the Dolomites became the front line for the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies to pass through. As a result, there are still visible remnants of the war, one being an open-air museum of Mt. Lagazuoi. The ‘castle of rock’ has complex systems of tunnels dug into the mountainside during the war. The tunnels are open for people to walk through and learn more about World War One’s impact on the region. 

Additionally,a museum is dedicated to World War One on the range’s highest peak, Marmolada. The summit stands at over 10,000 feet, making the museum the highest in Europe. The locals of the region often speak Italian, German and Ladin, a Rhaeto-Romaniclanguage that is recognized as an official language of the region. Roughly 30,000 people speak Ladin, and there are considerable efforts to preserve the region’s language and the culture.

Dana Flynn

Dana is a recent graduate from Tufts University with a degree in English. While at Tufts she enjoyed working on a campus literary magazine and reading as much as possible. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she loves to explore and learn new things.

Beyond Ice Cream, 7 Frozen Treats From Around the Globe 

Ice cream is an ancient dessert, dating back to the second century B.C.. Since that time, countries around the world have developed their own versions of ice cream, from Indian kulfi to Ecuadorian Helado de paila. 

Ice cream is one of the most popular desserts in the United States. 6.4 billion pounds of ice cream were produced in the US in 2019 alone., The International Dairy Foods Association reports that, on average, each American consumes over 22 pounds of ice cream and other frozen desserts annually. But ice cream is not an American invention. The frozen dessert dates back to the second century B.C., when records show that leaders like Alexander the Great enjoyed ice and snow flavored with honey or nectar as a delicacy. Ice cream as we know it today likely derives from a recipe collected from the Far East by Italian explorer Marco Polo in the 16th century. 

The ancient confection made from snow or ice flavored with honey, nectar, or fruit is present in historical records from around the world. While in England and America this treat evolved into the milk and cream based ice cream which we know today, other countries developed different versions of frozen desserts. Here are 7 frozen treats from around the globe, all impacted by the cultures that created them. 

1. Dondurma, Turkey

Dondurma—the Turkish word for “freezing,” and sometimes referred to as Turkish ice cream—is often eaten with a knife and fork. Dondurma differs from American ice cream in several ways, the most obvious being the texture. While American ice cream is soft and creamy, dondurma is stretchy, chewy and does not melt easily, hence why it is most often served on a plate with a knife and fork. Dondurma is made from a milk and sugar base and added Arab gum, or mastic, a resin that gives the ice cream its chewiness. In addition to mastic, dondurma is thickened with salep, a flour made from the root of a purple orchid which grows in the mountains. The creation of dondurma is credited to the town of Kahramanmaraş, located at the foot of the Ahir Mountain in southern Turkey. The town has been producing dondurma for over 150 years, but the origins of the treat date back  even further. Over 300 years ago, the people of the area mixed clean snow from the mountain with molasses and fruit extracts, creating an early form of ice cream. Today, dondurma is frequently served sprinkled with pistachios and can be found at restaurants as well as street vendors, where it is served in cones.

Colorful mochi ice cream. jpellgen (@1179_jp). CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

2. Mochi Ice Cream, Japan

Traditionally a dessert sold and eaten during the Japanese New Year, mochi has recently soared in popularity, especially in the United States. The term mochi refers to a unique Japanese delicacy dating back to 794 A.D., which is made from sticky rice dough. In Japan, mochi is most often enjoyed in small, round balls filled with red bean paste—a treat known as daifuku. In ancient times, mochi was made to be presented as an offering to the gods at temples and was also served to the Emperor and other nobility. Although mochi itself has been around for centuries, mochi ice cream was not developed until the 1980s. And, despite its Japanese roots, mochi ice cream is actually an American invention. It was created by Frances Hashimoto and her husband, Joel Friedman, who ran a Japanese-American bakery in Los Angeles during the 1980s. During a trip to Japan, the couple was inspired by the traditional daifuku to create their own mochi treat using ice cream. Today, mochi ice cream is sold at almost all major grocery stores and is available in a wide variety of flavors, like green tea, chocolate, mango and red bean.

Chocolate, Kesar, and Mango flavored kulfi. richardclyborne. CC BY 2.0

3. Kulfi, India

While often categorized as an Indian ice cream dish, kulfi is denser and creamier than ice cream, more closely resembling frozen custard. Kulfi is made from boiling milk until it solidifies,  which is called khoa. Sugar is then added to the milk and the mixture is flavored as desired, typically using natural flavoring ingredients. Popular kulfi flavors include saffron, pistachio, mango, avocado and cardamom. After the kulfi mixture is flavored, it is poured into molds and frozen until the treat has set. Kulfi is thought to have originated in northern India during the 16th century Mughal Empire. Traditional desserts in that area already included condensed milk, and the Mughals added pistachios and saffron for  flavoring and then froze the mixture in metal cones using a combination of ice and salt, giving rise to the kulfi dessert served today. Kulfi is popular not only in India but in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan and the Middle East as well. The dish can also be found in many Indian restaurants around the world. 

Different flavors of Italian gelato. arsheffield. CC BY-NC 2.0

4. Gelato, Italy

Gelato is an Italian delicacy which differs from traditional American ice cream in its silky, creamy texture, as well as being denser. Gelato and American ice cream both contain milk and cream, but authentic gelato uses more milk than cream and does not usually contain egg yolks, which are a common ingredient in many ice creams. Gelato typically contains less butterfat as well, which makes the flavors more intense. It is also served at a temperature 10-15 degrees warmer than ice cream, so it melts more easily in one’s mouth. Modern gelato dates back to the Renaissance when Cosimo Rugierri, an alchemist, created a dessert from fruit, sugar and ice that delighted the powerful Medici family in Florence. Other accounts of modern gelato credit architect Bernardo Buontalenti, who is said to have prepared an ice cream dish from milk, egg yolks, wine, fruit and honey and served it to King Charles V of Spain. Whatever its origins, gelato quickly spread out of Italy, becoming a delicacy in other countries as well. Until 1686, however, gelato was mainly served in private residences of the  wealthy, as ice and salt were expensive. Then, Italian Francesco Procopio Cutò opened a cafe in Paris where he sold gelato to the public. Since then, gelato has become a wildly popular treat that can be found on nearly every street in Italy and in restaurants and shops around the world. 

5. Helado de paila, Ecuador

Helado de paila, literally “ice cream from a pot,” is a sorbet-like treat from Ibarra, Ecuador. The story goes that, 122 years ago in Ibarra, a teenage girl named Rosalía Suárez had nothing to give her friend as a 15th birthday gift. So, she decided to make her a dessert. Rosalía and a friend put natural fruit juice in a container and placed it on a wooden tray, where the container was surrounded by ice and straw to preserve it. They began to spin the container and beat the fruit juice, which turned into a form of ice cream. Rosalía perfected her recipe by adding sugar to the fruit juice and salt to the ice and began to sell her ice creams. Today, helados de paila are prepared in a way very similar to the technique that Rosalía Suárez first used. A blend of fruit and sugar is poured into a wooden bowl sitting in a larger bowl, or paila, which is already prepared with a layer of straw and a layer of ice and salt. The fruit mixture is stirred and eventually cools into the creamy helado de paila. Popular flavors include strawberry, blackberry, coconut, tree tomato and passionfruit. 

Spaghettieis is made to look like a bowl of spaghetti. Joshua Shapiro. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 

6. Spaghettieis, Germany

This popular German sundae is made from vanilla gelato, strawberry sauce and white chocolate shavings. The dish sounds innocuous enough, but what makes this treat unique is its presentation: the sundae is made to look just like a bowl of spaghetti. Spaghettieis was invented in 1969 by Dario Fontanella, whose father had moved from Northern Italy to Mannheim, Germany, in the 1930s. In an attempt to honor his Italian roots at the German ice cream parlor his family owned, Fontanella decided to create a bowl of spaghetti entirely from ice cream. Spaghettieis is made by putting vanilla gelato through a chilled spaetzle press (a machine to make German egg noodles) to achieve the spaghetti-noodle shape. The gelato is then topped with strawberry sauce to mimic tomato sauce, and shaved white chocolate curls to mimic parmesan. Apparently, when spaghettieis first began being served at ice cream parlors, it made children cry in disappointment that they were being served pasta rather than a dessert. Despite its tearful start, the dessert is widely popular today. Fontanella never patented his creation, so a variation of spaghettieis is served at nearly every ice cream parlor in Germany.  

7. Akutaq, Alaska 

Named after the Inupiaq word for “to stir,” Akutaq is an Indigenous Alaskan treat made by mixing fat, oil, berries and sometimes water or fresh snow together into a sweet dessert with a whipped texture. While berry-based akutaq is more similar to an American sorbet, there are also meat-based akutaqs in which the fat and oil are mixed with ground caribou or dried fish to create a more salty, gamey and savory dish. Traditionally in indigenous communities, the dish was made by women after the first catch of a polar bear or seal, and shared with members of the community. Akutaq varies by region depending on what types of flora and fauna are available to add. Indigenous people near the Alaskan coast used saltwater fish, while those inland used freshwater fish, and those in the north used bigger game like caribou, bear and musk-ox. Indigenous Alaskans have been making akutaq for thousands of years. Up until the 20th century, indigenous Alaskans held akutaq cooking contests during annual trade fairs, where members of various communities would compete to create new flavors. While akutaq can still be found today, in modern recipes the traditional caribou fat and seal oil are often replaced with Crisco and olive oil.

Rachel Lynch

Rachel is a student at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY currently taking a semester off. She plans to study Writing and Child Development. Rachel loves to travel and is inspired by the places she’s been and everywhere she wants to go. She hopes to educate people on social justice issues and the history and culture of travel destinations through her writing.

High Schools in Rome Increase Support for Transgender Students

In the Roman Catholic stronghold of Italy, Rome’s high school students have sped up the city’s journey toward acceptance of transgender individuals. 

Transgender flag. User:torbakhopper. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the high school community of Rome has been making strides toward the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights. Recently, a handful of high schools in the city have decided to allow transgender students the right to go by their chosen name. This is a stark change from the previous method of using a transgender person’s name given at birth, known as their “dead” name. The high schools that have made this change lag behind the city’s universities, with some colleges already having given transgender students the right. 

Although the act itself seems small, it is a substantial gesture within the context of the transgender community. Upon hearing the news, students have expressed great relief; many see this step as a beacon of hope toward full transgender visibility in Italy. The country’s LGBTQ+ community currently deals with hate crimes, some of which have been so violent that victims have required reconstructive surgery. For Italy, the flaw is in the law; there is a law prohibiting crimes based on religion and race, but none exists for acts based on gender or sexual orientation. The largest change benefiting the transgender community occurred in 1982, when the Sex Reassignment Act legalized that procedure. 

School officials in Rome believe that this change will help to protect students by creating a sense of security and peace in their learning environment. The first students to experience the change in rules hope that they will pave the way for an easier education for future transgender individuals, many of whom face large-scale bullying. 

In a study on LGBTQ+ tolerance conducted by the Williams Institute, Italy fell quite far behind some of its European counterparts. Italy sat at 30th place in the ranking while Iceland and the Netherlands snagged the first two slots. The prevalence of the Roman Catholic Church, which does not condone LGBTQ+ behavior, has much to do with the country’s lower score. 

This step has been a significant one for Italy, but much work remains to be done. With a smoother education now in store, these students hope that they are just the group to bring about further change. 

Ella Nguyen

Ella is an undergraduate student at Vassar College pursuing a degree in Hispanic Studies. She wants to assist in the field of immigration law and hopes to utilize Spanish in her future projects. In her free time she enjoys cooking, writing poetry, and learning about cosmetics.

The 10 Best Museums You’ve Never Heard Of

The world’s most popular museums are often overcrowded and overwhelming. Here are 10 of the world’s best museums that are less known but just as impactful.

People walk by Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, Switzerland. Lys Ippos. CC BY 3.0. 

The most popular museums in the world—the Louvre, the Met, the Tate Modern—offer an incredible breadth of art, but are often crowded, congested and overwhelming. Lesser-known museums can offer exceptional art, culture and history, all without the lines and high volumes of other visitors. Here are 10 of the best museums around the world that fly under the radar and are home to unique and fascinating collections. 

1. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art 

The exterior of the Louisiana on the Oresund Sound. CC BY 4.0. Kim Hansen. 

The Louisiana, located outside of Copenhagen, Denmark, is home to one of the most immersive modern art collections in the world. In response to Danish museums turning away modern art, founder Knud W. Jensen created the Louisiana in 1958. The museum’s integration of indoor, outdoor and digital space allows visitors to move through art dynamically, fulfilling Jensen’s goal of a truly integrated art experience. This museum is also one of the only in the world with a permanent light installation from Yayoi Kusama, whose temporary installations in cities such as New York are almost impossible to get tickets for. 

2. Museum of Broken Relationships

The Museum of Broken Relationships. CC BY 2.0. Pros Opee. CC BY 2.0.

This museum, created by artists Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic, is located in Zagreb, Croatia, with a second gallery in Los Angeles. The museum’s mission is to create a shrine of symbolic possessions that commemorate and treasure humanity’s ability to love and to lose. While the Museum of Broken Relationships is a physically stunning museum, the heart of this project stems from its global engagement. The museum’s online component has space for everyone to share the story of their heartbreak. View the online portion of the museum here.

3. Pitt Rivers Museum 

Interior of the Pitt Rivers Museum. Geni. CC BY 2.0.

The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England, is home to over half a million artifacts from around the globe. A fascinating collection of anthropological and archaeological items, the Pitt Rivers Museum is unique because of its organizational system for displays. Rather than grouping items together by period or people, the Pitt Rivers Museum groups items together by type, illustrating the commonalities between different peoples and histories throughout the world. You can visit the museum virtually today.

4. Tenement Museum 

The Tenement Museum exterior. Beyond My Ken. CC BY 2.0.

The Tenement Museum in New York City is devoted to the history of immigration and migration to the United States. Located in a formerly dilapidated tenement building that was home to immigrant families between 1860 and 1930, historian Ruth Abram and social activist Anita Jacobsen built their museum around the stories of these families. In connecting public policy, oral history and immigrant narratives, the Tenement Museum offers a moving and topical exploration of recent history. 

5. The Kunstkamera 

The Kunstkamera in St. Petersburg, Russia. Flor Stein. CC BY 4.0. 

Established by Peter the Great at the beginning of the 18th century, the Kunstkamera’s collection comprises nearly 2 million oddities.  Located in St. Petersburg, Russia’s first museum was founded with the goal of containing all of the world’s knowledge in one building. This massive collection remains relatively unknown outside of Russia, but offers one of the world’s most vast displays of global anthropology and ethnography. 

6. Castello di Rivoli 

The facade of Castello di Rivoli. M. A. CC BY 2.5. 

In 1984, the Castello di Rivoli became the first museum in Italy completely devoted to contemporary art. Located just outside of Turin, this museum is located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle buildings are open to the public and the modern art exhibitions within the castle walls are world-class, with the Castello di Rivoli also serving as one of the world’s premier art history research centers. 

7. Zentrum Paul Klee 

Zentrum Paul Klee exterior. Krol K. CC BY 3.0. 

This museum, located in Bern, Switzerland, is dedicated to the work of artist Paul Klee. Klee’s artistic collection is remarkable in its own right with his groundbreaking exploration of color theory, but the draw of this museum is also the physical building. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano in 2005, the iconic building integrates the natural hilly landscape with metallic swoops and arcs that mirror Klee’s art. Check out the online exhibit, “Mapping Klee,” at this link. 

8. Museum of Old and New Art 

“Snake” by Sidney Nolan in MONA. Jeff Owens. CC BY 2.0. 

MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, is an ever-changing collection of ancient, contemporary and modern art. Located in Hobart on Australia’s island of Tasmania, the museum is built into a cliff and prioritizes multimedia installations, engagement with community-based art, and live performances. MONA elevates the museum experience by operating a winery, hotel and restaurant on-site that all mirror the museum’s ethos: fun. 

9. Museum Willet-Holthuysen

Interior of the Museum Willet-Holthuysen. Remi Mathis. CC BY 3.0. 

The Museum Willet-Holthuysen is a homage to Amsterdam’s golden age. Built in 1687, this canal house was donated to the Dutch city in 1895. The 18th- and 19th-century room decor is still in its original condition, and the gallery walls are lined with paintings from the Willet-Holthuysen private collection, allowing many of the paintings to be displayed in their original historic setting. View part of the collection online here. 

10. The Neon Museum

Signs in the Neon Museum. Adrian Grycuk. CC BY 3.0. 

Since 2005, this museum in Warsaw, Poland, has been dedicated to the preservation of Cold War-era artifacts; namely, neon signage from the Soviet Union. In the Eastern Bloc, which included Poland, there was an official effort from the 1950s to the 1970s to “neonize” the state. The Soviet attempt to bring Western aesthetics to Eastern Europe has been preserved at the Neon Museum, where gallery walls are lined with an array of colorful relics. 

Sarah Leidich

Sarah is currently an English and Film major at Barnard College of Columbia University. Sarah is inspired by global art in every form, and hopes to explore the intersection of activism, art, and storytelling through her writing.

Crowds Overwhelm the Queen of the Adriatic

Image Credit: The Local Italy

Venice is often called La Serenissima, Italian for “the most serene.” In previous years the island city was a haven for writers and artists who came from every corner of the world to wander its canal lined streets or write in the shade of a nearby cafe.

And yet, since the early 2000’s Venice has become anything but a peaceful retreat. Now it is almost impossible to roam those same streets of Proust and Pound without being entangled in the slow moving blockage of thousands of selfie stick bearing tourists. In fact, a total of 60,000 people visit Venice everyday, outnumbering the local population of 55,000.

Last year, Venice barely escaped being added to UNESCO’s “at risk” list for world heritage sites, where it would have joined cities such as Aleppo, Damascus and Vienna. (The city has one more year before it will be reassessed for addition to the list.)


Summer in Venice is “like war,” Paola Mar, the island’s head of tourism said in an interview with the Independent. According to Mar, the biggest problem is Venice’s proximity to many nearby summer resorts. “We’re two hours from Trieste, we’re one hour from Lake Garda, 90 minutes from Cortina, two hours from Rimini,” she said. “This is the problem.”

Residents pose with sign reading: Venice is not a hotel. Image Credit: The Telegraph

These resort tourists pose a greater risk to the city than the average—largely because they spend little to no money on the island, while taking up a great deal of space. They often arrive in bathing suits with packed lunches, intent on picnicing on already cramped bridges or in historic areas such as the Plaza San Marco. Mar calls these visitors “mordi-fuggi” or eat-and-run tourists. She says they perceive Venice as a kind of beach and fail to respect the historic city or its residents.

Even when these tourists spend money in the city it is usually at one of the kitchy vendors lining the streets in areas such as Rialto and San Marco. These tourist traps erode the business of the real artisans of Venice whose time-consuming crafts have no way to compete with the influx of uber cheap, made in China merchandise. “You’re asking me what it’s like to live with this crap?” Luciano Bortot, Venice native told the Guardian. “It used to be wonderful, we had lots of artisans … the problem now is the mass tourism, the people who come for just a few hours and see nothing – it’s as much of a nightmare for them.”

This influx of tourists has made it almost impossible for local residents to go about their usual lives. A year ago, 2,000 locals marched in a demonstration against the tourist industry in Venice. “Around 2,000 people leave each year,” Carlo Beltrame, one of the event’s organizers told the Guardian. “If we go on this way, in a few years’ time Venice will only be populated by tourists. This would be a social, anthropological and historical disaster.”

Despite the gravity of the tourist problem, the city has struggled to come up with a solution. Many have suggested a tax to enter the island, but this would violate the EU freedom of movement clause and the Italian constitution. The city also can’t raise the overnight tax that visitors pay when staying in hotels or b&bs because the rates are set nationally. “Our hands are tied,” Paola Mar told the Independent.

Another suggestion has been to close off Piazza San Marco to the public and charge for tickets—an action that is legal because of its designation as a closed monument site. Mar, however is reluctant to take this measure. To her, Venice “is a place where you’ve always met people. It was the first place in Europe to be a melting pot.” As Mar and many others see it, Venice is about inclusion, openness, ideas. Closing off the central monument feels dissident with the spirit of the city.

Image Credit: Comune di Venezia

For now, Venice has begun a campaign called #enjoyrespectVenezia that warns tourists with signs against inappropriate behavior such as littering, picnicking, swimming in canals, wearing bathing suits, and bicycling. Officials hope that that the hefty fines for each of these actions will incentivize tourists to behave better. The campaign also encourages visitors to venture off the beaten trail and pursue activities and landmarks that interest them. It also encourages tourists to stay away from cheap, made-in-china merchandise in favor of local artisans.

 

 

EMMA BRUCE is an undergraduate student studying English and marketing at Emerson College in Boston. She has worked as a volunteer in Guatemala City and is passionate about travel and social justice. She plans to continue traveling wherever life may take her.