In recent years, Milan Bergamo Airport has collaborated in significant activities with local associations, entities and organisations, above all with a view to preserving the heritage of our province. This year, BGY is delighted to have lent its support to the Pirlì Recreational Community, an initiative that forms part of the TOCATÍ programme, recognised by UNESCO, for the preservation of traditional games and sports.
Pirlì is a traditional game that plays a significant role in the cultural heritage of the province of Bergamo. Made by local artisans with simple materials such as wood, glass, leather and string, Pirlì is an evolution of the spinning top and a precursor of pinball. The game recently became the first from Bergamo to be included in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices run by UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, a form of recognition that celebrates its cultural and historical significance.
SACBO’s collaboration with the Pirlì Recreational Community takes the form of three main actions: “Let’s Get Involved”, “Culture through Play” and “Make Ourselves Known”.
The Pirlì tournament took place in twelve different town squares: eleven within the province and one as part of the international TOCATÍ event in Verona. The elimination rounds were held in a series of locations within the province of Bergamo. The aim of the project is to involve a large section of the local community and beyond, raising awareness of traditional games and intangible heritage.
SACBO supports the “Tutti in Gioco” project, which sees the collaboration of the University of Bergamo, AGA (the Historical Games Association) and L’Innesto, which organises educational, research and communication activities in the field of culture, involving students from throughout the province. The events, which saw the participation of cultural institutions such as the Central Institute for Intangible Heritage and the Archive of Ethnography and Social History, represented an opportunity to further examine the theme of safeguarding intangible heritage.
SACBO’s commitment to supporting initiatives such as the Pirlì tournament highlights its dedication to social responsibility and the promotion of local culture. These activities allow Milan Bergamo Airport to play a role in safeguarding and celebrating heritage, which can be immaterial as well as physical and that is sustained through collective memory.