This afternoon in Agrigento the lighting of the friendship tripod will open the 65th festival of the blooming almond tree. The ceremony, due to the uncertainty of the weather, will take place at the Palacongressi and not, as it has happened for the last fifty years, in front of the temple of Concord.

15 traditional groups from all around the world will join the festival. They come from: Bosnia (Pale, Kud Mladost); Bulgaria (Sofia- Folk Dance Ensamble Goce Delchev); Cyprus (Lefkosa-Academy Art Association); Egypt (Alessandria-Alanfousci Folk group); Georgia (Batumi Choreographic Company Khorumi); Israel (Hasharon – Halleluyah Dance Group); Italia ( Asti- Flag throwers from the Asti); Mexico (Puebla- C’Acatl Escuela Superior de Danza Folclorica): Peru (Lima-Asociacion Cultural Perù Contemporaneo); Portugal (Ponte de Lima-Rusga Tipica da Correlha); Romania (Bacau- Busuicol Dance Ensemble); Senegal (Koalack- Troupe Folkclorique Allahlake); Serbia(Belgrade-Folk Dance Ensemble Sumadija); Spain (Valencia-Tuna de Derecho); Ukraine (Khmelnitsklv- Folk Dance Ensemble Podilly). There will also be the Mehter Military Band (Turkey) and the ‘Banda de Gaitas, Centro Gallego de Madrid’. The show, hosted by Jihane Loukrian, Veronica Maya and Carmelo Lazzaro, will end on Sunday in the Valley of the Temples when the best traditional groups will be awarded the Golden Temple.

Translated by Chiara Nunnari from John Milton Institute