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Singing and colours belong to the elements which best talk about the different cultures and the numerous peoples of the world; from this balcony, from which, like every year, the participants to the International Choir Competition are warmly welcomed in our town, you notice especially the colours. Every colour has an ancient history and reminds to events whose protagonists are whole peoples. It has the fascination and the charm of a fragment of the big rainbow that is mankind. On the other hand, we will hear singing in the performances venues. But – as we know – it won’t be shut up there; the songs want to be heard, to go outside, to meet many people. And we, the citizens of Riva del Garda, know that they will manage it, they will be able to go out and wander through our town freely. From the past years we know that during these four days of the International Choir Competition there will be songs from all over the world in every corner of our town, not only during the performances, but also in the different moments of the day: they will come from the windows of the hotels, from the tables of the coffee bars, from the streets and squares themselves where
the members of the choirs don’t stop doing what they love to do – that is: singing. Maybe they sing to practise or to calm down the excitement, who knows, but we like to think that songs are a language of brotherhood, meeting and closeness, and that it’s impossible for the members of the choirs to resist the temptation to sing on the occasion of such a beautiful appointment, in such a fascinating situation and – last but not least – in a town which is so happy to have them as guests. I warmly welcome you and I want to thank you sincerely on behalf of the town for your presence which is a great priceless moment of enrichment and reason of pride for all of us. I wish you all a peaceful staying on the lake, the full gratification for the enthusiasm and zeal you express through your passion for the choral music, and success for this wonderful event.