1.
President of Lombardy
–
The President of Lombardy is the supreme authority of Lombardy, the most populated region of Italy. The office is connected to the Regional Council, which is elected contextually, the President of Lombardy promulgates regional laws and regulations. He or she can receive special administrative functions by the national government, the President is one of the eighty members of the Regional Council and, in this capacity, can propose new laws. The President appoints and dismiss the Regional Cabinet, the Cabinet is composed by no more than sixteen regional assessors who can be members of the Council at the same time. One assessor can be appointed Vice President, the President can also appoint four under-secretaries to help the President in his functions. The President and the Cabinet are two different authorities of the Region, in matters within its competence, the Cabinet has the power to vote to give its approval, list of Presidents of Lombardy Regional Council of Lombardy
President of Lombardy
–
Incumbent
Roberto Maroni since February 27, 2013
2.
Roberto Maroni
–
Roberto Ernesto Maroni is an Italian politician from Varese, current President of Lombardy since 2013. He is a leader of the Northern League, a party seeking autonomy or independence for Northern Italy or Padania, from 1992-2013 he was a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic, always elected in Lombard constituencies. He was Interior Minister of the Italian Republic from 1994-95, in 1979, Maroni received a law degree with a dissertation in Civil Law, from the University of Milan. He became a lawyer after spending two years working as a Legal Affairs Manager for various companies, in 1990, he was elected Province Secretary of the Northern League in Varese. He also became a councilor in Varese that year. Two years later, he was elected Chairman of the Northern League Parliamentary Group and he also entered the partys Federal Council and campaigned heavily for the Northern League prior to Berlusconis first Cabinet. He also served as Minister of the Interior during the first Silvio Berlusconi cabinet and he also served as Minister of Labour and Welfare from 2001 to May 2006 in Berlusconis second and third cabinets. In April 2006, after Berlusconi narrowly lost his bid to Romano Prodi. The level pegging is very similar to what happened in Florida, with one vote more or one vote less, you lose or you win, he said. After the 2008 electoral victory of the coalition in Italy. Following the forced retirement of Umberto Bossi due to his involvement in a scandal. After the election of February 24,2013, he became the ninth President of Lombardy, in September 2006, Maroni told Vanity Fair that he downloads music illegally and thinks music should be free and accessible to all. He added that authors should still be able to stop their work from being distributed on the Internet. Maroni said his confession was intended to spark a discussion in Parliament about changing Italys copyright laws and he also said that the plan was to use 220 million euros from the European Social Fund for the initiative. Shortly after the 2016 Normandy church attack, Maroni called on the Pope to immediately proclaim Jacques Hamel St Jacques
Roberto Maroni
–
Maroni in 2010.
Roberto Maroni
–
Signature
3.
Lecco
–
Lecco is a city of 48,131 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy,50 kilometres north of Milan, the capital of the province of Lecco. It lies at the end of the branch of Lake Como. The Bergamo Alps rise to the north and east, cut through by the Valsassina of which Lecco marks the southern end, the lake narrows to form the river Adda, so bridges were built to improve road communications with Como and Milan. There are four crossing the river Adda in Lecco, the Azzone Visconti Bridge, the Kennedy Bridge and the Alessandro Manzoni Bridge. Its economy used to be based on industry, but now it is mainly tertiary, Lecco was also Alpine Town of the Year 2013. Archaeological finds demonstrate the presence of Celtic settlement in the area before the arrival of the Romans, the latter built a castrum here and made it an important road hub. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Lombards captured the town in the 6th century, they were followed by the Franks, emperor Otto I spent a long time in Lecco, crushing the 964 AD revolt against the Holy Roman Empire led by Leccos Count Attone. Later it became a possession of the Milanese monastery of St. Ambrose, conrad II also stayed in Lecco, in the attempt to free it from the church, but as the result of the ensuing wars the city was subjected by Milan. It subsequently followed the history of the Duchy of Milan and of Lombardy, in the early 16th century it was briefly ruled by the condottiere Gian Giacomo Medici. The main sports facility of the city is the Rigamonti-Ceppi Stadium and it was built in 1922 in honor of the football player Mario Rigamonti and the ex president of the team Mario Ceppi. It can contain almost 5000 people, Lecco is the finish of the Giro di Lombardia cycling classic which includes the famous Madonna del Ghisallo hill. Alessandro Manzoni, poet and novelist, author of I promessi sposi, antonio Ghislanzoni, journalist, poet, and novelist, he wrote many librettos for Verdi, including La forza del destino and Aida. Roberto Castelli, Senator, former Minister of Justice during the government of Silvio Berlusconi 2001–2006, roberto Formigoni, a Catholic conservative politician, President of Lombardy since 1995. Antonio Rossi, a canoeist and five-time Olympic medalist in kayak flatwater canoeing, sandro Salsano, a businessman and philanthropist, chairman and president of Salsano Group. Alessandro Manzoni set the events in the first half of The Betrothed in Lecco and we voyaged by steamer down the Lago di Lecco, through wild mountain scenery, and by hamlets and villas, and disembarked at the town of Lecco. They said it was two hours, by carriage to the ancient city of Bergamo, and that we would arrive there in season for the railway train. We got an open barouche and a wild, boisterous driver and we had a fast team and a perfectly smooth road. There were towering cliffs on our left, and the pretty Lago di Lecco on our right, in total, ethnic groups in Lecco represent 97 countries
Lecco
–
Piazza XX Settembre, in the centre of the town, and the San Martino mountain.
Lecco
–
Lecco and Monte San Martino.
Lecco
–
View of Lecco.
Lecco
–
The War Memorial in Lecco.
4.
Italy
–
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino, Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal and Mediterranean climate. Due to its shape, it is referred to in Italy as lo Stivale. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous EU member state, the Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom, which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations. The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the distribution of civilian law, republican governments, Christianity. The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe, bringing a renewed interest in humanism, science, exploration, Italian culture flourished at this time, producing famous scholars, artists and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France, Spain and Austria. Despite being one of the victors in World War I, Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil. The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in defeat, economic destruction. Today, Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and it has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy. The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic, military, cultural and diplomatic affairs, as a reflection of its cultural wealth, Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites, the most in the world, and is the fifth most visited country. The assumptions on the etymology of the name Italia are very numerous, according to one of the more common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú, meaning land of young cattle. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The name Italia originally applied only to a part of what is now Southern Italy – according to Antiochus of Syracuse, but by his time Oenotria and Italy had become synonymous, and the name also applied to most of Lucania as well. The Greeks gradually came to apply the name Italia to a larger region, excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Other ancient Italian peoples of undetermined language families but of possible origins include the Rhaetian people and Cammuni. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily, the Roman legacy has deeply influenced the Western civilisation, shaping most of the modern world
Italy
–
The
Colosseum in Rome, built c. 70 – 80 AD, is considered one of the greatest works of
architecture and
engineering of ancient history.
Italy
–
Flag
Italy
–
The
Iron Crown of Lombardy, for centuries symbol of the
Kings of Italy.
Italy
–
Castel del Monte, built by German Emperor
Frederick II,
UNESCO World Heritage site
5.
Italians
–
Italians are a nation and ethnic group native to Italy who share a common culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a native tongue. The majority of Italian nationals are speakers of Standard Italian. Italians have greatly influenced and contributed to the arts and music, science, technology, cuisine, sports, fashion, jurisprudence, banking, Italian people are generally known for their localism and their attention to clothing and family values. The term Italian is at least 3,000 years old and has a history that goes back to pre-Roman Italy. According to one of the common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The Etruscan civilization reached its peak about the 7th century BC, but by 509 BC, when the Romans overthrew their Etruscan monarchs, its control in Italy was on the wane. By 350 BC, after a series of wars between Greeks and Etruscans, the Latins, with Rome as their capital, gained the ascendancy by 272 BC, and they managed to unite the entire Italian peninsula. This period of unification was followed by one of conquest in the Mediterranean, in the course of the century-long struggle against Carthage, the Romans conquered Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. Finally, in 146 BC, at the conclusion of the Third Punic War, with Carthage completely destroyed and its inhabitants enslaved, octavian, the final victor, was accorded the title of Augustus by the Senate and thereby became the first Roman emperor. After two centuries of rule, in the 3rd century AD, Rome was threatened by internal discord and menaced by Germanic and Asian invaders. Emperor Diocletians administrative division of the empire into two parts in 285 provided only temporary relief, it became permanent in 395, in 313, Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity, and churches thereafter rose throughout the empire. However, he moved his capital from Rome to Constantinople. The last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed in 476 by a Germanic foederati general in Italy and his defeat marked the end of the western part of the Roman Empire. During most of the period from the fall of Rome until the Kingdom of Italy was established in 1861, Odoacer ruled well for 13 years after gaining control of Italy in 476. Then he was attacked and defeated by Theodoric, the king of another Germanic tribe, Theodoric and Odoacer ruled jointly until 493, when Theodoric murdered Odoacer. Theodoric continued to rule Italy with an army of Ostrogoths and a government that was mostly Italian, after the death of Theodoric in 526, the kingdom began to grow weak
Italians
–
Amerigo Vespucci, the notable geographer and traveller from whose name the word
America is derived.
Italians
Italians
–
Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the
New World.
Italians
–
Laura Bassi, the first chairwoman of a university in a scientific field of studies.
6.
Christian Democracy (Italy)
–
Christian Democracy was a Christian democratic political party in Italy. The DC was founded in 1943 as the successor of the Italian Peoples Party, which had the same symbol. The party was nicknamed the White Whale, from 1946 until 1994 the DC was the largest party in Parliament, governing in successive coalitions. It originally supported governments based on political positions, before moving to centre-left coalitions. The party was succeeded by a string of parties, including the Italian Peoples Party, the Christian Democratic Centre, the United Christian Democrats. Former Christian Democrats are also spread among other parties, including the centre-right Forza Italia and the New Centre-Right, the DC was a founding member of the European Peoples Party in 1976. The party was founded as the revival of the Italian Peoples Party, a party created in 1919 by Luigi Sturzo. In December 1945 Christian Democrat Alcide De Gasperi was appointed Prime Minister of Italy, in the 1946 general election the DC won 35. 2% of the vote. In May 1947 De Gasperi broke decisively with his Communist and Socialist coalition partners under pressure from U. S. President Harry Truman. This opened the way for a centrist coalition that included the Italian Workers Socialist Party, a centrist break-away from the PSI, as well as its allies, the PLI. In the 1948 general election the DC went on to win a victory, with the support of the Catholic Church and the United States. Under De Gasperi, major reforms were carried out in the poorer rural regions in the early postwar years, with farms appropriated from the large landowners. De Gasperi served as Prime Minister until 1953 and would die a year later. No Christian Democrat would match his longevity in office and, despite the fact that DCs share of vote was always between 38 and 43% from 1953 to 1979, the party was more and more fractious, as a result, Prime Ministers changed more frequently. From 1954 the DC was led by progressive Christian Democrats, such as Amintore Fanfani, Aldo Moro and Benigno Zaccagnini, supported by the influential left-wing factions. In 1963 the party, under Prime Minister Aldo Moro, formed a coalition with the PSI, which returned to ministerial roles after 16 years, the PSDI, similar Organic Centre-left governments became usual through the 1960s and the 1970s. From 1976 to 1979 the DC governed with the support of the PCI. Moro, who was the party leader and who had inspired the Compromise, was abducted and murdered by the Red Brigades
Christian Democracy (Italy)
–
Alcide De Gasperi
Christian Democracy (Italy)
–
Christian Democracy Democrazia Cristiana
Christian Democracy (Italy)
–
Giulio Andreotti
Christian Democracy (Italy)
–
Propaganda posters of the DC: they described to potential voters the party's commitment to
anti-communism (in the left poster),
traditionalism (in the centre poster), and
family values (in the right poster). Note the use of symbols, especially the crossed shield (representing the DC) protecting
Italy (represented by
Italia Turrita) from the
communist hammer and sickle symbol being used as a weapon in the left poster.
7.
Forza Italia
–
Forza Italia was a centre-right political party in Italy with liberal-conservative, Christian-democratic, liberal and populist tendencies, as well as a significant social-democratic minority. Its leader was Silvio Berlusconi, four times Prime Minister of Italy, the party was founded in December 1993 and won its first general election soon afterwards in March 1994. The partys organisation and ideology depended heavily on its leader and its appeal to voters was based on Berlusconis personality more than on its ideology or programme. Italy was shaken by a series of corruption known as Tangentopoli. This led to the disappearance of the five parties which governed Italy from 1947, DC, PSI, PSDI, PLI and PRI, the new partys campaigning was strongly dependent on Fininvests TV stations and PR resources. This earned Forza Italia labels like virtual, plastic or business-firm party, in her 2001 study of the party, political scientist Emanuela Poli described Forza Italia as a mere diversification of Fininvest in the political market. The case of Forza Italia was unprecedented as never before had a political party been launched by a business corporation. Only slowly it transformed into a mass-membership organisation and it took four years until the first party congress was held. In the 1994 European Parliament election held in June, Forza Italia was placed first nationally, with 30. 6% of the vote, electing 27 MEPs. The party did not join a group in the European Parliament, instead forming the new group Forza Europa. Forza Italias leader was replaced as Prime Minister by Lamberto Dini, no members of Forza Italia joined the new government and the party leader was relegated to opposition. Between 1996 and 1998, the party started to strengthen its organisation under Claudio Scajola, in December 1999, Forza Italia gained full membership in the European Peoples Party, of which Antonio Tajani, the party leader of Forza Italia in the European Parliament, became a Vice President. In the same year, the party scored well in the European Parliament election of 1999, the party regained power in the general election of 2001, gaining 29. In June 2001, after the success in May elections, Sivio Berlusconi was returned head of the Italian government. Again all key ministerial posts were given to Forza Italia members, Interior, Defence, Dinance, Industry, in 2004 European elections, Forza Italia was second place nationally, receiving 20. 1% of the vote and returning 16 MEPs. In national office, the popularity kept declining steadily year after year. After this disappointing performance the cabinet was reshuffled, due to the insistence of the Union of Christian and Centre Democratss leaders. In the 2006 general election the party was present with a different logo
Forza Italia
–
Berlusconi during a Forza Italia rally.
Forza Italia
–
Forza Italia
8.
The People of Freedom
–
The People of Freedom was a centre-right political party in Italy. The federation was later transformed into a party during a party congress on 27–29 March 2009, the PdL formed Italys government from 2008 to 2011 in coalition with Lega Nord. Alfano functioned as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, in June 2013 Berlusconi announced Forza Italias revival and the PdLs transformation into a centre-right coalition. In the run-up to the 2006 general election there was talk among the component parties of the House of Freedoms coalition regarding a merger into a united party of moderates. Forza Italia, National Alliance and the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats all seemed interested in the project, soon after the election, however, UDC leader Pier Ferdinando Casini, who had been a reluctant coalition partner, started to distance from its historical allies. Another party of the coalition, Lega Nord, showed no interest in the idea, because of its character as a regionalist party. Shortly afterwards, from the board of a car in a crowded Piazza San Babila in Milan. The new course was called the running board revolution and this expression soon became very popular both among Berlusconis supporters and his adversaries. At the beginning, the fate of FI remained unclear, later, it was explained that the new partys core would consist of FI, the Circles of Freedom and other grassroots groups, and that some minor parties of the House of Freedoms would join too. Also UDC leader Casini criticized the idea from the start and seemed interested in a coalition with Fini. On 24 January 2008, the Prodi II Cabinet fell as a result of the political crisis, on the day after Berlusconi hinted that FI would probably contest its last election, and postponed the foundation of the new party until after the election. In an atmosphere of reconciliation with Fini, Berlusconi also stated that the new party could involve the participation of other parties, on 8 February, Berlusconi and Fini agreed to form a joint list under the banner of The People of Freedom, in alliance with LN. Italians in the World, Social Action and the Reformist Socialists, in the 2008 general election, the PdL won 37. 4% of the vote, getting elected 276 deputies and 146 senators and becoming the Italian largest party. The PdL was also the first party since Christian Democracy in the 1979 general election to get more than 35% of the popular vote, on 27–29 March 2009, the new party held its first congress in Rome and was officially founded. In the 2009 European Parliament election, the party won 35. 2% of the national vote, the PdL was also instrumental in the centre-right victories in Veneto and Piedmont, where two Presidents of LN, Luca Zaia and Roberto Cota respectively, were elected. Between 2009 and 2010 Gianfranco Fini, former leader of the conservative AN and President of the Chamber of Deputies, in fact most Finiani were Southern conservatives who opposed Berlusconis firm alliance with LN, federal reform and Giulio Tremontis economic policy. Others, including Gianni Alemanno and Alfredo Mantovano, found common ground with the partys Christian democrats, on 15 April 2010 Bocchino launched an association named Generation Italy in order to better represent Finis views within the party. On 22 April 2010 the national council of the PdL convened in Rome for the first time in a year, the conflict between Fini and Berlusconi was covered live on television
The People of Freedom
–
Silvio Berlusconi at a PdL rally.
The People of Freedom
–
The People of Freedom Il Popolo della Libertà
The People of Freedom
–
Gianfranco Fini
The People of Freedom
–
Silvio Berlusconi in 2012.
9.
New Centre-Right
–
New Centre-Right was a centre-right political party in Italy. The party was launched on 15 November 2013 by a group of dissidents of The People of Freedom who opposed the partys transformation into Forza Italia, the NCD leader is Angelino Alfano, who had been Silvio Berlusconis protégé and national secretary of the PdL from 2011 to 2013. On 11 September 2014 the NCD was officially accepted into the European Peoples Party, on 18 March 2017 the NCD was dissolved into Popular Alternative. The party was formed by splinters from the PdL on 15 November 2013 and its founders, lately known as doves in the party, were strong supporters of Enrico Lettas government and refused to join the new Forza Italia, founded upon the dissolution of the PdL. All five PdL ministers, three under-secretaries,30 senators and 27 deputies immediately joined the NCD, most were Christian democrats and many came from the southern regions of Calabria and Sicily. In February 2014, after the fall of Lettas government, the NCD joined a new government led by Matteo Renzi. In the new government the NCD retained three ministers, Alfano at the Interior, Lupi at Infrastrctures and Transports, and Lorenzin at Health, quagliariello, who had not been confirmed as minister of Institutional Reforms, was elected national coordinator by the assembly of the parliamentary groups. The party ran in the 2014 European Parliament election on a joint list with the Union of the Centre, the list obtained 4. 4% of the vote and three MEPs, two for the NCD and one for the UdC. The list did especially well in the South,7. 1% in Apulia,11. 4% in Calabria and 9. 1% in Sicily, in December 2014 the NCD formed joint parliamentary groups with the UdC in both the Chamber of Deputies and Senate. The two groups, a step toward a merger of the two parties, were named Popular Area, where popular was a reference to popolarismo, the Italian variety of Christian democracy. Following Alfanos decision to support Sergio Mattarellas bid to become President of Italy during the 2015 presidential election, most notably, Barbara Saltamartini and Maurizio Sacconi resigned from partys spokesperson and leader in the Senate, respectively. Schifani was unanimously elected to succeed to Sacconi, while Saltamartini left the party altogether, in March Lupi was hit by a minor corruption scandal and resigned from minister of Infrastrctures and Transports. As result, the party was left only two ministers. In April De Girolamo, a frequent critic of the government since Mattarellas election, was replaced as leader in the Chamber by Lupi, during the summer, one deputy and one MEP re-joined FI. A bigger blow to Alfano came in October, when Quaglieriello resigned from coordinator, in the following weeks, Quaglieriello deserted a meeting of the partys national board and made clear he was leaving the party. Two deputies and two collagues of Quaglieriello in the Senate followed suit and these, along with a fourth senator finally launched Identity and Action. In February 2016, during a government reshuffle, NCDs Enrico Costa was appointed minister of Regional Affairs and Autonomies. Shortly afterwards, it was announced by Lorenzin that the party would change its name, dropping the word right
New Centre-Right
–
Electoral logo
New Centre-Right
–
New Centre-Right Nuovo Centrodestra
10.
Milan
–
Milan is a city in Italy, capital of the Lombardy region, and the most populous metropolitan area and the second most populous comune in Italy. The population of the city proper is 1,351,000, Milan has a population of about 8,500,000 people. It is the industrial and financial centre of Italy and one of global significance. In terms of GDP, it has the largest economy among European non-capital cities, Milan is considered part of the Blue Banana and lies at the heart of one of the Four Motors for Europe. Milan is an Alpha leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, design, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, services, research, and tourism. Its business district hosts Italys Stock Exchange and the headquarters of the largest national and international banks, the city is a major world fashion and design capital, well known for several international events and fairs, including Milan Fashion Week and the Milan Furniture Fair. The city hosts numerous cultural institutions, academies and universities, with 11% of the national total enrolled students, Milans museums, theatres and landmarks attract over 9 million visitors annually. Milan – after Naples – is the second Italian city with the highest number of accredited stars from the Michelin Guide, the city hosted the Universal Exposition in 1906 and 2015. Milan is home to two of Europes major football teams, A. C. Milan and F. C. Internazionale, the etymology of Milan is uncertain. One theory holds that the Latin name Mediolanum comes from the Latin words medio, however, some scholars believe lanum comes from the Celtic root lan, meaning an enclosure or demarcated territory in which Celtic communities used to build shrines. Hence, Mediolanum could signify the central town or sanctuary of a Celtic tribe, indeed, the name Mediolanum is borne by about sixty Gallo-Roman sites in France, e. g. Saintes and Évreux. Alciato credits Ambrose for his account, around 400 BC, the Celtic Insubres settled Milan and the surrounding region. In 222 BC, the Romans conquered the settlement, renaming it Mediolanum, Milan was eventually declared the capital of the Western Roman Empire by Emperor Diocletian in 286 AD. Diocletian chose to stay in the Eastern Roman Empire and his colleague Maximianus ruled the Western one, immediately Maximian built several monuments, such as a large circus 470 m ×85 m, the Thermae Herculeae, a large complex of imperial palaces and several other buildings. With the Edict of Milan of 313, Emperor Constantine I guaranteed freedom of religion for Christians, after the city was besieged by the Visigoths in 402, the imperial residence was moved to Ravenna. In 452, the Huns overran the city, in 539, the Ostrogoths conquered and destroyed Milan during the Gothic War against Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. In the summer of 569, a Teutonic tribe, the Lombards, conquered Milan, some Roman structures remained in use in Milan under Lombard rule. Milan surrendered to the Franks in 774 when Charlemagne took the title of King of the Lombards, the Iron Crown of Lombardy dates from this period
Milan
–
Milan Cathedral,
La Scala opera house and
Porta Nuova business district
Milan
Milan
Milan
11.
Alma mater
–
Alma mater is an allegorical Latin phrase for a university or college. In modern usage, it is a school or university which an individual has attended, the phrase is variously translated as nourishing mother, nursing mother, or fostering mother, suggesting that a school provides intellectual nourishment to its students. Before its modern usage, Alma mater was a title in Latin for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele. The source of its current use is the motto, Alma Mater Studiorum, of the oldest university in continuous operation in the Western world and it is related to the term alumnus, denoting a university graduate, which literally means a nursling or one who is nourished. The phrase can also denote a song or hymn associated with a school, although alma was a common epithet for Ceres, Cybele, Venus, and other mother goddesses, it was not frequently used in conjunction with mater in classical Latin. Alma Redemptoris Mater is a well-known 11th century antiphon devoted to Mary, the earliest documented English use of the term to refer to a university is in 1600, when University of Cambridge printer John Legate began using an emblem for the universitys press. In English etymological reference works, the first university-related usage is often cited in 1710, many historic European universities have adopted Alma Mater as part of the Latin translation of their official name. The University of Bologna Latin name, Alma Mater Studiorum, refers to its status as the oldest continuously operating university in the world. At least one, the Alma Mater Europaea in Salzburg, Austria, the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, has been called the Alma Mater of the Nation because of its ties to the founding of the United States. At Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, the ancient Roman world had many statues of the Alma Mater, some still extant. Modern sculptures are found in prominent locations on several American university campuses, outside the United States, there is an Alma Mater sculpture on the steps of the monumental entrance to the Universidad de La Habana, in Havana, Cuba. Media related to Alma mater at Wikimedia Commons The dictionary definition of alma mater at Wiktionary Alma Mater Europaea website
Alma mater
–
The Alma Mater statue by
Mario Korbel, at the entrance of the
University of Havana in
Cuba.
Alma mater
–
John Legate's Alma Mater for Cambridge in 1600
Alma mater
–
Alma Mater (1929, Lorado Taft),
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
12.
Italian Senate
–
The Senate of the Republic is a house of the bicameral Italian Parliament. The two houses form a perfect bicameral system, meaning they perform identical functions, but do so separately. Members of the Senate are styled Senator or The Honourable Senator and they meet at Palazzo Madama, the Senate consists of 315 elected members, and as of 2016 five senators for life. The elected senators must be over 40 years of age and are elected by Italian citizens aged 25 or older, the Senate is elected on a regional basis. The 309 senators are assigned to each region according to their population. However, Article 57 of the Constitution provides that no region can have fewer than seven senators representing it, except for the Aosta Valley and Molise. The five current life senators are, The current term of the Senate is five years, until a Constitutional change on February 9,1963, the Senate was elected for six-year terms. The Senate may be dissolved before the expiration of its normal term by the President of the Republic, in 2016, Italian Parliament passed a constitutional law that effectively abolishes the Senate as an elected chamber and sharply restricts its ability to veto legislation. The law was rejected on December 4,2016 by a referendum, the election of the Senate is still regulated by Law no. 270, December 21,2005, which however was judged to be partly unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court in December 2013, in each Region, except for three, at least 55% of the seats are assigned to the coalition or list which received the most votes. The Aosta Valley elects one senator, so it uses a first past the post system, Molise elects two senators with a proportional system. Trentino-South Tyrol uses a mixed member system, it elects 6 senators in first past the post constituencies. That session, presided by the oldest senator, proceeds to elect the President of the Senate for the parliamentary period. On the first two attempts at voting, a majority of all senators is needed, if a third round is needed. If this third round fails to produce a winner, a ballot is held between the two senators with the highest votes in the previous ballot. In the case of a tie, the senator is deemed the winner. The current President of the Senate is Pietro Grasso, recent Presidents of the Italian Senate, Since 1871, the Senate has met in Palazzo Madama in Rome, an old patrician palace completed in 1505 for the Medici family. The palace takes its name from Madama Margherita of Austria, daughter of Charles V, after the extinction of the Medici, the palace was handed over to the House of Lorraine
Italian Senate
Italian Senate
–
Senate of the Republic Senato della Repubblica
Italian Senate
–
Palazzo Madama as it appeared in 17th century
Italian Senate
–
Palazzo Madama today
13.
University of Paris
–
The University of Paris, metonymically known as the Sorbonne, was a university in Paris, France. Emerging around 1150 as an associated with the cathedral school of Notre Dame de Paris. Vast numbers of popes, royalties, scientists and intellectuals were educated at the University of Paris, following the turbulence of the French Revolution, education was suspended in 1793 whereafter its faculties were partly reorganised by Napoleon as the University of France. In 1896, it was renamed again to the University of Paris, in 1970, following the May 1968 events, the university was divided into 13 autonomous universities. Others, like Panthéon-Sorbonne University, chose to be multidisciplinary, in 1150, the future University of Paris was a student-teacher corporation operating as an annex of the Notre-Dame cathedral school. The university had four faculties, Arts, Medicine, Law, the Faculty of Arts was the lowest in rank, but also the largest, as students had to graduate there in order to be admitted to one of the higher faculties. The students were divided into four nationes according to language or regional origin, France, Normandy, Picardy, the last came to be known as the Alemannian nation. Recruitment to each nation was wider than the names might imply, the faculty and nation system of the University of Paris became the model for all later medieval universities. Under the governance of the Church, students wore robes and shaved the tops of their heads in tonsure, students followed the rules and laws of the Church and were not subject to the kings laws or courts. This presented problems for the city of Paris, as students ran wild, students were often very young, entering the school at age 13 or 14 and staying for 6 to 12 years. Three schools were especially famous in Paris, the palatine or palace school, the school of Notre-Dame, the decline of royalty brought about the decline of the first. The other two were ancient but did not have much visibility in the early centuries, the glory of the palatine school doubtless eclipsed theirs, until it completely gave way to them. These two centres were much frequented and many of their masters were esteemed for their learning, the first renowned professor at the school of Ste-Geneviève was Hubold, who lived in the tenth century. Not content with the courses at Liège, he continued his studies at Paris, entered or allied himself with the chapter of Ste-Geneviève, and attracted many pupils via his teaching. Distinguished professors from the school of Notre-Dame in the century include Lambert, disciple of Fulbert of Chartres, Drogo of Paris, Manegold of Germany. Three other men who added prestige to the schools of Notre-Dame and Ste-Geneviève were William of Champeaux, Abélard, humanistic instruction comprised grammar, rhetoric, dialectics, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. To the higher instruction belonged dogmatic and moral theology, whose source was the Scriptures and it was completed by the study of Canon law. The School of Saint-Victor arose to rival those of Notre-Dame and Ste-Geneviève and it was founded by William of Champeaux when he withdrew to the Abbey of Saint-Victor
University of Paris
University of Paris
–
University of Paris
University of Paris
University of Paris
–
The Sorbonne covered by snow.
14.
Communion and Liberation
–
Communion and Liberation is a lay ecclesial movement within the Catholic Church. CL grew out of the educational and catechetical methods of Don Luigi Giussani, Giussani developed these methods through his work within the Catholic youth association Gioventù Studentesca born in 1954 at Berchet High School in Milan, where Giussani was a teacher. In its official literature, CL emphasizes its continuity with Gioventú Studentesca, to the extent that CL traces its founding to 1954, however, the name Communion and Liberation was first used in 1969 among a group who were a minority of the former giessini, or GS members. The current leader of CL is the Spanish priest Julián Carrón, Communion and Liberation is occasionally confused with the similarly titled, but unrelated liberation theology. Today CL has a presence beyond Italy and has shifted its energy away from partisan politics and towards cultural, charitable. CLs adherents are predominantly lay Catholics, however, there are also priests and religious who belong to the movement, as well as consecrated lay men and women who are committed to lifelong celibacy, known as the Memores Domini. Several bishops, and one cardinal, are members, all of them have officially withdrawn from activity in CL immediately upon elevation to the episcopacy. The leaders of the movement include both lay persons and priests, while it has a hierarchical organizational structure, CL does not issue membership cards or keep an official register of adherents, opting instead for a free and flexible form of membership. It is difficult to estimate the number of adherents, in Italy, according to Giussani, Pope Paul VI strongly encouraged Giussanis work at a 1975 Palm Sunday youth rally at which 17,000 CL members were present. Pope John Paul II was openly supportive of CL, in 1984 he encouraged the movement to develop a worldwide presence, and in a letter to Giussani of February 22,2004 wrote that CL has chosen and chooses to indicate not a road, but the road. The road, as you have affirmed so many times, is Christ, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is said to view CL favorably. Pope Francis has been linked with CL, CL describes its purpose as the education to Christian maturity of its adherents and collaboration in the mission of the Church in all the spheres of contemporary life. It aims to communicate the awareness that Christ is the one true response to the deepest needs of people in every moment of history, CL says that it requires only that Christ be recognized as immediately present. The person who encounters and welcomes the presence of Christ undergoes a conversion that affects not only the individual, the main method by which members of CL are formed in the faith is a weekly catechesis meeting, known as a School of Community. Each School of Community is a group typically of several up to 10 people, in cities with a larger CL presence there may be multiple Schools of Community. The Schools of Community usually open up with prayer, often in the form of the Angelus and this is usually followed by the singing of songs. Next, the School of Community will read and discuss together some text, often, the text comes from a portion of Monsignor Luigi Giussanis trilogy of works, The Religious Sense, At The Origin Of The Christian Claim, Why The Church. An Unusual Approach to Christian Existence Vol.2 Hope, finally, the School of Community will close with prayer, usually the Memorare
Communion and Liberation
–
Third Orders
15.
European Parliament
–
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union. Together with the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, the Parliament is composed of 751 members, who represent the second-largest democratic electorate in the world and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world. It has been elected every five years by universal suffrage since 1979. However, voter turnout at European Parliament elections has fallen consecutively at each election since that date, voter turnout in 2014 stood at 42. 54% of all European voters. The Parliament is the first institution of the EU, and shares equal legislative and it likewise has equal control over the EU budget. Finally, the European Commission, the body of the EU, is accountable to Parliament. In particular, Parliament elects the President of the Commission, and it can subsequently force the Commission as a body to resign by adopting a motion of censure. The President of the European Parliament is Antonio Tajani, elected in January 2017 and he presides over a multi-party chamber, the two largest groups being the Group of the European Peoples Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. The last union-wide elections were the 2014 elections, the European Parliament has three places of work – Brussels, the city of Luxembourg and Strasbourg. Luxembourg is home to the administrative offices, meetings of the whole Parliament take place in Strasbourg and in Brussels. Committee meetings are held in Brussels, the Parliament, like the other institutions, was not designed in its current form when it first met on 10 September 1952. One of the oldest common institutions, it began as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and it was a consultative assembly of 78 appointed parliamentarians drawn from the national parliaments of member states, having no legislative powers. Its development since its foundation shows how the European Unions structures have evolved without a master plan. Some, such as Tom Reid of the Washington Post, said of the union, nobody would have designed a government as complex. Even the Parliaments two seats, which have switched several times, are a result of various agreements or lack of agreements, the body was not mentioned in the original Schuman Declaration. It was assumed or hoped that difficulties with the British would be resolved to allow the Council of Europes Assembly to perform the task, a separate Assembly was introduced during negotiations on the Treaty as an institution which would counterbalance and monitor the executive while providing democratic legitimacy. The wording of the ECSC Treaty demonstrated the desire for more than a normal consultative assembly by using the term representatives of the people. Its early importance was highlighted when the Assembly was given the task of drawing up the treaty to establish a European Political Community
European Parliament
European Parliament
–
European Parliament
European Parliament
–
Session of the Council of Europe's Assembly in the former
House of Europe in Strasbourg in January 1967
European Parliament
–
Palace of Europe, Parliament's Strasbourg hemicycle until 1999
16.
Parliament of Italy
–
The Italian Parliament is the national parliament of the Italian Republic. The Parliament is the body of Italian citizens and is the successor to the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia. It is a legislature with 950 elected members and a small number of unelected members. The two houses are independent from one another and never meet jointly except under circumstances specified by the Constitution, on the other hand, no distinction is made between deputies and senators. The Chamber of Deputies has 630 elected members, while the Senate has 315 elected members, the Senate of the Republic also includes a small number of unelected members. There are two categories of senators for life, former Presidents of the Republic are senators for life by law, unless they renounce this privilege. Furthermore, Presidents of the Republic can appoint up to five Italian citizens as senators for life for outstanding merits in the social, scientific, artistic or literary field. Similarly, the two houses have a different age of candidacy, deputies are required to be 25 or older, no explicit age limit is required to be appointed senator for life. The main prerogative of the Parliament is the exercise of legislative power, for a bill to become law, it must receive the support of both houses independently in the same text. A bill is first introduced in one of the houses, amended, and then approved or rejected, if approved, it is passed to the other house, if approved without amendments, the bill is then promulgated by the President of the Republic and becomes law. If approved with amendments, it is back to the other house. The process continues until the bill is approved in the text by both houses or is rejected by one house. The Council of Ministers, which is led by the Prime Minister and is the executive of Italy. If the President of the Republic is unable to find a new Prime Minister able to receive the support of both houses, he or she can dissolve one or both houses and new elections are held. The process by which the Italian Parliament makes law, the iter legis, is as follows, proposals can be made by the Government, individual Members of Parliament, private citizens, individual Regional Councils, and the National Council for Economics and Labour. Once a proposal is introduced in one of the two Chambers, it is assigned to a committee to carry out preliminary inspection of the proposal. At this point, two different procedures can be taken and this must be completed in no more than four months for the Chamber of Deputies and two months for the Senate. Once the bill has come before one of the chambers, a discussion takes place, followed by the review article by article, and finally a vote on the whole bill
Parliament of Italy
–
Palazzo Madama seat of the
Senate.
Parliament of Italy
–
Italian Parliament Parlamento Italiano
Parliament of Italy
–
Palazzo Montecitorio, seat of the
Chamber of Deputies.
17.
Natural environment
–
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally. The term is most often applied to the Earth or some part of Earth and this environment encompasses the interaction of all living species, climate, weather, and natural resources that affect human survival and economic activity. Even acts which seem less extreme, such as building a mud hut or a system in the desert. Though many animals build things to provide an environment for themselves, they are not human, hence beaver dams. People seldom find absolutely natural environments on Earth, and naturalness usually varies in a continuum, more precisely, we can consider the different aspects or components of an environment, and see that their degree of naturalness is not uniform. If, for instance, in a field, the mineralogic composition and the structure of its soil are similar to those of an undisturbed forest soil. Natural environment is used as a synonym for habitat. For instance, when we say that the environment of giraffes is the savanna. Earth science generally recognizes 4 spheres, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere as correspondent to rocks, water, air, and life respectively. Some scientists include, as part of the spheres of the Earth, Earth science, is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. There are four major disciplines in sciences, namely geography, geology, geophysics. These major disciplines use physics, chemistry, biology, chronology, the Earths crust, or lithosphere, is the outermost solid surface of the planet and is chemically and mechanically different from underlying mantle. It has been generated greatly by igneous processes in which magma cools, beneath the lithosphere lies the mantle which is heated by the decay of radioactive elements. The mantle though solid is in a state of rheic convection and this convection process causes the lithospheric plates to move, albeit slowly. The resulting process is known as plate tectonics, volcanoes result primarily from the melting of subducted crust material or of rising mantle at mid-ocean ridges and mantle plumes. An ocean is a body of saline water, and a component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered by ocean, a body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans. More than half of area is over 3,000 meters deep
Natural environment
–
Land management policies have been developed to preserve the natural characteristics of
Hopetoun Falls,
Australia while allowing ample access for visitors.
Natural environment
–
Bachalpsee in the
Swiss Alps: Mountainous areas in Switzerland are
summer farm pasture.
Natural environment
–
A satellite image of the
Sahara desert; the world's largest hot desert and third-largest desert after
Antarctica and the
Arctic.
Natural environment
–
A
volcanic fissure and
lava channel.
18.
Iraq
–
The capital, and largest city, is Baghdad. The main ethnic groups are Arabs and Kurds, others include Assyrians, Turkmen, Shabakis, Yazidis, Armenians, Mandeans, Circassians, around 95% of the countrys 36 million citizens are Muslims, with Christianity, Yarsan, Yezidism, and Mandeanism also present. The official languages of Iraq are Arabic and Kurdish, two major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, run south through Iraq and into the Shatt al-Arab near the Persian Gulf. These rivers provide Iraq with significant amounts of fertile land, the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, historically known as Mesopotamia, is often referred to as the cradle of civilisation. It was here that mankind first began to read, write, create laws, the area has been home to successive civilisations since the 6th millennium BC. Iraq was the centre of the Akkadian, Sumerian, Assyrian and it was also part of the Median, Achaemenid, Hellenistic, Parthian, Sassanid, Roman, Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid, Ayyubid, Mongol, Safavid, Afsharid, and Ottoman empires. Iraqs modern borders were mostly demarcated in 1920 by the League of Nations when the Ottoman Empire was divided by the Treaty of Sèvres, Iraq was placed under the authority of the United Kingdom as the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. A monarchy was established in 1921 and the Kingdom of Iraq gained independence from Britain in 1932, in 1958, the monarchy was overthrown and the Iraqi Republic created. Iraq was controlled by the Arab Socialist Baath Party from 1968 until 2003, after an invasion by the United States and its allies in 2003, Saddam Husseins Baath Party was removed from power and multi-party parliamentary elections were held in 2005. The American presence in Iraq ended in 2011, but the Iraqi insurgency continued and intensified as fighters from the Syrian Civil War spilled into the country, the Arabic name العراق al-ʿIrāq has been in use since before the 6th century. There are several suggested origins for the name, one dates to the Sumerian city of Uruk and is thus ultimately of Sumerian origin, as Uruk was the Akkadian name for the Sumerian city of Urug, containing the Sumerian word for city, UR. An Arabic folk etymology for the name is rooted, well-watered. During the medieval period, there was a region called ʿIrāq ʿArabī for Lower Mesopotamia and ʿIrāq ʿajamī, for the region now situated in Central and Western Iran. The term historically included the south of the Hamrin Mountains. The term Sawad was also used in early Islamic times for the region of the plain of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In English, it is either /ɪˈrɑːk/ or /ɪˈræk/, the American Heritage Dictionary, the pronunciation /aɪˈræk/ is frequently heard in U. S. media. Since approximately 10,000 BC, Iraq was one of centres of a Caucasoid Neolithic culture where agriculture, the following Neolithic period is represented by rectangular houses. At the time of the pre-pottery Neolithic, people used vessels made of stone, gypsum, finds of obsidian tools from Anatolia are evidences of early trade relations
Iraq
–
Cylinder Seal, Old Babylonian Period, c.1800 BCE,
hematite. The king makes an animal offering to
Shamash. This seal was probably made in a workshop at
Sippar.
Iraq
–
Flag
Iraq
–
Victory stele of
Naram-Sin of Akkad
Iraq
–
Bill of sale of a male slave and a building in
Shuruppak, Sumerian tablet, circa 2600 BCE
19.
Oil-for-food
–
The sanctions were discontinued on 21 November 2003 after the U. S. invasion of Iraq, and the humanitarian functions turned over to the Coalition Provisional Authority. The programme was de jure terminated in 2003 and de facto terminated in 2010, although the sanctions were effective, there were revelations of corruption involving the funds. Security Council Resolution 706 of 15 August 1991 was introduced to allow the sale of Iraqi oil in exchange for food, Security Council Resolution 712 of 19 September 1991 confirmed that Iraq could sell up to US$1.6 billion in oil to fund an Oil-For-Food Programme. After an initial refusal, Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding in May 1996 for arrangements to be taken to implement that resolution, the Oil-for-Food Programme started in December 1996, and the first shipments of food arrived in March 1997. Sixty percent of Iraqs twenty-six million people were dependent on rations from the oil-for-food plan. The programme used an escrow system, Oil exported from Iraq was paid for by the recipient into an escrow account possessed until 2001 by BNP Paribas bank, rather than to the Iraqi government. The money was then apportioned to pay for war reparations to Kuwait, ongoing coalition, the remainder, the majority of the revenue, was available to the Iraqi government to purchase regulated items. The Iraqi government was permitted to purchase items that were not embargoed under the economic sanctions. Items deemed to have any potential application in chemical, biological or nuclear weapons development were not available to the regime. Over US $53 billion worth of Iraqi oil was sold on the world market, about US $46 billion of this was intended to provide for the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people such as food and medicine, given the context of international economic sanctions. A considerable portion was spent on Gulf War reparations paid through a compensation fund, UN administrative and operational costs for the programme were 2. 2%, the cost of the weapons inspection programme was also paid from these funds. Internal audits have not been made public, under the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention these are the responsibilities of the occupying power. On 22 May 2003, UN Security Council Resolution 1483 granted authority to the Coalition Provisional Authority to use Iraqs oil revenue, the programme was formally terminated on 21 November 2003 and its major functions were turned over to the Coalition Provisional Authority. The programme also suffered from corruption and abuse. Throughout its existence, the programme was dogged by accusations that some of its profits were diverted to the government of Iraq. These accusations were made in countries, including the US. Over 193 so-called electrical consultants each received $15,000 per month while the electricity only worked a few hours at a time. Benon Sevan of Cyprus, who headed the programme, defended it, claiming that it had only a 2. 2% administrative cost and he blamed Security Council restrictions for making the situation difficult and said that 90% of Iraqs population relied on the programme for its monthly food basket
Oil-for-food
–
Oil-for-Food Programme
20.
Rocco Buttiglione
–
Rocco Buttiglione is an Italian Union of Christian and Centre Democrats politician and an academic. Buttiglione is a Professor of political science at Saint Pius V University in Rome and he served as a minister for EU policies and then as Minister for Cultural Assets and Activities in Silvio Berlusconis governments. In 2005 Buttiglione received a doctoral degree for his commitment to the ideas of liberty. In May 2006, he ran for mayor of Turin. Rocco Buttiglione was born in Gallipoli, Apulia, on the heel of Italy He studied law in Turin and he was also a professor of philosophy and acting rector at the International Academy for Philosophy in Liechtenstein. Buttiglione eventually joined forces with Berlusconi and the Northern League, led by Umberto Bossi, Buttiglione was elected a Parliamentary Deputy for Milan in May 2001, and joined Berlusconis new government as the European Union Policy Minister. From 2005-06 Buttiglione was Minister for Cultural Assets and Activities, as a result, his place in the Italian government was granted to another member of the UDC. Rocco Buttigliones apparent qualifications included speaking foreign languages, including English, German, French, Portuguese, in 2004, José Manuel Barroso included him on his list of nominees for the European Commission, with a designated portfolio of Justice, Freedom and Security. During his hearing before the European Parliaments Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice And Home Affairs, Buttiglione - a Catholic - was asked about his stance on homosexuality and women. Buttiglione responded that while he considered homosexuality a sin, his opinion would not prevent him from moving against discrimination of homosexuals. He also stated his belief that the family exists in order to allow women to have children, on 11 October the committee voted by 27-26 not to endorse the nomination. After it became clear that a vote on 27 October in the European Parliament, to approve the Commission, would not succeed, Italian conservative and Catholic politicians and church leaders rallied to defend Buttigliones views. This decision shows the face of Europe, a face which we dont like. Its fundamentalist, which is not on, said Justice Minister Roberto Castelli. The new Commission will be opposed to any kind of discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender, or religious beliefs. The new soft totalitarianism that is advancing on the wants to have a state religion. It is an atheist, nihilistic religion - but it is a religion that is obligatory for all complained Buttiglione in subsequent comments. However, there were rumors that Giulio Tremonti, supported by the Northern League, might be picked for the job
Rocco Buttiglione
–
Rocco Buttiglione
21.
Silvio Berlusconi
–
Silvio Berlusconi is an Italian media tycoon and politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy in four governments. Berlusconi is the controlling shareholder of Mediaset and has owned the Italian football club A. C. Milan since 1986 and he is nicknamed Il Cavaliere for his Order of Merit for Labour, although he voluntarily resigned from this order in March 2014. In 2016, Forbes magazine ranked him as the 188th richest man in the world with a net worth of US$7.1 billion, in 2009, Forbes ranked him 12th in the List of The Worlds Most Powerful People due to his domination in Italian politics. He was the leader of the centre-right party Forza Italia from 1994 to 2009, since November 2013, he has led a revived Forza Italia. Berlusconi was the senior G8 leader from 2009 until 2011 and he holds the record of G8 Summit hosting. After serving nearly 19 years as member of the Chamber of Deputies, Italys lower house, on 1 August 2013, he was convicted of tax-fraud by the final appeal instance, Court of Cassation along with a public office ban for two years. As his age exceeded 70 years, he was exempted from direct imprisonment, because of being sentenced to a gross imprisonment for more than two years, a new Italian anticorruption law made the Senate expel and bar him from serving any legislative office for six years. Berlusconi has pledged to stay leader of Forza Italia throughout the period where he serves his imprisonment sentence, Berlusconi is famous for his populist political style and brash, overbearing personality. Berlusconi was born in Milan in 1936, where he was raised in a middle-class family and his father, Luigi Berlusconi, was a bank employee, and his mother, Rosa Bossi, a housewife. Silvio was the first of three children, he had a sister, Maria Francesca Antonietta Berlusconi, and has a brother, Paolo Berlusconi. After completing his school education at a Salesian college, he studied law at the Università Statale in Milan, graduating in 1961. Berlusconi was not required to serve the standard one-year stint in the Italian army which was compulsory at the time, in later life, he wrote AC Milans anthem with the Italian music producer and pop singer Tony Renis and Forza Italias anthem with the opera director Renato Serio. With the Neapolitan singer Mariano Apicella, he wrote two Neapolitan song albums, Meglio na canzone in 2003 and Lultimo amore in 2006, in 1965, he married Carla Elvira DallOglio, and they had two children, Maria Elvira, better known as Marina, and Pier Silvio. By 1980, Berlusconi had established a relationship with the actress Veronica Lario and he was divorced from DallOglio in 1985, and married Lario in 1990. By this time, Berlusconi was an entrepreneur, and his wedding was a notable social event. One of his best men was Bettino Craxi, a prime minister and leader of the Italian Socialist Party. In May 2009, Lario announced that she was to file for divorce, in addition to his five children, Berlusconi has ten grandchildren. Berlusconis business career began in construction, in the late 1960s, he built Milano Due,4,000 residential apartments east of Milan
Silvio Berlusconi
–
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
–
Berlusconi as a singer for
cruise ships in the 1950s.
Silvio Berlusconi
–
Berlusconi in his private
jet, in the 1980s
Silvio Berlusconi
–
Berlusconi with the
United States President Barack Obama in the
Oval Office
22.
People of Freedom
–
The People of Freedom was a centre-right political party in Italy. The federation was later transformed into a party during a party congress on 27–29 March 2009, the PdL formed Italys government from 2008 to 2011 in coalition with Lega Nord. Alfano functioned as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, in June 2013 Berlusconi announced Forza Italias revival and the PdLs transformation into a centre-right coalition. In the run-up to the 2006 general election there was talk among the component parties of the House of Freedoms coalition regarding a merger into a united party of moderates. Forza Italia, National Alliance and the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats all seemed interested in the project, soon after the election, however, UDC leader Pier Ferdinando Casini, who had been a reluctant coalition partner, started to distance from its historical allies. Another party of the coalition, Lega Nord, showed no interest in the idea, because of its character as a regionalist party. Shortly afterwards, from the board of a car in a crowded Piazza San Babila in Milan. The new course was called the running board revolution and this expression soon became very popular both among Berlusconis supporters and his adversaries. At the beginning, the fate of FI remained unclear, later, it was explained that the new partys core would consist of FI, the Circles of Freedom and other grassroots groups, and that some minor parties of the House of Freedoms would join too. Also UDC leader Casini criticized the idea from the start and seemed interested in a coalition with Fini. On 24 January 2008, the Prodi II Cabinet fell as a result of the political crisis, on the day after Berlusconi hinted that FI would probably contest its last election, and postponed the foundation of the new party until after the election. In an atmosphere of reconciliation with Fini, Berlusconi also stated that the new party could involve the participation of other parties, on 8 February, Berlusconi and Fini agreed to form a joint list under the banner of The People of Freedom, in alliance with LN. Italians in the World, Social Action and the Reformist Socialists, in the 2008 general election, the PdL won 37. 4% of the vote, getting elected 276 deputies and 146 senators and becoming the Italian largest party. The PdL was also the first party since Christian Democracy in the 1979 general election to get more than 35% of the popular vote, on 27–29 March 2009, the new party held its first congress in Rome and was officially founded. In the 2009 European Parliament election, the party won 35. 2% of the national vote, the PdL was also instrumental in the centre-right victories in Veneto and Piedmont, where two Presidents of LN, Luca Zaia and Roberto Cota respectively, were elected. Between 2009 and 2010 Gianfranco Fini, former leader of the conservative AN and President of the Chamber of Deputies, in fact most Finiani were Southern conservatives who opposed Berlusconis firm alliance with LN, federal reform and Giulio Tremontis economic policy. Others, including Gianni Alemanno and Alfredo Mantovano, found common ground with the partys Christian democrats, on 15 April 2010 Bocchino launched an association named Generation Italy in order to better represent Finis views within the party. On 22 April 2010 the national council of the PdL convened in Rome for the first time in a year, the conflict between Fini and Berlusconi was covered live on television
People of Freedom
–
Silvio Berlusconi at a PdL rally.
People of Freedom
–
The People of Freedom Il Popolo della Libertà
People of Freedom
–
Gianfranco Fini
People of Freedom
–
Silvio Berlusconi in 2012.
23.
World Expo
–
A worlds fair, world fair, world exposition, or universal exposition is a large international exhibition designed to showcase achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in varying parts of the world, the next world Expo is Expo 2020 and is to be held in Dubai, UAE. Since the 1928 Convention Relating to International Exhibitions came into force, bIE-approved fairs are of three types, universal, specialized and horticultural. They usually last from three weeks to six months, Worlds fairs originated in the French tradition of national exhibitions, a tradition that culminated with the French Industrial Exposition of 1844 held in Paris. This fair was followed by other exhibitions in continental Europe. The best-known first World Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. The Great Exhibition, as it is called, was an idea of Prince Albert, Queen Victorias husband. It influenced the development of aspects of society, including art-and-design education, international trade and relations. This expo was the most obvious precedent for the international exhibitions, later called worlds fairs. Since their inception in 1851, the character of world expositions has evolved, three eras can be distinguished, the era of industrialization, the era of cultural exchange, and the era of nation branding. The first era could be called the era of industrialization and covered, roughly, in these days, world expositions were especially focused on trade, and were famous for the display of technological inventions and advancements. World expositions were the platforms where the state-of-the-art in science and technology from around the world were brought together, inventions such as the telephone were first presented during this era. An important part of the image of worlds fairs stems from this first era, the 1939–40 New York Worlds Fair diverged from the original focus of the worlds fair expositions. From then on, worlds fairs adopted specific cultural themes, they forecasted a future for society. Technological innovations were no longer the primary exhibits at fairs, the fairs encouraged effective intercultural communication for the exchange of innovation. The 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal was promoted under the name Expo 67, event organizers retired the term worlds fair in favor of expo. From Expo 88 in Brisbane onwards, countries started to use world expositions more widely, finland, Japan, Canada, France and Spain are cases in point. A large study by Tjaco Walvis called Expo 2000 Hanover in Numbers showed that improving national image was the primary goal for 73% of the countries at Expo 2000
World Expo
–
A poster advertising the
Brussels International Exposition
World Expo
–
"Viking" replica of the Gokstad Viking ship at the
1893 Chicago World's Fair
World Expo
–
The palace of the railways and great connexions at the
International Exhibition of Hydropower and Tourism
World Expo
–
The
China pavilion at the
Expo 2010
24.
Comunione e Liberazione
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Communion and Liberation is a lay ecclesial movement within the Catholic Church. CL grew out of the educational and catechetical methods of Don Luigi Giussani, Giussani developed these methods through his work within the Catholic youth association Gioventù Studentesca born in 1954 at Berchet High School in Milan, where Giussani was a teacher. In its official literature, CL emphasizes its continuity with Gioventú Studentesca, to the extent that CL traces its founding to 1954, however, the name Communion and Liberation was first used in 1969 among a group who were a minority of the former giessini, or GS members. The current leader of CL is the Spanish priest Julián Carrón, Communion and Liberation is occasionally confused with the similarly titled, but unrelated liberation theology. Today CL has a presence beyond Italy and has shifted its energy away from partisan politics and towards cultural, charitable. CLs adherents are predominantly lay Catholics, however, there are also priests and religious who belong to the movement, as well as consecrated lay men and women who are committed to lifelong celibacy, known as the Memores Domini. Several bishops, and one cardinal, are members, all of them have officially withdrawn from activity in CL immediately upon elevation to the episcopacy. The leaders of the movement include both lay persons and priests, while it has a hierarchical organizational structure, CL does not issue membership cards or keep an official register of adherents, opting instead for a free and flexible form of membership. It is difficult to estimate the number of adherents, in Italy, according to Giussani, Pope Paul VI strongly encouraged Giussanis work at a 1975 Palm Sunday youth rally at which 17,000 CL members were present. Pope John Paul II was openly supportive of CL, in 1984 he encouraged the movement to develop a worldwide presence, and in a letter to Giussani of February 22,2004 wrote that CL has chosen and chooses to indicate not a road, but the road. The road, as you have affirmed so many times, is Christ, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is said to view CL favorably. Pope Francis has been linked with CL, CL describes its purpose as the education to Christian maturity of its adherents and collaboration in the mission of the Church in all the spheres of contemporary life. It aims to communicate the awareness that Christ is the one true response to the deepest needs of people in every moment of history, CL says that it requires only that Christ be recognized as immediately present. The person who encounters and welcomes the presence of Christ undergoes a conversion that affects not only the individual, the main method by which members of CL are formed in the faith is a weekly catechesis meeting, known as a School of Community. Each School of Community is a group typically of several up to 10 people, in cities with a larger CL presence there may be multiple Schools of Community. The Schools of Community usually open up with prayer, often in the form of the Angelus and this is usually followed by the singing of songs. Next, the School of Community will read and discuss together some text, often, the text comes from a portion of Monsignor Luigi Giussanis trilogy of works, The Religious Sense, At The Origin Of The Christian Claim, Why The Church. An Unusual Approach to Christian Existence Vol.2 Hope, finally, the School of Community will close with prayer, usually the Memorare
Comunione e Liberazione
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Third Orders
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Virtual International Authority File
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The Virtual International Authority File is an international authority file. It is a joint project of national libraries and operated by the Online Computer Library Center. The project was initiated by the US Library of Congress, the German National Library, the National Library of France joined the project on October 5,2007. The project transitions to a service of the OCLC on April 4,2012, the aim is to link the national authority files to a single virtual authority file. In this file, identical records from the different data sets are linked together, a VIAF record receives a standard data number, contains the primary see and see also records from the original records, and refers to the original authority records. The data are available online and are available for research and data exchange. Reciprocal updating uses the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting protocol, the file numbers are also being added to Wikipedia biographical articles and are incorporated into Wikidata. VIAFs clustering algorithm is run every month, as more data are added from participating libraries, clusters of authority records may coalesce or split, leading to some fluctuation in the VIAF identifier of certain authority records
Virtual International Authority File
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Screenshot 2012
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Integrated Authority File
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The Integrated Authority File or GND is an international authority file for the organisation of personal names, subject headings and corporate bodies from catalogues. It is used mainly for documentation in libraries and increasingly also by archives, the GND is managed by the German National Library in cooperation with various regional library networks in German-speaking Europe and other partners. The GND falls under the Creative Commons Zero license, the GND specification provides a hierarchy of high-level entities and sub-classes, useful in library classification, and an approach to unambiguous identification of single elements. It also comprises an ontology intended for knowledge representation in the semantic web, available in the RDF format
Integrated Authority File
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GND screenshot
