Alessandro Baricco, in the incipit of his novel Novecento, writes: ‘You are not really screwed as long as you have a good story, and someone to tell it to’.
If so, Italians in Kenya are well on their way to never being ‘screwed’, unless they hide in the folds of these very social and unsocial times and still want to tell their stories to each other.
Which is what happened on Thursday night in Nairobi, in the elegant and cosy atmosphere of La Terrazza restaurant. The good story was that of a fellow countryman living in Kenya, Pasquale Pes, who ended up in a book along with the many lives he lived before arriving in Africa, and bound together thanks to the yellow-red thread of his philosophy, that of always going for life and its opportunities, but knowing when it is time not to dare too much.
The first of the Italians in Nairobi to appreciate biographies and encourage everyone to tell their story, even through a written one, is Ambassador Roberto Natali, who spoke at the presentation of ‘Fermarsi in tempo’, Pes's biography, together with the book's protagonist.
‘All our lives are extraordinary and deserve to be told,’ began Natali, in front of the Italians from Nairobi who attended the meeting organised by the Comites. ’That is why I really appreciated this autobiography and I am convinced that like Pasquale Pes with his many stories of a long life lived, many other compatriots could tell their stories. Publishing an autobiography in my opinion is not vanity at all, because man is made up of two fundamental elements, energy and emotions. And in this book, for example, precisely these aspects emerge'.
The presentation of Pes's book was also an opportunity for Italians of all ages to introduce themselves and get to know each other over a glass of prosecco (offered by the Valdobbiadene winery ‘Pederiva’) and refreshments offered by Murielle and Stefano, the hosts of the Terrazza, a place of aggregation and passion that is no stranger to events of this kind, which combine Italianism with art and culture and embellish them with excellent food and wine.
The evening was also an opportunity to remind AIRE registered residents of the role of the Comites in the country, a representative body that assists, discusses and organises activities and events for compatriots stationed in Kenya. The next appointment will be on 3 November, with the annual meeting at the Nyeri shrine where, honouring those who died in captivity during World War II, one has the opportunity to take part in a collective day, thanks to transport from Nairobi and lunch offered by the Comites itself, in a historic and scenic location, and continue to tell stories, so as never to be "screwed".