Guest of Honor

Tocatì welcomes Portugal as “Guest of Honor”: in Verona, Traditional Games and Sports rooted in the memory and culture of the Portuguese community, more alive than ever among the local communities. The squares and streets of Verona will be the setting for around ten spectacular Traditional Games and Sports including: the Jogo del Beto, originating from the northern region of Lousã, which distantly recalls the English game of Cricket, which arrived in Portugal with the invasions Napoleonic and made their own by the local inhabitants; and the Jogo das Malhas: of Roman origins, this pastime involves knocking down a wooden skittle by throwing a metal plate. Played by men and women from various Portuguese associations, in both spontaneous and festive moments, this practice is more alive than ever and passed on from generation to generation. In addition to the games, meetings and concerts will be framed by the space of the Roman Theater with prestigious guests such as Teresa Salgueiro, a sensitive and profound Portuguese poetic voice. The musical wave of Tocatì will also reach other areas of Verona offering the magic of Fado and Canto Alentejano declared World Heritage Sites in 2011 and 2014 respectively.