Page 7 - Italian-American Herald - April 2024

COVER STORY
From preceding page
late 1990s more than 89 percent of the youth were primarily taught and spoke Italian
as their first language. While they might understand the language still spoken by older generations they could not really speak it. With the educational system promoting the teaching of Italian the various Sardinian languages were becoming extinct.
In 1999, the Italian government recognized the Sardinian languages as historical language minorities with co-official status alongside Italian. Statewide Law 482 was approved to provide institutional and financial support and led to the creation
of the Service for the Sardinian language
and culture. Since then, there has been a revival to reconnect with tradition and a
rise in political parties who are pushing for
a rebirth of Sardinia’s unique cultural past. To promote the language some schools,
from kindergarten to middle school, now include the study of Sardinian during regular classroom instruction or as an extracurricular option.
Today Sardinia’s main economic driver
is tourism, services, and finance while
others are employed in industry, machinery production and. manufacturing. Only a small percentage of the population makes a living
through fishing, agriculture, and farming. The island itself offers stunning coastlines,
mountains, and hilly areas to explore. Because of its varied topography, many with uninhabited areas, it is often compared to a micro-continent.
More young people are resisting the customary practice of moving to the larger coastal cities and are instead remaining or returning to smaller inland agricultural areas to reintroduce traditional practices of herd grazing and agronomy. Some are learning the practice of making cheese and others look to engage in agricultural or culinary practices of the past in combination with working and living in a more sustainable manner to mitigate the effects of climate change. They are learning from the elders and from online research how to bring back these practices. The island has also been recognized as the first Blue Zone — a place where people regularly live to one hundred due to their healthy living choice.
With tourism a major part of the island’s economy, the Sardinian government needs to find a balance between attracting visitors and the protection of the environment. They are promoting sustainable tourism practices to preserve the island’s pristine nature reserves and protected marine areas. Visitors are also
A pink sand beach on the island of Budelli, part of the Maddalena Archipelago National Park. The area is a protected reserve for wildlife and consists of seven islands between Corsica and Sardinia. ADOBE STOCK
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