In 1864, exactly on June 19th , Giuseppe Garibaldi from Caprera, abroad a British ship, Duke of Sutherland- owned, who was his great friend and admirer, reached Ischia, docking at Casamicciola, and on a mule, he went to Piazza Bagni. He established his residence in Villa Manzi, near the famous Gurgitello's source to heal his injury sustained at Aspomonte.
On the island, the General alternated his cures at the Stufe di San Lorenzo in Lacco Ameno and Terme Manzi in Casamicciola Terme, where he stayed until June 23rd before moving to Sentinella, at the Grand Hotel Bellevue - Villa Zavota . Garibaldi remained until July 19th and held several political meetings with his supporters that reached Ischia, focalizing about future actions for the liberation of Rome and Venice in order to realize, finally, the dream of the Unification of Italy.
The island was thus nicknamed the "New Sanctuary of Freedom", just for the hospitality offered to the Hero of Two Worlds, so that a shipping company immediately instituted extraordinary racing for anyone who wanted to go to Ischia to visit General Giuseppe Garibaldi, real responsible for the unification of Italy. It is a tempting opportunity, therefore, for the island of Ischia to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, as the invitation of President Giorgio Napolitano, who has dedicated the entire month of September to an important cultural event entitled "The thermal waters ... and the Garibaldi's wound", precisely centered on the figure of the General and his special relationship with the green island.
At that time the new of the presence of Garibaldi in Ischia, in order to treat the wound with the island thermal waters, quickly was spread around the world, gaining international fame. And now as then, the Hero of Two Worlds is back with this event, sponsored by the Company of care and living on the islands of Ischia and Procida and strongly desired by the entity Commissioner Francesco Paolo Iannuzzi. So, after the extraordinary Viva Verdi concert, held at the end of August in Piazza Santa Restituta in Lacco Ameno, the event starts on September 8, with the exhibition and the scientific roundtable "Garibaldi was wounded", edited by Prof. Gennaro Rispoli, at the Royal Palace of Ischia.
Afterwards, on the island of Procida, at the Procida Hall, the appointment is with the film festival "A Garibaldian ...to the cinema", curated by Alberto Castellano, to consecrate, albeit from different angles, the figure of our inter -national-popular hero. And then the theater with the Company Il Pozzo e il Pendolo, which will stage the two pieces by Ciro Sabatino: "The Anita's secret" and "Garibaldi Trial" - an unruly revolutionary?".
A long pause will follow the acclaimed "Viva Verdi" conducted by Maestro Leonardo Quadrini, under the artistic direction of prof. Carmine Pacera, from concerts of vocal and instrumental group "La Ghironda". An Ischitan September in red shirt to feel more Italians, perhaps enjoying the healthy qualities of the thermal waters of the island in memory of Giuseppe Garibaldi!
