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| High water boots under the table - Joe Tacopina, Paolo Romor, Mariacristina Gribaudi, Matthew Senno - Photo: Cat Bauer |
Little did we know that later that same evening Venice would be hit by the worse flood in over 50 years, from which the city is slowly recovering.
But that afternoon, the mood was festive. The Agreement was to promote the historical and artistic heritage of Venice internationally, and to increase awareness among the children of the youth sector of Venezia Football Club, who come to Venice from all over the world.
To those who live and work in Venice, it was business as usual for a November afternoon. To Joe Tacopina, the dynamic attorney from New York and owner of Venezia FC, it was a novelty. He jumped up on his chair and exclaimed, "What other city in the world can you wear high water boots to sign an Agreement?"
High water boots in Venice are a great equalizer. If you want to move around the city during acqua alta, everybody must wear them -- doctors, lawyers, shop owners, fishmongers, counts and countesses. There is a certain charm about businessmen in suits and ties wearing knee-high boots to a meeting. Although it may seem peculiar to the rest of the world, in Venice, it is part of life.
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| Pierluigi Penzo Stadium in Venice - Photo:Pierluigi Penzo Stadium La Nuovo di Venezia e Mestre |
What is Venezia FC?
Venezia FC is Venice's soccer team, founded on December 14, 1907. For much of their existence, they have played in Serie A and Serie B, the two top divisions in Italy; they currently play in Serie B. Their home stadium, the Pierluigi Penzo, which was built in 1913, is the second oldest in Italy. The stadium takes its name from a World War I Venetian aviator, and is down on Sant' Elena, the island at the eastern tip of Venice. Part of the vision for the team is to build a new world-class stadium on the mainland.
Who is Joe Tacopina?
Joe Tacopina is a high-powered, high-profile celebrity defense attorney, representing clients like Meek Mill, Jay-Z, Maroon 5 and former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. Tacopina is based in Manhattan and grew up in Brooklyn, the son of Italian immigrants. He is the father of five, has a passion for soccer, and bought Venezia Football Club in October, 2015. He is a present, hands-on owner. I found his New York style and American energy refreshing. Have a look at this very effective YouTube clip to learn more about the man and the Venice Football Club:
I know next to nothing about soccer, except to appreciate how gorgeous the players are, and was puzzled as to what it had to do with art, culture and Venice's civic museums. So I asked Tacopina:
"I want to strengthen the rapport with the city. I fell in love with Venice five years ago. Wherever you look you find beauty. Just look where we're sitting right now! I have to pinch myself. I want the players to understand the importance of the jersey they are wearing, and gain an understanding of the rich history and culture of Venice over the centuries. I want them to have a sense of pride."
As well as the professional soccer team, Venezia FC is developing its Venezia Football Academy, which has programs for young people on a local and international level. In addition to kids from the surrounding area, students participate from all over the world -- China, the U.S., Canada, Australia, South Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, Finland and Oman. The international clubs come to Venice for a couple of weeks, and in addition to polishing their soccer skills, have the opportunity to visit Venice's museums.
Think about it -- if you were a 14-year-old aspiring athlete from the U.S. who traveled all the way to Venice to improve his or her soccer skills, and were brought to the awesome Palazzo Ducale so you could understand centuries of Venetian history -- how mind-blowing would that be?
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| Mariacristina Gribaudi gets a Venezia FC jersey - Photo: Cat Bauer |
Gribaudi is the mother of six -- she and her second husband are a modern-day Brady Bunch, combining their kids from previous marriages into a solid family unit. She is also the Administrator of the family business, Keyline, founded in 1770 and based in the Veneto, which produces door and car keys, as well as key cutting machines on a global scale.
In addition to running MUVE and Keyline, Gribaudi's passions are young people and women -- one of the first things she did as MUVE President was install Baby Pit Stops at the museums where you can pop in and tune-up your baby: breastfeed and change a diaper. If you can understand Italian, here's a YouTube video, (which apparently is not longer available as of August 22, 2021).
Mixing sports and culture? I think it is a terrific idea, especially with these two passionate individuals at the helm. The Venice Civic Museums has a rich educational section, offering programs and adventures for adults, kids, schools and families on a local and international level -- not just for soccer players -- so if you're in Venice with the family, discover what programs MUVE has to offer. Developing the educational program and encouraging kids to enrich their knowledge of Venetian heritage is a powerful tool to creating a strong foundation for future generations.
Go to Educational Services of the Venice Civic Museums for more information.
Ciao from Venezia,
Cat Bauer
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog
On the afternoon of November 12, 2019, an intimate press conference was held in Palazzo Ducale to announce the Agreement between the Venice Civic Museums Foundation (MUVE) and Venezia FC, the Venice Football Club. The conference had been postponed an hour due to seasonal flooding in Piazza San Marco, and we all arrived wearing our acqua alta boots.
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