Evento segnalato da: Comune di Vieste
In its third year, it is a festival of great significance, which marks the opening of tourist season in Vieste. It joyfully addresses both Vieste's people, as a celebration of the arrival of Summer, and tourists wishing to explore our land, its history, its food and hospitality.
At the same time, Draguth Rais is a remembrance and commemoration of a tragic moment in our history, past but never forgotten. The invasion of 1554 is the daughter of an era in which our Mediterranean bloodily divided peoples, instead of uniting them: the ferocity, the terror and the innocent blood shed in those seven endless nights of carnage marked Vieste indelibly. Today those are far remote events - the very reasons of the past wars can be traced now in history books only. There would be no reason, perhaps, to stop and remember again those moments of savagery.
But today, with the occasion of Draguth Rais, we do not commemorate just the pain of the massacre. By celebrating we also remind to ourselves, here and now, that we managed to go past that bloody night. The day after, with patience and stubbornness, survivors people in Vieste started to rebuild our wonderful city, to re-plant destroyed fields, and honourably bury the fallen. That invasion, as remembered today, truly testifies our fellow citizens' strength, determination and zest for life in spite of everything - both then and today. With this joyful spirit today we remember that, in the end, people of Vieste have proven to be stronger than misfortune.
Have a good festival.
