Via Francigena

The first literary pilgrim relay on the Via Francigena is made by women

From the 3rd of August to the 19th of October it is possible to participate to the first “Literary pilgrim relay” along the Via Francigena, organized by the Rete Nazionale Donne in Cammino group as an integration to #RoadtoRome2021.

The objective? Collect experiences, impressions and especially emotions along the route to build the Diary of Ragazze in Gamba along the Via Francigena, an organization of woman walkers. It will be a collective writing work, in which the voices of travelers who walked one or more Road to Rome stages merge into one.

This ‘on the road diary’ is entirely female and will accompany the Road to Rome 2021 group as it walks for the 20th anniversary of the European Association of Via Francigena ways across the Italian stages, for almost three months, to reach Santa Maria di Leuca. The diary will be passed over from woman to woman during their relay pilgrimage to trace the stories collected during the entire journey. Each of them will be the author of one or more chapters of this choral ad unique artwork, which gives space to new talents through creativity, co-creation and active rediscovery of territories.

The book will then be stored in the “Small Diary Museum” of the Fondazione Archivio Diaristico Nazionale, which supports the initiative. It will be the first manuscript of the “Ragazze in Gamba” group, constituted of over 50.000 people, and daily collects stories from worldwide walking women on its social media channels.

“We love giving words to the emotions we experience on the road” says Ilaria Canali, ideator and curator of the project, “as soon as the idea was launched, many women joined: Luciana De Michele, for example, changed her traveling plans to participate to the relay, and ended up inaugurating it. With the same enthusiasm, many women are collaborating in this adventure: Laura Piano Peterman, Monica Nanetti, Marcella Biserni, Jennifer Deckert, Valeria Lusztig, Barbara Goldoni, Angela Raggio, Annalisa Galloni, Marie Claude Trémouille, Vienna Cammarota, Daniela De Sanctis and many more”.

This “Literary relay” aims to be “an instrument for territorial promotion along an important international walking route, but also for the promotion of values, sentiment and emotions of those who undertake this trip”, we read on the official press release that launched the initiative. It is open to all women: you can consult the official Road to Rome 2021 calendar at this link, chose which stages to walk and share your traveling story with the Facebook group “Ragazze in Gamba”, specifying that you are writing for the “Literary Pilgrim Relay”, or “Staffetta Letteraria Pellegrina”, adding the hashtags #StaffettaLetterariaPellegrina, #RagazzeinGambasullaViaFrancigena and #RoadtoRome2021.

A creative and slow journey, where storytelling takes shape word by word along with the evolution of the event, step by step, kilometer after kilometer, between a though and the other.

How to participate

The project is open to participation of all women who walk with “Road to Rome 2021”.

You can therefore participate as:

  • Participant of the “Ragazze in Gamba” group
  • Member of the organizational team and staff of Road to Rome 2021
  • Official ambassador of Road to Rome 2021
  • Hospitality responsible
  • Participant or organizer of one of the events that enrich the journey of Road to Rome 2021

IMPORTANT: it is required – if not yet done – to subscribe to the “Ragazze in Gamba” group and buy the official “Ragazze in Gamba” blue t-shirt as an identification signal that you are participating to the project – through this link.

To participate it is necessary to:

  • Chose the daily stage – or more stages – of the “Road to Rome 2021” route along the Via Francigena which you will walk or cycle. You can do this by consulting the Road to Rome 2021 calendar at the official link and autonomously organize your arrival, departure and accommodation.
  • Write to “Rete Nazionale Donne in Cammino” to apply, indicating the stage(s) and filling in the adhesion form you will be sent. Email: retedonneincammino@gmail.com
  • Subscribe to the Ragazze in Gamba group
  • Order you official t-shirt of Ragazze in Gamba in BLUE color at this link.
  • Follow the editorial guidelines of the project
  • Follow the communication guidelines supplied.

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