SISTER CITY: The Princeton/Pettoranello Sister City Foundation will mark its 20th anniversary with reciprocal visits of delegations from both cities this summer.

Marking the 20th anniversary of the Princeton/Pettoranello Sister City Foundation, a summer exchange of delegations to the two cities has particular resonance. On June 29, about 20 delegates from Pettoranello, including the mayor, vice-mayor, and deputy, will arrive arrive in Princeton for several event-filled days. In August, a Princeton contingent will return the favor by traveling to Pettoranello.

In addition to celebrating the 20-year-long relationship between the cities, Princeton/Pettoranello Sister City Foundation’s Eleanor Pinelli sees the visits as an opportunity to strengthen ties with the “new” Princeton.

The Foundation’s plans for the Pettoranello delegation’s visit to Princeton tentatively include a wine tasting (of wines from the Molise region, of course); an evening concert of Italian and American music at the Princeton High School Performing Arts Center; a day-long trip to New York City; and a tour of Pettoranello Gardens where a new cherry tree will be planted. A tour of Princeton University, visits to Drumthwacket and the Princeton Public Library; lunch at Dorothea’s House; and fireworks are also on the schedule.

The Princeton delegation will depart on August 10 and enjoy a similar itinerary that will include celebrations, luncheons, evening events, music, and fireworks.

“We have always been warmly welcomed by officials from Pettoranello, the near-by city of Isernia as well as from the province of Molise,” said Ms. Pinelli at a recent presentation to Princeton Township Committee. “We hope that all of you will be engaged in this 20th anniversary celebration here and abroad.”

“The hospitality is unrivaled,” enthused Township Committeeman Bernie Miller, who has made the trip before and encouraged “others to think about the possibility of joining in this year. It will be a great celebration.”

The Foundation may be 20 years old, but ties between the two cities date back to the late 1800’s and early twentieth century, when stonecutters, masons, and gardeners from Pettoranello immigrated to Princeton in search of jobs. “The skill of these workers is reflected in the magnificent carved stone buildings of Princeton University and the beautiful gardens in the university and at Drumthwacket,” said Ms. Pinelli.

“Marriages were made and families were started as they settled in Princeton, but ties to the small mountain town in the hills of the Molise region remained strong,” she recounted. In 1992, area descendants of the Pettoranello immigrants formed a Sister City Foundation to “celebrate these ties, and to promote cultural, medical, athletic, and musical exchanges that would enrich the communities of both Princeton and Pettoranello. In addition, the Foundation wanted to give back to Princeton, the community that had done so much to help our ancestors.”

That same year the Foundation adopted the 13 acres in Community Park North now known as Pettoranello Gardens. Maintained by Foundation donors and volunteers, the site, which Ms. Pinelli describes as a “beautiful oasis of calm and delight” hosts many outdoor performances and town events.

In addition to the Gardens, the Foundation continues to support the World Language Center and Italian collection in the Princeton Public Library, and the Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra. It also awards scholarships to local students who to pursue Italian studies at the college level.

For more information, contact Ms. Pinelli at elliepinelli@hotmail.com.