Everybody was invited, from the latest born to the 90-year-old, to come to piazza Giovanni XXIII at 12 o'clock, January 1st 2000, 3000 citizens around mayor Angelo Di Francescantonio for a group picture. If necessary smaller groups will be taken then reassembled in a giant puzzle. Don't worry if you won't look good after a whole night's dancing and drinking, what is important is to be there.

"I wish to all the diocesis peace, brotherhood, hope and serenity, especially that inner serenity coming when you feel good with your coscience. This year, which I consider the beginning of the Third Millennium, I would like to renew my exhortation to charity, as Christ taught us. Albert Camus used to say "there may be shame in being happy alone". Joy and solidarity must be shared, we cannot be happy if there are unemployed and homeless people. We must pray for a better democracy, strive so that private property will not mean poverty for many, exploitation and speculations. We must ask and exact a shadowless democracy.

A wound in the green heart of Europe: the thousand-year-old beech-tree in the Bosco di Sant'Antonio, that Ermanno Olmi filmed in a famous documentary, ill for a long time now and suffering, the symbol of a green Abruzzo, was taken away by the fury of nature. The tree was in the centre of the wood, a natural reserve which is one of the wonders of Abruzzo.

A pinacoteque in the house of Giuseppe Rosato, a writer, poet and art critic, created with the help of wife Tonia, with paintings offered by many of the once young artists he discovered in his career. The house is situated in corso Roma, the main street of the ancient Borgo district. Each of the 25 artists who accepted the invitation offered one of his works: Gabriella Albertini, Peppe Candeloro, Andrea Carnemolla, Angelo Colangelo, Giuseppe D'Addazio, Alfredo Del Greco, Luciano De Liberato, Elio Di Blasio, Antonio Di Fabrizio, Ennio Di Vincenzo, Marcello Ercole, Gigino Falcone, Nino Gagliardi, Guido Giancaterino, Stefano Lustri, Sandro Melarangelo, Gaetano Memmo, Vito Pancella, Albano Paolinelli, Alfredo Postiglione, Luciano Primavera, Rocco Sanbenedetto, Antonio Spinogatti, Franco Summa, Sandro Isca. Giuseppe Rosato also gave to the print a precious little volume "Quei giovani amici pittori", introducing the artists and their works.