Fresco Cross-Cultural Exchange
Fall of 2024
Belluno and Bend
Belluno | Little Italy from Adorable Belluno on Vimeo.
Independent Exchanges
Students hiking in the Dolomites above Belluno.
Belluno street scene as drawn by Eli.
This project brings together the Rotary Clubs of Bend and the Belluno Rotary Club, the Central Oregon Community College (COCC) art department facility, the School of Afresco of San Vittore e Corona, and the Sister City groups of each community.
Meeting our 2024 students from Belluno and Bend
Bend students are greeted at the Venice Airport - 45 minutes from Belluno.
Belluno students were greeted at the Redmond-Bend Airport.
Rebecca Franklin, Ph.D. Department of Forest - Central Oregon Community College meets with Angelo Paganin and Belluno Forester
Rebecca has been able to travel through conifer, beech, and oak forests of the Veneto region of Italy in her quest to learn how spruce trees were turned into Stradivarius violins, and how trees for Venetian ships were harvested and rafted to Venice during the 14th century. During her sabbatical, Rebecca spent 6 months living in Belluno and exploring the Dolomite mountains and towns and cities of northern Italy.
Welcome
2025 Summer Youth Exchange
Are you thinking about living as an Italian in Belluno this summer?
Tentative information for 2025
Forestry Exchange - Belluno, Italy, and Bend, Oregon.
Photos again by Todd Cary
Again, Greg's Grille provides food and hospitality!
Rotary Club of Greater Bend and Bend-Belluno Sister Cities
Ilaria and Eleonora, Andra, Ursala and Zara from Belluno, working through our sister city organization each spent a month as part of the Bend community. These are individually arranged working exchanges allowing. Each of our guests from Belluno have participated in volunteer activities and joined in with Italian conversation groups plus enjoying being part of a Bend family for the month. These individual exchanges have been particularly meaningful for as Coach Bob Bruce pointed out after his masters swim exchange in Belluno, "The sister city connection is great, but it's particularly meaningful when one finds a group of people in our sister city that share your passion."
This unique artistic cross-cultural exchange is made up of teams from each city who’ve been sharing in the planning and artistic creation, with the end goal of completing a true fresco in each community.
Connections Between Our Communities
Art students from Bend and Belluno at School of Afresco of San Vittore e Corona. This is the first day of instruction in the methods of Fresco, a true Italian art form with a long and rich history. Later this week, students will move into Belluno to create a fresco on the wall at the escalator.
Thinking about travel in Italy? Why not include a visit to our sister city of Belluno. Here are some insiders notes to help you "feel at home" while being in Italy.
Learning about recent and upcoming exchanges between COCC and Belluno
Travelers Tips
Fun, Friendships, and a life-changing experience. This year's student summer Bend-Belluno, Rotary-sanctioned exchange marked ten years of these unique student and family friendships. Bend students got to live with and be Italian teenagers for three weeks. Then, the Belluno match student was an American student enjoying three weeks in Central Oregon as a "native."
Bend Belluno Sister Cities Cultural Exchange
BEN ARRIVATA DI EVENTI SCAMBI METTE IN EVIDENZA CONTATTO
Individually Arranged Exchanges - Another Exchange Opportunity Between Our Sister Cities
Summer Celebration
At our Bend-Belluno Sister City Plaque
Wednesday, August 14th
Near Greg's Grille in the Old Mill District
Highlights of the 2024 Student Rotary Bend-Belluno Cross Cultural Exchange.