Press Releases

This evening, in Via del Corso, the mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, and the President of Acea, Michaela Castelli, switched on the Christmas lights provided by Acea. More lights will be lit in the other 14 Municipalities across the city. The traditional ceremony is part of the initiatives organized by the City of Rome for the festive season. This year’s project has elaborated on last year’s Roma by light Acea™ format, coming up with a more artistic approach for the traditional Christmas lights. In Via del Corso, the lights come in the form of a 1,500-meter-long starry sky featuring famous quotes and verses that tell the story of Rome through the voices of its poets and its people. From Orazio to Goffredo Mameli, from Ennio Morricone to Federico Fellini, including some of the most authentic Roman artists, such as Gabriella Ferri, Lando Fiorini, Antonello Venditti, Nino Manfredi, Alberto Sordi and Gigi Proietti. The actor who died recently is remembered with the quote: “A coso, Roma è sintesi de tutto/Hey, whatever-your-name-is, Rome is the synthesis of everything”. All created with the use of the latest lighting technology with a low environmental impact. The project is the work of Studio Medaarch, form Cava de’ Tirreni, winner of the international “Make Christmas Lights Acea” 2019 contest, launched by Acea in collaboration with Maker Faire Rome-The European Edition. The photography contest “RomebyLight”, launched to get the public involved in describing the Christmas lights, was also organized in collaboration with Maker Faire. The contest, which runs from 8 December to 6 January, will award the best photographs sent by participants using an app compatible with Ios and Android systems.

Acea Group’s intervention during the 2020 festive season will include also other areas of the city. For example, in the other 14 Municipalities, as per tradition, Acea has installed Christmas trees in parks, squares and roadsides; Via Veneto, for the second consecutive year, has contributed to the lights on the trees along its pavements. For the first time, this year Piazza Navona will host a light show around its three monumental fountains (Fountain of the Four Rivers, Fountain of Neptune, Fountain and the Moro) every evening throughout the festive season.

“Once again, for the traditional Christmas lighting, Acea has presented an innovative project – said President Michaela Castelli. The lights in the historical center, in Via del Corso and Piazza Navona, are not just ordinary lights, but real artistic installations, which together with the Christmas trees across the Municipalities and the lighting in Via Veneto, are a symbol of Acea's support to the city and a tradition that is renewed every year during the festive season”.