UNIONE TICINESE LONDRA

The "Unione Ticinese" was originally founded in London as a Mutual Aid Society on the 8 th of February 1874, by immigrants from the Alpine Valleys of Blenio and Leventina in Italian-speaking Switzerland. This Canton or Swiss region is called "Ticino", and lies south of the Gothard pass.

Later on, in 1938, the Unione Ticinese became an autonomous member of the "Pro Ticino Centrale". The Pro Ticino Centrale, founded in 1915, acts as the umbrella organisation for the 32 Pro Ticino Clubs in Switzerland and the 17 Societies in Europe and Overseas. In 1949, the "Unione Ticinese" joined as a full Corporate member, the "President's Assembly", which was later renamed "The Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK" (FOSSUK). Nowadays, the Unione Ticinese has lost its mutual aid status, but successfully focuses its social, cultural and gastronomic endeavours to the needs of its present membership without losing sight of its glorious and colourful past.

The history of the Society and of Ticinese immigrants is brilliantly described and illustrated in: "125 Years of the Unione Ticinese" and in "Continental Taste", available on request from the President of the Society.  

The aims and objectives of the Unione Ticenese are:

• To foster among members of the society and particularly among its younger ones, the spirit of the Ticinese and strengthen bonds of friendship and fellowship.
• To promote and encourage social, cultural and educational activities which embrace common values and traditions of the Ticino and of its Italian speaking neighbouring regions.
• To encourage the development of youth activities and to enable new arrivals from Italian-speaking Switzerland to integrate easily into the English way of life.
• To maintain close ties with the Pro Ticino movement, FOSSUK, the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) and other Swiss and European institutions whose aims are of general interest to the members of the Society.

To celebrate, each year, and in an appropriate manner, the anniversary of the Foundation of the Society.