![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ml4e0gjyxzna.i.optimole.com\/cb:uNHV~1ab15\/w:300\/h:200\/q:eco\/f:best\/https:\/\/www.conifa.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/New-official-member.png\")
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CONIFA is hereby honored to present our latest approved member, Sicilia FA.<\/p>\n
At the CONIFA Global Executive Committee meeting, held 27th June, the ExCo decided to approve the membership application from Sicilia FA.<\/p>\n
\u25cf Geography: Sicily is an island, its borders are surrounded by the sea and therefore
\nabsolutely well defined (it is included in the list of countries and territories of the
\nTravelers Century Club, criteria 7 for admission to CONIFA);<\/p>\n
\u25cf Language: Sicily has its own language, internationally recognized (it is included in the
\nlist ISO 639.2 and 639.3 with code SCN, criteria 10 for admission to CONIFA);<\/p>\n
\u25cf History: Sicily had its own independent state from 1071 to 1816, first as a county
\n(1071-1130) and then as a kingdom (1130-1816), developing its own specific political
\nand institutional traditions, centered on the oldest Parliament in Europe. In the last two
\ncenturies the Sicilians have repeatedly fight for their self-determination and, for this
\nreason, Italy had to recognize the island’s autonomy in 1946 (criteria 11 for
\nadmission to CONIFA);<\/p>\n
\u25cf Legal status: Sicily is currently one of the five Autonomous Regions with a Special
\nStatute of Italy (the only island together with Sardinia). The first in order of foundation
\nand the only one whose legislative body is recognized as an effective parliamentary
\nassembly. This means that, compared to other Italian regions, Sicily is recognized with
\nthe widest spaces of autonomy by virtue of its historical, political and geographical
\nspecificities (criteria 11 for admission to CONIFA);<\/p>\n
\u25cf Cultural identity: Sicily has a cultural identity that makes it recognizable in Italy and
\nabroad as a reality in its own right, also by virtue of particular folkloristic peculiarities
\nlike, for example, the Puppets Opera (Opera dei Pupi), the Sicilian Carts, its typical
\ncuisine, and a flag that is over 700 years old (admission criteria 11 of CONIFA)<\/p>\n