The introductory section is devoted to the ‘myth of origins’ and the ‘truths of history’.
The large poster depicting the sea evocatively refers to the Adriatic which, according to a widely accepted historical tradition, the refugees from Corone crossed after the fall of their city to the Turks in 1532, to reach the coasts of southern Italy, before settling permanently in Val Sarmento. The Albanian coastline in the background refers, on the one hand, to the myth of Skanderbeg and the heroic warrior people, stout defenders of Christianity, and on the other to a historical reality characterised, at the dawn of the modern era, by mass migrations of men and women who, driven by poverty and need, moved from the Balkan regions towards the West in search of means that might guarantee them a minimum standard of living. The figures in traditional costume, drawn from various sources, convey a sense of how Arbëresh diversity has been represented over time. Finally, a rich series of images provides information and insights into the main distinguishing features of the community of San Paolo Albanese and its relationship with the historical context of the Sarmento Valley.