The board of directors of the Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada is proud to present this web site in our continuing effort to “Preserve and Promote the Culture and Customs of our Land of Origin”.

This association was founded in the fall of 2000 under the name of Basilicata Social Club. Shortly thereafter the Basilicata Social Club was changed to the present name of Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada. Our mission is to promote the culture, history, traditions and most of all the beauty of our Region. With a very strong and growing membership we see ourselves as an organization uniting all people within Ontario and Canada who are of Lucani descent.

To ensure the long term success of our mission we must be an organization of purpose. Observing any successful individual or organization, one will quickly find a common theme…”that the hand that gives is the hand that gathers, and that giving to others starts the receiving process”. The Basilicata Cultural Society’s success to date is not attributed to individual accomplishments but to an organizational consensus that our long term viability will be determined by our commitment to give back to the community. I believe the longevity of the Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada will be directly related in making service to others as our core focus. We must continue to give!

One just needs to observe the many talents the men and women in the Lucani community have and how they have used those talents to enrich the people around them. I believe what matters most to these people is how they have positively affected the lives of others and the legacy they want to leave.

Who are these people you ask? They are our fathers, mothers and grandparents who have made the sacrifices to ensure our families remain strong and prosperous. It is our parents that encourage us to maintain our culture and have created enviable communities. I believe it is incumbent upon us to ensure that the Basilicata Cultural Society remains strong in order to continue the legacy, and that we pass on our great culture and customs to our succeeding generations.

I would strongly encourage those of you who would like to make a difference to actively participate in the Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada. Our long term success depends on a vibrant and active membership. We are open to new ideas and encourage those of you who are not members to become one now. The sky is the limit to what we can do together.

President Emeritus
Emanuele (Manny) DiLecce, P.Eng.