Can I start off by registering once again my excitement...
Waaaayheeeey!!! I won a ribbon!!
Ahem... and now the story. It may seem be a stereotypical scene, but seeing groups of the ageing generation standing around gesticulating at each other is extremely common in Italy. In the same way that in many countries around the world there seems to be a prevalence of kids hanging out on street corners, in Italy it is in fact the over 50s that are "retaking the streets".
There are a couple of reasons for this, one is the ancient tradition of the Piazza which exists throughout Italy. Piazzas have always been a central meeting point for the town, where friends were made, relationships blossomed and business was negotiated. Long before the time of telecommunication these were the centres of social activity, and continue to be today. This tradition is closer to the hearts of the older generation, not being so reliant on mobile phones.
The second and more disturbing reason is that Italy has a dying population. The fact that the birth rate is lower than the death rate combined with the relative longevity of Italians means the population as a whole is very old. Although for the time being this isn't a massive problem, it could become a serious issue in the next 20 years if nothing is done to encourage population growth.
The same is true in Germany to an extent - there is a larger older population here, and they tend to get out and about, congregating in city and town centers to catch up or just watch the day go by. This is a good capture to tell your story.
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