Italy on Monday marked World Slow Day with the slogan "do yourself and others a favor: slow down".
A host of events have been organised throughout the country by the association 'The Art of Living Slowly' and dedicated to "those who do not want to stop the world and get off, but who want to save their lives. People who want to just slow down so they can listen and hear, think and pay more attention to their ideas and creativity, those who want to see and not just look".
According to German scholar Lothar Seiwert, author of the book 'The Bear Strategy: Strength in Being Calm, "In Ancient Rome being slow was actually a status symbol. People who were important, or who at least thought they were, would walk slowly. Only slaves would rush about".
"Today, free people have become slaves to time. they eat while writing emails, watch the news on TV while drinking their instant coffee and travelling on high speed train," he added.
In order to coincide with World Slow Day, the Italian publisher Galluzzi has reprinted Agostino Traini's book 'What's the Rush', a story for both the young and old about the life of a family of snails.
The book is composed of illustrations without any words and is a parody of today's frenetic pace of live.
It focuses on the natural rhythm of life, the importance of friendship, the small things and real feelings.
This year there are a total of 55 'Slow Cities', which are linked up with the Slow Food, a now international movement dedicated to living well.
In Milan, a pedestrian speedometer has been set up in the central Corso Vittorio Emanuele which will inform people how fast they are walking. Those caught 'speeding' will be served symbolic tickets and asked to reflect on why they are in such a hurry.
In Rome, a street photography contest has been organised with contestants asked to capture angles of the city which they otherwise ignore because they are in a rush.
At midday there will be a gathering on the central Pincio Hill, which has a magnificent view of the capital, and cameras will be focused on the changing cloud formations over the city.
In Turin, a walking literature tour has been organised while in Naples, Slow Day participants engage in story telling with their eyes closed.
