Taormina, a city of Sicily, beloved by Goethe and Wagner. The Ancient Theater from the times of Ancient Greece and Rome is still in use.

As the center of transportation and the land of rich natural resources, Sicily was coveted by a slew of foreign powers. It has changed hands more than ten times, having been ruled by Phoenicia, Ancient Greece, Rome, Saracens, Vikings, Normans, and Spain. Only recently, Sicily became part of what today we recognize as Italy. In 1860, 156 years ago from now, the Italian general Garibaldi liberated and merged southern Italy with what would, the following year, become the Italian state. Sicilians were originally kind and innocent people but throughout the island's tragic history, they have learned to completely distrust the central government. Their weak sense of ownership resulted in discord, a tragic outcome. As a result, Sicily remains one of the poorest regions of Italy, despite its abundant natural resources. This gives us pause to rethink the importance of all having a sense of ownership.

During the period of Norman control that lasted for about 120 years, Sicily was the center of European history. At that time, it was stronger than England and was widely perceived as a major European power. The Normans fought alongside Vikings who had come from Denmark and the Scandinavian Peninsular. Vikings were heavily armed seafarers and traders riding very speedy and agile ships. Denmark was then very much like the Mongolia of Asia. Its people were very skilled sailors and raided Europe armed with iron weaponry. They also showed strong leadership and a pioneering spirit. Their skilled seamanship took them across the Atlantic Ocean to the Greenland, as well as down the coast into the Mediterranean. The Vikings headed to the southern Italian peninsula where they fought alongside the Normans, who took the strategically important region. In the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Duke William II of Normandy defeated the army of England and earned his titled "William the Conqueror", master strategist and tactician. The Normans had a strong solidarity and military force that extended to the Strait of Gibraltar, which enabled them to seize Sicily. The Kingdom of Sicily was governed by the Normans for 120 years from 1130 to 1250, which coincided with the region's most prosperous time.

In its heyday, under the King Roger II, Sicily was open to diverse religions and ethnic groups. Roger II hired many Arabs with skillful agricultural techniques and Greeks with excellent spinning methods to increase the productivity of Sicilian industry. Moreover, he let Jews take care of the kingdom's administration. By protecting religious freedom, he oversaw the most prosperous era in Sicily's history. His power was based on multi-ethnic talents and active trade, which enabled him to gain control over the southern regions of Italy. 'Cappella Palatina,' the royal chapel of the Norman Kings of Sicily, is a clear demonstration of Roger II's conviction. This fascinating building is the best example of Arabic, Norman and Byzantine styles, which were all popular in the 12th century Sicily. The chapel harmoniously combines three cultural styles: Norman architecture, Arabic arches and script, Byzantine domes and mosaics. The unbiased, open policy was the key driver of such accomplishments, enabling the kingdom to overcome frictions between religious and ethnic groups.