Caffè sospeso

A caffè sospeso (pronounced [kafˈfɛ ssoˈspeːzo]; Italian for "suspended coffee") or pending coffee is a cup of coffee paid for in advance as an anonymous act of charity. The tradition began in the working-class cafés of Naples, where someone who had experienced good luck would order a sospeso, paying the price of two coffees but receiving and consuming only one. A poor person enquiring later whether there was a sospeso available would then be served a coffee for free.^[1][2] Coffee shops in other countries have adopted the sospeso to increase sales, and to promote kindness and caring in all communities.

John Sweeney, of Ireland, launched a social movement called Suspended Coffees in March 2013, as well as a website dedicated to encouraging businesses around the world to join and support the tradition of a cafe sospeso.^[3] Mr. Sweeney has been featured in numerous publications from around the world, for his efforts in bringing kindness to the forefront. The movement has a following of over a quarter of a million people on social media. In March 2015, Mr. Sweeney gave a TEDx talk on Suspended Coffees and why kindness matters.^[4]

History

One 2010 account claims the tradition was over 100 years old, but declined during the postwar economic boom, so that it is mainly observed around Christmas time.^[5] A 2008 article reported the tradition was obsolescent, the reporter having visited three bars where it had not been observed for at least 15 years.^[6] Aurelio De Laurentiis is reported to pay for ten sospesi after each victory by S.S.C. Napoli, the football club of which he is chairman.^[7]

The sospeso gave the title to a 2008 journalism collection by Neapolitan Luciano De Crescenzo, Il caffe sospeso: Saggezza quotidiana in piccoli sorsi, which helped publicise the tradition throughout Italy.^[2][8] The idea has been reported in cafés in Bulgaria,^[9] Ukraine,^[2] Australia,^[1] Canada,^[10] Romania,^[11] Russia,^[12] Spain,^[13] Argentina,^[14] the United States,^[15] and Costa Rica.^[16] A Dutch campaign at Christmas 2011 gave a discount on the price of the donated coffee.^[17]

The UK arm of coffee chain Starbucks signed up for a charity initiative based on the suspended coffee concept in April 2013, in which it said it would match the value of each suspended coffee with a cash donation to the Oasis charity.^[18] The growth of the trend in other coffee shops in the UK also received media coverage around the same time.^[19]

On 22 July 2013, a Tuesday, an anonymous customer in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, North America paid for 500 large coffees at Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons. This started a trend that spread to a total of 30 locations with over 10,000 cups of coffee being paid for by donors.^[20]

Symbolism

The caffè sospeso has been identified as a symbol of grassroots social solidarity, prompting its revival in response to the 2008 recession and ensuing eurozone crisis.^[5] In 2004, a giornata nazionale del sospeso at Easter was announced by the Ronde della carità charity.^[21] In 2011, a Giornata del Caffè Sospeso was scheduled to coincide with Human Rights Day in December.^[22] A collection of Italian arts festivals emphasising social solidarity in 2010 came together under the umbrella "Rete del Caffè Sospeso".^[23] An Italian fundraising website started by Luca Argentero is called 1caffe.org.^[24][25]

See also

• Coffee portal

References

Bibliography

• Author unknown (2013-04-22). Give if you wish, get if you want: Suzhou restaurant joins 'suspended meal' movement. Suzhou Daily, 22 April 2013. Retrieved on 2013-04-24 from http://epaper.subaonet.com/sr/html/2013-04/22/content_311021.htm.

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