by Alessandra Feola | Oct 7, 2013 | Commons Press, The Urban Media Lab
(…) Why citizenship seams directly related to common goods? And why are these goods referred to via an oxymoron placing madness alongside reasons? In fact we must be aware that a new rationality is needed and it is emerging and we must deal with this change whit new forms of social, economic, cultural, political rationalities. In fact the true madness could result from a cultural and political blindness unable to elaborate the categories giving social evidence, cultural foundation and institutional support to the perspective of the Commons. (…)
Download Rodotà‘s speech: Rodotà-Commons and Economics
by Alessandra Feola | Sep 30, 2013 | The Urban Media Lab
The artistic Italian heritage can create jobs and help Italy to reduce unemployment, produce income and finally exit from the crisis?
The answer will be given next 28th October in Rome when will take place the closing ceremony of the competition ARS.Arte che reallizza occupazione sociale (Art that makes social employment). The competition, promoted by Accenture Italian Foundation, aims to find good ideas on how to create jobs improving and promoting art. More than 1.200 people, associations and organizations have proposed their ideas through the online platform ideaTRE60. More than 500 ideas were proposed. But, after a scrupulous selection by a selected committee, only 10 finalists have had the opportunity to compete for the final prize. For the winning idea there is up for grabs 1 million euro.
The projects selected are those that present some characteristics: innovation, high scalability and reproducibility, but also those that allow repercussion in the job market and are economically sustainable. It is also required that the project relies in the professional competences of experts from different background.
Moreover the competition is an ideal forum for discussing what is today in Italy the situation of the art, and what the possible solutions for improving the Italian artistic heritage are.
The 10 finalist projects come from all over Italy: from the requalification of the ancient port of Trieste, to the creation of a museum of modern art in L’Aquila, since a project that combine art and food in Campania. Finally among the 10 finalist there is also the project Favara Urban Network that we talked about in one of our article.
For Italians living in close contact with the artistic heritage is a natural thing of everyday and sometimes we forget the true value of this immense heritage. On the one hand the ARS competition wants to remember the importance of this resource for the development of Italy. On the other hand Italians are ready.
by Alessandra Feola | Sep 11, 2013 | The Urban Media Lab
When we talk about summer we’re talking first of all about holidays, fun and relax; but during these months many of us have left the car with the air conditioner turned on for the weather too hot or have relaxed in the shower more than due, perhaps omitting behavior deemed socially responsible for ourselves and for others in daily life.
One way to express our concern for the environment and the local communities where we go to stay during the holidays is the so-called “sustainable tourism”.
According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations agency that works to promote a responsible tourism, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, activities are sustainable when they don’t alter the natural environment, social and artistic, and don’t hinder the development of other social and economic activities. The Agency also issued an ethic code for tourism which is divided into 10 principles, including the contribution that tourism offers mutual understanding and respect between peoples and societies, sustainable development and respect for the host countries and of local communities. In order to ensure that these communities maintain and potentiate the cultural and environmental heritage this is the basis of their tourist attraction.
The main characteristics of responsible tourism are the awareness and respect, it’s a way of travel in which the choices are an important gesture from the preparatory phase of the trip, the trip itself and the return home. With that ecotourism is not just to promote respect for the environment, but also of people, of local cultures, the rights of workers.
Often the host communities are seen invaded by masses of tourists who unknowingly decide to give up caring and responsible behavior for simple laziness or indifference. Beaches, forests, cities will benefit forever a gesture of our attention. Tourism is currently one of the main economic income for the countries that are most affected. Is a source of economic wealth and personal growth that cannot be stopped, but cannot risk endangering the preservation of the environmental, cultural and artistic heritage of humanity, It is therefore right from a personal commitment and daily how to limit the use of water, detergent and energy, the use of air conditioning, lights, fuel, then hold responsible behavior … even on vacation.
by Alessandra Feola | Sep 9, 2013 | The Urban Media Lab
Land of the Italian Renaissance, Tuscany wants to be host of a new renaissance, where the real innovation is the rediscovery of the tradition.
The Region of Tuscany presents the next 12 September the kermess EXPO RURALE that this year is at its third edition. Three days of expositions, laboratories, meetings that aims to show the essence of the agriculture in Tuscany. This will be an opportunity to learn about the present, the past and the future of the agricultural sector in this region of Italy.
The agriculture represents for Italy not only culture, landscape, environment and tradition, but also a real opportunity of development. The farm has a positive impact in economic and social terms. The farm producing agricultural goods and food products has become, pursuing excellence, a multifunctional activity. In fact connects agriculture and sustainability, through the use of renewable energy and pollution control. Moreover contributes to the improvement of the quality and safety of the food. Finally and more recently the farm has become more attentive to the social sector, introducing activities that help the development of the community, improve social cohesion and the maintenance of the traditions and culture of the territory.
Among the many workshop and conferences during the EXPO RURALE one interesting argument will be the question of “civic customs” (usi civici). This ancient Italian institution is a series of rights and duties of the rural communities that allows people to use common territories for the pasture of animals, for collecting wood, fishing in rivers, gathering mushrooms and much more. Even today in 57 municipalities in Tuscany the “civic customs” are practiced in a territory of 30.000 hectares.
Finally on Thursday 12, will be present the Ministry of Agricultural Policies, Nunzia De Girolamo, in a workshop in which will be discussed the bases for the Program for Rural Development 2014-2020.
by Alessandra Feola | Aug 22, 2013 | The Urban Media Lab
The municipality of Bologna gives life to a platform in which citizens can decide what to do whit abandoned or disused buildings in the city.
On the site Opendata every citizens has access to a map of three categories of buildings: not used properties to be valued, business premises to rent or sell and finally unused buildings completely to reinvent. Writing a simple email to spazi@comune.bologna.it is possible to submit a project or idea.
The idea behind is to involve citizens in designing how they would like to be its own city. The contribution of ideas that every citizen can give to its own city is priceless, unlimited and essential. Who better than the inhabitants know what the city need, how a public space should be and what life they want to do? Moreover the project has the quality to ensure transparency in the decision of the public administration.
This project is part of a larger system implemented by the municipality of Bologna to improve the municipal real estate. For Italian cities, rich in architectural heritage, often not adequately appreciated, to stop new construction and rethink old buildings represents a new urban vision that respects the environment and the history of the community that lived in a territory. In fact this phenomenon is spreading in many other Italian cities and each takes on its special features. For example in the Italian south region of Puglia, the project Libera il Bene allows public administrations and associations to cooperate for mapping properties confiscated to the Mafia. Thanks to European fund FERS 2007-2013 the Region finances projects for the reuse for social purposes.
