There is time until December 15 to participate in the 10th edition of the census "The Places of the Heart", the campaign promoted by FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo.
Knowing how to look forward with hope and positivity is a precious attitude, and the new edition of the census of "Places of the Heart", the initiative that for eighteen years has allowed people to unite and manifest their love for a tangible gesture the extraordinary heritage of art and nature that surrounds us wants to project us outside our home, and put an end to this prolonged abstinence from the country we love.
This project tells more than any other about the Foundation's desire to continue dealing with Italy and Italians with enthusiasm and passion, listening to citizens to conceive and imagine the future together: a powerful injection of confidence to restore, spreading, that feeling of civil cohesion that in these "suspended" days we feel so intensely.
Thanks to "The Places of the Heart", FAI encourages and stimulates each of us, even while staying at home, to make a difference and be the engine of change for our territory, unique in the world for variety and beauty. The Foundation's wish is that participation in the census is as extensive as possible, because the group's result always exceeds the sum of individuals and becomes power, energy and creative force effective action: to highlight the stories of civil commitment of many communities of citizens who thanks to this initiative have approached or found themselves with renewed enthusiasm, sharing a common goal, hopes and emotions. Even before places, in fact, this is the census of people, that places live them, love them, save them.
Since 2003, the year of its first edition, "The Places of the Heart" has been elected by millions of citizens as a sounding board to make their voices heard in favor of small and large beauties not to be forgotten. The results obtained are exceptional, demonstrating its social value but also its being a concrete and effective tool capable of turning the spotlight of public opinion on places to be saved, protected or simply enhanced because they are not well known and to contribute significantly to change the fate. Thanks to the partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo, FAI has supported and promoted 119 projects for the recovery and enhancement of places of art and nature in 19 regions. In the nine editions carried out to date, thanks to more than 7 million votes received - of which more than 2,2 million in the last edition of 2018 - it was also possible to build a unique and spontaneous mapping of over 37.000 places of the most varied types , which affect over 80% of Italian municipalities. Some have been reported by a single person, while others have mobilized tens of thousands of citizens. And more than 800 extraordinary spontaneous committees have taken action to collect votes, and which have pursued with unparalleled tenacity the goal of offering an opportunity for rebirth to their "place of the heart".
This year the census is enriched with two special rankings. The first dedicated to "Italy above 600 meters", that is to places belonging to the internal mountain areas of the country, which the Foundation is also dealing with through the Alpe Project and which alone cover 54% of the national territory: areas which have become the periphery of the country, suffering from the lack of services and infrastructures that makes living conditions more difficult, but also characterized by an indisputable beauty, often intact and dominated by nature, in which communities whose history is to be rediscovered live , traditions and potential
The second relates to the "historical places of health", architectural assets that have deep roots in our past, and which today, in the face of the health emergency, have become valiant safeguards to protect all of us; places that tell how much the well-being of body and mind has ancient roots in our country and a centuries-old tradition that ranges from Roman baths to historical pharmacies, from hospitals born in the Renaissance to the pavilions of the late 800 and early XNUMXs, now more than ever in operation thanks the tireless efforts of doctors and paramedical staff to face the epidemic.
As usual, the most voted places will be awarded, upon presentation of a concrete project: 50.000 euros, 40.000 euros and 30.000 euros will be assigned to the first, second and third place respectively, while the most voted place via web will become the protagonist of a video, storytelling or promotional, created by the Foundation. A total of 20.000 euros are up for grabs for the winners of the two special rankings. FAI and Intesa Sanpaolo, after the publication of the results, will also launch the usual call for the selection of the interventions according to which all owners (public or non-profit) and stakeholders of the places that have obtained at least 2.000 votes will be able to submit to the Foundation a request for restoration, enhancement or investigation on the basis of specific action projects.
In this video interview the FAI Sicily regional president, Giuseppe Taibi, invites all citizens, in small villages and large cities, in the lesser known and most well-known countries of the island, to vote for the Italian places they love most and would like to see protected and valued.