Nowadays and especially in Italy, can someone still believe in the good administration? Can someone, one more time, be confident in public structure, in the policies which are executed?Transition-Town-Training_0
Hands up those who, at least once in their lifetime, has not dreamed of living in a small community, in a country or in a place where things are really fair, that is to say truly legitimate. Legitimated from the point of view of ethic, environmental sustainability; a place where policies promote the sustainable and the ethical choices of the citizens, in order to guide themselves in a society inspired by the themes of decreasing (self-production, short chain, organic food or seasonal food, support for the establishment of buying groups, sustainable tourism and hospitality, promoting of peace culture , cooperation and solidarity, “unpacking” of the territories, spread of the fair trade, time banks, self-production, ethical finance, etc.). A society that aims at optimizing the management of the territory, under the inspiring the principle of “no consumption of the land”, with an administrative apparatus which wanted to reduce the waste and to ecologically act through concrete and efficient actions and measure (efficiency energy, green purchasing, organic cafeterias, etc.), to reduce air pollution by promoting policies and concrete projects of sustainable mobility, promoting a proper management of the waste, finding solutions apt of making them no longer a problem, but a resource.

All nice words, one would say, but first of all we are human being and, above all, we are Italian. And this is the innovation, reassesses the concept of mankind and reassesses the concept of Italian. The reason why the Association of Virtuous Municipalities was founded in our country, and the delusions you have just read above comes from the statutes of the Association. Read it in full, because it increases the hope!

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However,t he beautiful reality is that these municipalities registered to the network re more than seventy! Definitely there is still lots to do and a long way to run, but what it is important is that small steps are moving: it is by a starting step which begins the journey. The goal should be an administration which would be really able to change and respond to the new (and basically old) needs of either the citizens and the earth we inhabit.

Municipalities .. where another kind of reality is possible

Rocca dei Rossi, San Secondo Parmense, an Italian Virtuous Municipality in Parma province
Rocca dei Rossi, San Secondo Parmense, Parma, ph. by Bruno, via flickr

Here we offer some virtuous municipalities and their eco friendly facilities where you can go on holiday to discover some places, where, to quote the Statute of the Association of virtuous Municipalities, another reality is possible.

You may, for example, decide to visit the land of Peppone and Don Camillo in San Secondo (Parma) staying at the eco friendly B & B Nonna Maria ; or remaining in the area, the sustainable Residence Villa Fulcini  in Parma.

Cherry Cat, a colorfull and ecofriendly Bed & breakfast surrounded by the hills of Monte San Pietro, a Virtuous Municipaliy in Bologna Province.
Cherry Cat, a colorfull and ecofriendly Bed & breakfast surrounded by the hills of Monte San Pietro, a Virtuous Municipaliy in Bologna Province.

At the eco sustainable Ostello del Conte Rosso, you may instead choosing to visit the virtuous medieval village of Avigliana, a few kilometers from Turin, or the virtuous Municipality of Monte San Pietro, sourranded by the hills of Bologna where you find the eco Agriturismo Ca del Buco or the welcoming and colorfull Bed & Breakfast Cherry Cat!

In Anghiari, in the province of Arezzo, there is another beautiful medieval town, where you can stay at the eco sustainable B & B Il Giardino Nascosto.

Cefalù, an italian Virtuous Municipality in Palermo Province, Sicily
Cefalù, ph. by Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho, via Flickr

And, since summer is approaching, for a virtuous seaside holiday you could choose to stay at the eco B & B Raggio di Luna in Senigallia (Ancona) or go down in Collesano (Palermo) at the Organic Agriturismo Guarnera, seaward the beautiful sea of Cefalù.

While visiting these places, let’s keep in mind that, in order to make these projects growing and developing everyone efforts’ is also very important. We should begin to be virtuous citizens who should respect and support what belongs to all of us as it was our property. We should start to be truly civilized citizens: from there the step to be virtuous becomes short.

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