“There must be a growing awareness of what it means to live in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is because this very awareness creates the identity of a common property”. This is one of the points made by the journalist Piero Badaloni speaking at the conference and show 9×1=Dolomites UNESCO, which took place on 3 December in Palmanova at the Modena Theatre led by Daniele Paroni and Fausta Slanzi. This event, held in the historic town recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status, brought together residents, academics, entrepreneurs, local government officials and lovers of the mountain landscape to discuss what it means to live in an area recognised as a precious heritage for the whole of humanity.
“THE FOUNDATION? A ROUND TABLE FOR OUR FUTURE”
This is how the President of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation Mariagrazia Santoro, Councillor for the Infrastructure and Territory of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia, described the role of the Foundation. While this role could be said to be a given, it has still not yet been given due consideration, in that it is the only round table at which the future of the entire Dolomite territory is discussed, seeking out a common vision for its development and ever greater integration of the provincial and regional authorities with their differing administrative procedures. It is not therefore by chance that this model has been granted international recognition, an aspect focused on by the Vice-President of the Foundation, Trento Councillor Mauro Gilmozzi, and the Director Marcella Morandini. Inevitably the concept of network building, already highlighted by the title of the evening meeting, would become the main theme for the talks given by the councillors from Friuli, responsible for the governance of three cities listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Mayor of Aquileia, Gabriele Spanghero, the Deputy Mayor of Cividale del Friuli, Daniela Bernardi, and the Mayor of Palmanova, Francesco Martines emphasised how they are working on the network of the regional UNESCO sites, working on the ability to function as a team, to play their part in creating a growing awareness instilled from a young age. This is why the middle school pupils will be asked to express themselves directly as part of the project organised by the Foundation in the provinces of Trento and Belluno which is now about to involve Friuli, “Io Vivo qui nelle Dolomiti friulane Patrimonio dell’UNESCO” (I’m living here in the Friuli Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site).