The Borgo - Borgo Danilo Dolci

History of the Borgo

The ‘Borgo di Trappeto’ Training Centre, consisting of a complex set of spaces and structures, was conceived in 1968 by Danilo Dolci and his collaborators. It was realised by architect Giorgio Stockel, with the advice of Bruno Zevi, when both were teaching at La Sapienza University in Rome. The building complex was used for over three decades by a wide variety of Italian and international institutions, social and cultural organisations.

The Borgo was conceived as a centre for training courses, seminars, workshops, round tables, concerts and performances. For the future, it is suggested to give continuity to its history by starting from the themes that have characterised its history: social and educational work, migration and cultural integration, non-violent communication, peace education, sociology, cooperative and non-violent leadership training, territorial development, urban studies, philosophy, literature, music, theatre, painting.

1967-08-00 Trappeto, il terreno del Centro Studi 47

1967-08-00 Trappeto, il terreno del Centro Studi 45

1967-08-00 Trappeto, il terreno del Centro Studi 37

1967-08-00 Trappeto, il terreno del Centro Studi 28

1967-08-00 Trappeto, il terreno del Centro Studi 26

1967-08-00 Trappeto, il terreno del Centro Studi 24

1967-08-00 Trappeto, il terreno del Centro Studi 15

The fulcrum of Danilo Dolci’s work is maieutics, the art of “helping people to express themselves”, to solicit individual and group change through “creative reciprocal adaptation”: an area of research and experimentation that is more topical and necessary today than ever, especially if we pay attention to the issues connected to international relations between states and people and the epochal problems posed by migration dynamics. From this point of view, the experience conducted by Dolci and his collaborators for the development and emancipation of the extremely poor populations of western Sicily can represent an immensely precious and topical heritage of ideas and methodologies.

After being involved for several decades in the social and cultural field, both in Italy and Switzerland, we have observed an increasing request from schools and academic institutions to use this Centre for their activities and in particular for the realisation of courses and seminars. Danilo Dolci’s work, his writings, theories and methods are getting more and more acknowledged as extraordinary tools for research and experimentation. The further deepening and adaptation of the RMA method, in the light of the questions posed by the troubled present times, is of central importance for communication between people and the development of peaceful and mutually respectful international relations.

Non-violent communication methods are not only important in the social sciences, but can also be tried out and practised in the arts. Theatre and music courses, especially the group ones, have always been an integral part of the Borgo’s programme. It is certainly necessary not only for children and young people, but also for adults—since state-run facilities for learning and practising the arts are not very common in countries of Southern Europe.

Currently, courses and other events are organised by the Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo – Danilo Dolci’ association in Palermo with the EU funding. As there is no centre for meetings and courses, the association rents various rooms for its many activities. However, a stable meeting place is indispensable for the further development and consolidation of its work and the Borgo would be the perfect space in every aspect.

Construction and spaces

News

REACT – REciprocal maieutic Approach pathways enhancing Critical Thinking

REACT – REciprocal maieutic Approach pathways enhancing Critical Thinking Programme: Erasmus + – KA3: Support to Policy development and cooperation DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT REACT

Alberto Biondo May 17, 2023

OUR DIGITAL VILLAGE

OUR DIGITAL VILLAGE – Co-designed digital education in rural Areas Programme: Erasmus + – KA2: Forward-looking projects DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT The rapid digital transformation

Marco Ruisi May 17, 2023

Centro per lo sviluppo creativo “Danilo Dolci”

Centro per lo sviluppo creativo “Danilo Dolci” is a non-profit organisation located in Palermo, born from the experience and work of Danilo Dolci, a social

Marco Ruisi May 16, 2023

References

Ueli Mäder

Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Basel

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very excited about the idea of the “Borgo di Trappeto” Foundation. The project continues a tradition that has achieved much and continues to be crucial. All the actions we take for peace and environment are not enough. I was the director of the post-graduate course in Conflict Analysis at the University of Basel for ten years. During the process, we repeatedly encountered traces left by the architect and peace researcher Danilo Dolci. His valuable work is still very much present today for many who are working in these areas. We hope we will be able to rebuild it. The Borgo di Trappeto shows a promising potential. The renovation of the complex makes a lot of sense in terms of spatial development, but also for the intended use. Restored and reactivated, the centre offers a place for innovative reflection in the sense of a tradition that combines sound theory and human practice. This is done on the basis of relevant topics that are of interest far beyond the region and that generate various networks and cooperations, e.g. with universities. If I had enough skills, I would gladly commit myself to the “Borgo di Trappeto” Foundation project, together with Daniela Dolci and the other people involved, whom I deeply respect and find being reliable. I wish all the success to the project and hope that you will be willing to consider and, if possible, support it. With best regards,

Laurent Goetschel

Director of Swisspeace

Matthias Drilling

Institute of Social Planning, Organisational Change and Urban Development ISOS Of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland

Dear Mrs Dolci Thank you very much for the extensive information that you gave me during our personal conversation about your project to create a Foundation with the aim of renovating the Borgo di Trappeto building complex in Sicily and using it as an internationally oriented Training Centre. I find your project extremely interesting and I am pleased to submit my thoughts and possible offers of collaboration to you again in this letter. The work created by Danilo Dolci from the 1950s has been woven into the basic canon of applied social sciences until today. His work, which always includes a critical reflection on superordinate structures and at the same time invites us to approach people to let them decide for themselves on the relevance of scientific knowledge for real life, today moves in the area of participation, empowerment, human scale or activation. This attitude, which I discover in Danilo Dolci’s writings, and which is not afraid of an activist interpretation, has the potential to bring together practice-related disciplines such as architecture, sociology, art, geography or social work for a common purpose in research and teaching, and thus to assume an urgent social responsibility. The fact that Danilo Dolci received globally recognised awards, was nominated for the Nobel Prize, and had the support of leading philosophy professors, indicates the potential, enormous charisma and vitality of his project. In my opinion, and in a coherent continuation of Danilo Dolci’s work, the theme of ‘peace’ could be at the centre of the work of the Borgo di Trappeto, differentiated as scientific research on peace and scientific practice of peace-building, at the same time including the tools of non-violent communication and peaceful conflict resolution. Among the few universities teaching these topics together in Europe today, the Borgo di Trappeto would stand out in two directions and show new and innovative ways: the proximity of the city of Palermo, its inhabitants and its university would enhance the anchorage to local structures and thus make it possible to work on the realities of life itself, i.e. to discuss proposals with the people, test implementations on site and learn from them. The Centre would thus become a ‘real laboratory’. Secondly, the geopolitical location of the Borgo di Trappeto means that the main conflicts in Europe are virtually inscribed there (e.g. flight, migration, environmentalism, poverty, youth movements versus established structures, politics versus science), which gives the place the special character it needs today to be known in Europe and beyond. Of course, the creation and operation of such a centre means cooperation in many ways. I can imagine that I or my institute can offer support in the following work: – clarifying the guiding idea of the centre and clarifying the tasks and the medium-term programme approaches. This includes not only the purpose and vision, but also the strategy of the Centre. – establish a network of higher education institutions that supports the central idea, formulates cooperation, establishes topics and opens up opportunities for exchange. Here I am thinking especially of existing formats as cultivated in European universities regarding mobility between lecturers and students. – Call for specific funding instruments (e.g. endowment chairs, research projects) that safeguard Danilo Dolci’s scientific work and thus make the centre known as a place for application-oriented and at the same time critical research and development. Of course, I am also open to other ideas and can even imagine working there myself from time to time. This openness stems on the one hand from the recognition of the work I have been able to read by and about Danilo Dolci, and on the other hand from the great respect I have for your dedication to the reconstruction of the Centre instead of leaving it to itself as a place of memory and the past. With cordial greetings

Arne Engeli

sunrise.ch

We sit around the round table in the Borgo di Dio in Trappeto. We, that is, 25 young adults, participants in a six-week course of the Swiss Youth Academy, which I lead together with two colleagues. We spend the first 14 days on the road in Sicily, getting to know the home of foreign workers in Switzerland and various development projects. The Borgo and conversation with Danilo Dolci is our first stop. He wants everyone to introduce themselves briefly at the start and ask their question. We had prepared for this. They want to know how social, economic and political development can be initiated in Sicily. “What is the lever to do this?” asks Danilo and tells us how the dam on the Jato river was built. Here the farmers were able to experience first-hand: Development is possible. The water from the dam spoke to them. Another question for Danilo: what could be the next lever? Danilo talks about the cooperative that democratically manages the water. 5000 families are involved. It takes years to realise these ideas, ‘at least 15 years’ I note in my travel diary. “Our work is a midwifery service, the development work has to be done by the people themselves. They must not allow the new masters to dominate and rule. – This is followed by questions on emigration, consciousness-raising, the school in Mirto. What is the educational concept of the school? ‘To arouse curiosity, to establish relations with the environment, to know and grasp connections’. This awakens new questions. Danilo answers them. An unforgettable afternoon. We look at many things with new eyes. The next day, we split into three groups to deepen what we have heard: one is taken to the Jato dam, the second to the Mirto school, the third visits Nino Cinquemani’s after-school centre. I first met Danilo in 1966 during the Escherbund trip to Sicily. In 1970, I invited him to Frauenfeld (CH) for a lecture evening. There, Danilo explained to us on the blackboard the difference between a democratic group and a parasitic, mafia group. In the former, each person is in contact with every other. “Everyone can grow, develop to the extent that the others grow”. In the parasitic group, on the other hand, all contact is only between leader and customer. Instead of generating development, in this client system the result is dependency and exploitation. This was an important realisation for me as a student of politics at the time. The Youth Academy visited Danilo Dolci in Trappeto several times. In 1985, 1986 and 1987 I invited him to give lectures at the Protestant Conference Centre at Wartensee Castle, in Rorschach and in St. Gallen. The topics were non-violence, peace education, communication, and the development of the South. Once, before Danilo started to speak, he let a strange molten glass bottle with burn marks pass between the rows. Then he began: ‘A survivor of Hiroshima brought me this bottle. If we, if the world, is not to end up like this bottle, we must change. He who understands this has understood it for his life’. The renovated Borgo di Trappeto can once again be a place where these conversations can continue. They are more important than ever for the peaceful development of our planet.

Erich Fromm

Erich Fromm Document Center

Danilo Dolci is an extraordinary example of a biophilic, life-loving human being. He gives life to the things he comes into contact with, whether it is when organising farmers, or in the education of children…

BORGO DI TRAPPETO | The Borgo

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