The work for social, economic and cultural development promoted by Danilo Dolci has always been able to count on the financial support of international institutions and non-profit organisations. Decisive in this sense was the role played by some Active committees in Switzerland. In 1962, the Association “Verein zur Förderung des Werkes von Danilo Dolci – CH” was founded, dissolved in 2012, which contributed significantly to the realisation of numerous projects. This traditional link between Switzerland and Sicily can now be renewed and reinvigorated: to this end, the establishment of a tax-exempt association is planned, which can flank and support the non-profit company Borgo Danilo Dolci S.R.L., recently established in Italy, in its ambitious path.

Initiatives in Switzerland
After the reopening to the public of the Borgo di Trappeto in Sicily, scheduled – after completion of the necessary renovation work – for 2024, collaboration with Switzerland is planned at different levels and in different areas:

• Innovative educational projects with Swiss school classes to develop the concept of non-violent communication.
• Workshops for children and young people, adapted to different age groups, on the themes of integration and peace.
• Exchanges between young people from Switzerland and Sicily, aimed at studying and understanding the damaging economic and social effects of the Mafia and other forms of organised crime, now present with even international ramifications.
• Study trips for seminars at Swiss universities and universities of applied sciences.
• Cooperation with the Swiss peace institute Swisspeace (University of Basel) on topics such as non-violent conflict management and research on and for peace.
• Archiving and making digitally available all documents relating to the many years of activity of the Association “Förderung des Werkes von Danilo Dolci – CH” for peace and other research work.

Danilo’s House
The house in which Danilo and his family lived is located inside the territory of the Borgo.
After completion of the work it will become the “House for Peace”: an archive of the writings by and about Dolci, a research centre accessible to scholars and a museum, where his personal belongings will be preserved and exhibited to the public.
Collaboration with other archives is planned (Centre for Creative Development – Danilo Dolci Palermo, Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center Boston University, Erich-Fromm-Archiv Tübingen). To make it usable, the roof, plumbing, electricity, kitchen and bathroom must be renovated. A photovoltaic system for heating and air conditioning will also have to be installed. The garden also needs care that can no longer be postponed.

The Kindergarten house
This building is also located on the Borgo’s land: owned by the municipality of Trappeto, which has entrusted it to the Borgo Danilo Dolci Society on loan for 99 years, it will serve in the future as an extension of the House for Peace.

Planned activities

The “Centre for Creative Development – Danilo Dolci” in Palermo develops an annual programme of courses, invites international speakers and workshop leaders and organises initiatives and events. The Borgo will provide a permanent home for this work and encourage its further development. To this end, it is necessary to recruit additional employees to take care of the kitchen, canteen and guest rooms, in order to guarantee operation for twelve months of the year and preserve the facilities from degradation and vandalism.