In partnership with

The Semi di Pace Voluntary Organisation, founded in 1980 by Luca Bondi and a group of young people, is a humanitarian association operating in Italy and abroad, with its headquarters in Tarquinia within the green area (restored and redeveloped) of the ‘Cittadella’. The “Cittadella” is committed to offering a wide range of services to support those in need through facilities such as the Charity Boutique, the Emporium, the Charity Bookshop, the Counselling Centres, the Peace Park, the “José Martí” Study Centre for fraternity and cooperation among peoples, and the ‘Artigiani di pace’ Intercultural Centre. Some services are specifically aimed at people living in poverty or experiencing psychological difficulties, whilst others fall within the scope of educational activities. Underpinning the initiatives carried out in Italy and abroad are the values of cooperation, inclusivity and brotherhood among peoples and individuals of all backgrounds, ethnicities and religious faiths. Furthermore, long-distance support projects for children and mothers, as well as international projects for the elderly, are very active.

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Description of the Work

International volunteers will first take part in a session to share information, explain and present (with testimonials from Semi di Pace volunteers) the activities carried out at the “Cittadella”. The types of activities and work involved will include:
a) the Charity Shop and the Emporium, dedicated to the collection, sorting and distribution of clothing and food to families in need (. Here volunteers will organize stock in the warehouse, set up the food bank, assist customers, collect food donations outside supermarkets)
b) the Charity Library, involving the selection, cataloguing and maintenance of the book collection;
c) maintenance and tidying of the Park, the vegetable gardens and other areas dedicated to children and users of the ‘Cittadella’;
d) contributing ideas and/or artefacts to the Peace Park and the ‘José Martí’ Study Centre.

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Location & Leisure

Tarquinia offers a wide range of leisure activities. As a true ‘city of art’, it boasts, first and foremost, a magnificent historic centre dating back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Furthermore, Tarquinia lies at the heart of Etruria, the cradle of Etruscan civilisation, of which it is one of the most representative centres: the town is home not only to one of Italy’s most significant archaeological museums, but also to the highly important “Monterozzi Necropolis”, which has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 2004. Finally, Tarquinia is situated around 5 km from the sandy beaches of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and offers numerous opportunities for walks and excursions in the immediate surroundings of the Tuscia region and neighbouring Tuscany.

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Study themes of the project

The Peace Park and the José Martí Study Centre appear particularly well-suited to study and reflection programmes for the purposes of the SCI Camp. The Peace Park comprises three distinct installations that address painful and particularly sensitive themes: I) the deportations of Italian Jews during the Second World War, II) the phenomena of political, economic and religious separation through the imposition of physical barriers, and III) migration dynamics. Three structures within the Park (respectively: a 1930s railway carriage identical in every respect to those used for the deportation of Italian Jews to the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps, the ‘Wall of Walls’, and a large overturned and suspended barge) are designed to illustrate these situations. Each of these themes lends itself to in-depth study and reflection. The “José Martí” Study Centre, named after the late 19th-century Cuban philosopher, politician and writer, studies and explores themes relating to cooperation and brotherhood among peoples, drawing on the teachings of the Cuban patriot and humanist.

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Requirements

No special requirements

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Host Organization