PERMACULTURE AT THE ITALIAN SENATO

by Andrea Minchio

On the 1st of October 2014 a delegation of the Italian Permaculture has been received at the Italian Senato (the italian senators vote the laws). For the first time in Italy a very great opportunity. After a brief presentation of the three Italian representative institutions, invited by the Government (Istituto Italiano di Permacultura, Accademia Italiana di Permacultura and EcoIstituto Reseda) and a short definition of what is Permaculture, the Italian senators have asked some questions related to the role of Permaculture in the management of problems such as polluted soils, about the Xylella Fastidiosa bacterium and about the production of local food related with the “Made in Italy” mark.

To prepare this particular and unique event, the Italian Institute of Permaculture (IIP) has done a great work based on permaculture designs. The designs have been used both to decide the most suitable dress to use at the Italian Senato, and to decide what kind of documentation should have delivered to the senators. The design based on the C.E.A.P. methodology has been realised as a collective and diffuse work made in a short time (the call was done four days before the audience) using Facebook as a common spreadsheet and from many people located in different Italian cities.

At the end of the informal audience with the senators, the IIP has organized in the Navona square in Rome, a few sessions to illustrate the Permaculture to the presents (mostly tourists).

It has been really a busy and historical day for Permaculture in Italy.