Live Community
A Federation of spirtual eco-communities open to the world
A demonstration that new forms of society are possible
Damanhur is a demonstration that new forms of society are possible and achievable. This is an important step toward the creation of a new social, economic, human and cultural equilibrium. For Damanhurians, living in community means being open to the world, being part of a social and political system that is capable of responding to the needs of citizens, with a sense of service to society.
In 2005, Damanhur received recognition as a model for a sustainable society from the Global Human Settlements Forum of the United Nations (UN). This award recognizes Damanhur's active engagement in offering our experience in service to others. The citizens of Damanhur have also created many organizations that have been recognized by the Italian government for their role in social progress.
In 40 years of history with individuals and groups in the world who have different ways of thinking, there have been situations in which being a community, seeking a secular spirituality, and being an entity that is difficult to classify, has been a barrier to the recognition of ethical and civil rights for Damanhurians. In these situations, we have always chosen transparency in responding to any criticism, inviting anyone with prejudices to come see how we live for themselves.
Con Te, per il Paese (With you, for the country)
In the early 1980s, the citizens of the first community settlements of Baldissero Canavese, Vidracco, and Cuceglio, Italy participated in the administrative elections, electing a town council member. In 1985, they created the political movement "Con Te, per il Paese" (With You, for the Country), and in 1999 it grew from five to 21 council members in seven towns of the Canavese area, including the Mayor of Vidracco. It was a unique and extraordinary result for a community group, one that repeats itself from one election to the next.
"Con Te, per il Paese" is active in Italian politics, and for a few years, its representatives participated in regional and national roles for environmental activities through the Green Party. Successively, Damanhurians decided to dialogue with politicians who support ideas that are close to the social vision of the Federation, regardless of party affiliation.
The activity of the movement regards cultural initiatives, from conferences to meetings with speakers from other organizations, to the elaboration of projects in the area of Civil Protection, to the presentation of proposals for a law on the legal recognition of intentional communities, ecovillages and co-housing in the Italian Parliament and the European Union.
Today the movement involves 20 representatives in six towns of the area, plus the Mayor of Vidracco, who periodically share about various situations: elaborations that include the possible orientation of votes in the political, administrative, European and referendum elections, participation in initiatives for the safeguarding of water as a public resource, and supporting organic cultivation, as well as statements on international issues such as war and the question of immigration, from financial systems to the living conditions of some peoples of the earth.
Many Damanhur citizens are involved in volunteer services
From the earliest years, many citizens of Damanhur have been engaged in volunteering for regional fire-fighting teams and emergency aid teams, the Italian Red Cross and the Fire Brigade. Many Damanhurians have participated in humanitarian interventions, such as "Rainbow Mission" in Albania, helping refugees from Kosovo, assisting with emergency aid after the Sri Lanka tsunami in 2004 and after the earthquake of L'Aquila in 2009, and on many other occasions in the Piedmont region and around Italy.
The thread that connects Damanhurians to volunteering is, in some ways, the same one that connects us to the world of politics. There is a desire to fully participate in life and take care of the portion of the world where we are located.
Over the years, volunteers from Damanhur have received several awards for fire-fighting, Red Cross and Civil Protection. One such recognition was the Civil Medal of Valor awarded by the President of Italy to Alce Faggio (Pierluigi Luzi), who died in 2002. This medal honored a lifetime of volunteering with fire-fighting teams of the Piedmont area during floods, fires and humanitarian emergencies. Alce was also devoted to building (and sometimes mending) a network that unites all of the regional volunteer services. Through this, he demonstrated the best of the Damanhurian spirit. His medal is dear to Damanhurian volunteers, as it is an award for the commitment and engagement of all the volunteers.
