The Ars et Labor Foundation, active in Istria since 2017, held a presentation in the beautiful courtyard of Palazzo Zambelli Pemma in Venice.
Gianna Fioranti from Vodnjan, General Secretary of the Foundation, together with the architect-advisor Stefano Murello presented Ars et Labor and its work; the event concluded with the director Bruno Girardello describing its past and present activities and its future objectives.
The Ars et Labor Foundation promotes international collaboration and the exchange of shared best practices, seeking to attract not just economic interests related to seaside tourism, but those that concern southern Istria as a whole. Istria is an area rich in cultural testimonies from the pre-Roman period to that of rationalist architecture.
The ongoing collaboration between the Foundation, the ISSZ of Verona and the Istrian Archaeological Museum of Pula led to the work carried out in August on the togati (Roman statues). This conservation workshop demonstrated how sharing best practices can give rise to excellent results.
Another project currently in progress is the creation of a cultural route in Vodnjan that focuses on the conservation and promotion of the historical value of coats of arms. Other projects of this kind are in the development phase.
As part of the PULSATE ET APERIETUR project, the Foundation donated the restoration of a historic door to Vodnjan; this year it will donate another door to Valle once the conservation work has been completed.
Readings in the Civic Library for children who attend the Italian school will also continue this year.
Despite the difficulties caused by the Covid pandemic, the Foundation managed to complete its Istrian projects this summer.
From talking to doing to affect change
The Foundation has drawn up a serious proposal in the form of a comic, visible at the Infopoint in Vodnjan, along with the project “The ideal village”.
As soon as a meeting with the new town council can be arranged, it will propose a plan for the restoration, enhancement, and promotion of the historic center of Vodnjan, starting from Via Merceria. If economic support can be provided by those who initially pushed for change, the Foundation would propose itself to direct the work necessary to make the changes.