A LONG JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY AND CULTURE
We were born in Tuscany
In 2015, in the medieval village of Certaldo between the hills of Florence and Siena, from a shared interest in culture and ethnic groups, the non-profit organization was born with the aim of promoting and spreading the ethnic-cultural differences of the various minorities in the world, in particular having started a collaboration with the municipal administrations and representatives of the various realities of local immigrants, with the aim of promoting knowledge and integration by promoting projects aimed at transforming the artistic and artisanal aspects of these ethnic groups present in Italy into job opportunities.
Grown up in Val Camonica
In the second half of 2016, we moved to Brescia. In this period of transition, the non-profit organization took on its current structure and developed an attention towards the Alpine Arc and the mountains in general and towards the protection of the folkloristic heritage, crafts and knowledge of the ethnic minorities who inhabit these places.
We chose Brescia and Valsabbia
The mission of the Onlus is to protect the cultural heritage of the Alpine Arc in its entirety, and from this mission comes the name of our Association, the White Nettle, which is a plant present throughout the Alpine Arc.
Protection begins by making a reality known, and for this reason Ortica Bianca organizes meetings and conferences on crafts, religious and folkloristic traditions, cuisine, and the naturalistic beauties of the Alpine Arc, with highly trained speakers, not only for academic merit, but also for concrete experience.
Protection is embodied in the active support of popular festivals to be maintained, in the teaching of endangered trades such as tailoring, small-scale tool making, sheep farming, in slowing the depopulation of the mountains and in encouraging tourism, even cultured tourism, outside the usual tourist centers, now completely uprooted from the places where they are located.
We are based in the province of Brescia because it is the birthplace and place of work of some members of the Board of Directors and several partners.
How we would like our headquarters to be
Make this dream come true with us
The Province of Brescia is a place rich in history and very different cultures, in its immense province that brings together people from the mountains, the lake, the countryside and the city.
It boasts three lakes, three large valleys and an infinite number of small valleys parallel to them, high and important mountains, an extensive countryside and all, including the city centre itself, with a very rich heritage of different uses, customs and history.
Many places are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
To carry out our work in the best possible way, we have identified Valsabbia as a suitable location for a headquarters, a mountain resort in the Alpine Arc, decentralized, but easily reachable by all and with very accessible communication routes.
We would need a large venue with a room where we can hold meetings, exhibitions and courses to learn the trades in the winter and some smaller rooms to offer as workshops to the artists and young artisans/farmers that we are supporting and who want to get closer to us so that they are not immediately burdened by the costs of managing the premises where they can work.
An outdoor space such as a courtyard, garden or porch, to be used for social activities in the summer and where we can organize events attended by many people to raise funds for our purposes and projects.
A barn, a farmhouse or even better, a large old house would be ideal for us, so that we can also host those who animate our events and participate in the courses.
ACHIEVING THIS IMPORTANT GOAL INVOLVES RECURRING COSTS SUCH AS RENT, BILLS, RENOVATION OR RECOVERY OF THE BUILDING AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE ROOMS AND OUTDOOR SPACES TO MAKE THEM SUITABLE FOR ACTIVITIES.
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE DO AND ASPIRE TO DO HAS VALUE, WE ASK YOU TO ADOPT OUR NEW HEADQUARTERS WITH A SINGLE OR RECURRING DONATION EVERY MONTH IN THE AMOUNT YOU WISH.
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP, WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT . THE AMOUNT DONATED IS A LIBERAL DONATION THAT YOU CAN DEDUCT FROM YOUR TAXES.
