Gomitoli
Whoever knows Naples knows that
the setting of “C’era una volta Scugnizzi” is not for
the theatre but is reality.
OFFICINE GOMITOLI: INTERCULTURAL CENTRE FOR THE MEETING AND COEXISTENCE OF DIFFERENCES.
The Officine Gomitoli project was set up by the Dedalus Cooperative.
The Dedalus Cooperative has been active in the Naples area for more than 30 years. We could call it a place for sharing work, socialising and for cultural proposals, which has always paid attention to differences. Its mission is to create a welcoming and supportive community, that is able to take responsibility for the difficulties people have when they live together. Dedalus is involved in particular with unaccompanied foreign minors, victims of trafficking and women who need help.
The Officine Gomitoli project aims to promote a culture of substantial equality between Italian and foreign young people through workshops and permanent activities. It is a place where culture can thrive, where teenagers and young people – both Italians and first and second generation immigrants – can come together. This is also where future cohabitation is played out. At the Neapolitan level it is a case of excellence of inclusion, which brings the cultural world closer to the social problems related to integration. The key phrase is “the integration of the new generations”.
Officine Gomitoli’s Intercultural Centre is in the former woollen mill of Santa Caterina in Formiello. It covers around 600 sq. meters of the former convent, which the Bourbons turned into a woollen mill at the beginning of the 19th century. Up to a few years ago the building had fallen into decay but it was completely renovated and equipped for children and young people, in order to offer them educational and social activities and also take care of the bureaucratic aspect of these activities.
THE INTERVENTION
OF THE FONDAZIONE
CHARLEMAGNE
The Fondazione Charlemagne believed in Officine Gomitoli right from 2015. In addition to our financial commitment, we also wanted to provide support, together with the Fondazione Con il Sud, to create a network of supporters and partners in order to raise the funds needed to start the renovation work on the building in 2015.
Our economic and organisational support was planned to last until 2018 but it has been extended for another year.
We immediately believed in this project, not only because its values and aims coincide perfectly with those of the Fondazione Charlemagne but also because we greatly respect Dedalus, with which we have been collaborating since 2010, and which has set up and completed over 150 social projects since it began its activities.
“It’s very exciting that Gomitoli
is working in such a beautiful place”
– Stefania Mancini (Councillor of the Fondazione Charlemagne)
One of the results of this project that makes us really proud is having succeeded in giving back life to a breathtakingly beautiful space that without the Officine Gomitoli, many children of the 4th district of Naples would probably never have been able to appreciate.
RESULTS
200 YOUNG
go to the centre
150 CULTURAL
initiatives
15 NEWSPAPER
articles that have talked about it