The Gorgona Isola Inclusiva e Sostenibile project concerns the territorial context of the Gorgona Island (Livorno). The prison on the island has characterized its recent history, closing it to the outside world and preserving it. Now we look to the future.
Problems and purpose
The GIIS (Gorgona Island Inclusive and Sustainable) project will involve the key actors and the community interested in imagining the future of the Gorgona Island together, enhancing the territorial, environmental and social elements existing and overcoming any conflicts that have characterized the island in recent years.
Objectives
- Consolidate and & nbsp; enhance & nbsp; the prison model of the Gorgona of the last 30 years;
- Identify the & nbsp; potential & nbsp; and & nbsp; resources & nbsp; of the island;
- Identify and discuss the problems and criticalities of the island in order to start a & nbsp; comparison & nbsp ; among all those who care about the future of the island;
- Define in & nbsp; a participatory way & nbsp; a project that can enhance the future of the island of Gorgona;
- Mobilize resources ( human, financial and material).
History and background
Gorgona is an island of the Archipelago Tuscan 34 km from the coast. It is part of the Municipality of Livorno. In 2013, Gorgona Scalo, the town of ancient fishermen, lived in its civil center, with 67 inhabitants. Since 1869 there has been a penal colony which is also an agricultural colony, still active with about 70 inmates serving final sentences, where they work orchards and orchards and raise animals. Maritime transport was interrupted. The press reports that there have been conflicts between the management of the prison and residents who have complained about restrictions on landing with their boats on the island [1]. & Nbsp;
In the web pages of the case in question it is not reported the project nor other documents describing its context and genesis.
Political tradition
Until 2014 see Debate in Porto
At the municipal offices of 2019 (29/5 - 6/6), the center-left is back in vogue, which he sees his candidate Luca Salvetti of the coalition led by the PD win, in the ballot with 63.3% of the votes against 36.7% of his center-right opponent. The 5 stars who held the government of the municipality, conquered, with a resounding victory over the PD in 2014, get 16.6% with the former deputy mayor Stella Sorgente as candidate. & Nbsp; In Salvetti's program (center left) the theme of participation it was mentioned 35 times, both in general intentions and in targeted projects such as the participatory removal of architectural barriers [4]. Also in the Stella Sorgente program it is declared to want "a concrete and profound development of democratic participation in Livorno and the principle of subsidiarity" and more precisely it writes about "compulsory participatory paths on municipal public works with investment above the threshold decided by the Council Municipal [...], participatory planning and direct democracy on all the most crucial planning acts and referendum on the strongest ideas that emerged (eg consultation on the pedestrianization of via Grande) "[5].
Organizational entities , supporting and financing
Tuscany Region - The Regional Council & nbsp; is the governance body that oversees (legislates), finances, designates the 3 members of the Regional Authority for guarantee and promotion of participation (APP). & nbsp;
Regional Authority for the guarantee and promotion of participation (APP) & nbsp; has the task of promoting & nbsp; participation participation of citizens in the processes of construction of regional and local policies. It announces the call for local participatory processes and assigns funding and support to the projects presented that meet the requirements. In this case with the del. of approval n.36 of 30/8/2017 grants a contribution of 21,000 Euros compared to a total cost of 26,200 Euros. & nbsp;
Province of Livorno is the promoter of the project , who appears as the submitter of the application for support to the APP, which took place on 31/5/2017. The institution is co-financier of the project. & Nbsp;
Museum of Natural History of the Mediterranean (Livorno) is a museum institution of the Province of Livorno, which also owns the historic Villa Henderson which hosts it and which also hosted the meetings and workshops of the participatory process. & Nbsp;
Simurg Ricerche Snc is a consulting, urban and commercial planning and field research firm economic and social; its headquarters are in Livorno. He oversaw the design and facilitation of the process. & Nbsp;
Municipality of Livorno project partner, is the lowest level administrative body of competence for the island of Gorgona which is a fraction of it. & nbsp;
ISPRA (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) partner of the project, is a public research body submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, the protection of the territory and the sea. It was operationally born in 2010 following the merger of three distinct bodies APAT, ICRAM and INFS, all research and technical control bodies; through its network of local branches, it is consulted and formulates official opinions, sometimes binding, in administrative procedures, on the aspects of pollution, environmental assessments, the protection of wild fauna and flora, etc ... & nbsp;
Selection and recruitment of participants
Public presentation meeting should have taken place on 6/4/19 from 9:30 to 12:30, at the History Museum natural Mediterranean but no reports are detectable (Link 1). & nbsp;
Laboratories - 4 laboratories were held (from 5/3 to 2/4, Museum). About 15 people participated in the first opening workshop, representatives of various bodies and subjects interested in being involved in the participatory process. However, only the following are mentioned: the Administration of the Gorgona prison, the Guarantor for the rights of prisoners in the Livorno area, a resident of the island, the Superintendency, the Building School, Toscana Mini Cruises, and some associations. Claudia Casini of Simurg Ricerche was responsible for conducting the laboratory and stimulating discussion [2]. At the second laboratory there were always 15 people, only the following are mentioned: the Guarantor for the rights of prisoners in the Livorno area, some residents of the island, the Superintendency, the Building School, and some associations and the Simurg facilitator herself (C. Casini) [3]. No report is given of the third and fourth laboratory as well as of the closing meeting of 7/5 / 19. & nbsp;
For each laboratory there is a poster / poster but it is not known how they were and what other advertising channels have been used.
Methods and tools used
Focus group . They are very common ways to bring together a group of people and start a discussion with them around a desired theme, thanks to the conduct of a moderator who is called to stimulate the discussion and to verify that everyone can express their opinion. Through this methodology it is possible to collect different opinions, stimulate a comparison between different positions and explore different points of view or reach an agreement. To facilitate the discussion, you can resort to the use of post-its, maps and sheets, which allow those who are not comfortable speaking in public to express their opinions and those who have difficulty summarizing to reflect on which is the fundamental concept they want to express. Focus groups generally host 12-14 participants, as in this case. & Nbsp;
Future Search is a meeting that brings together people who come from various paths on the same theme, situation , objective - there are those who have authority, resources, skills and experience, information and needs. They meet for 20 hours spread over 3 days. People tell stories about their past, present and the future they want. Through dialogue they discover what they have in common. Only then will they be able to make concrete plans. In this case it concerned the third and fourth meetings of which, however, there are no reports.
SWOT analysis . It is a tool widely used in group discussions, in which positive and negative aspects are inserted in a double entry table with respect to the endogenous and exogenous context of an activity, a phenomenon. Each box takes the title of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. In this case it has been slightly modified. Instead of the weak points, the category "Conflicting topics" was used.
What happened: process, interaction and participation
1) & nbsp; PREPARATORY PHASE
This phase involves the construction of a Guarantee Committee, the definition of a shared common knowledge base, the sensitization of the territory, the carrying out of interviews and focus groups aimed at identifying the different points of view, conflicting themes but also & nbsp; to seek a common ground for dialogue.
Of this phase, only the reports of the opening meeting (first workshop) and of the second workshop are available.
- First Workshop - Presentation of the project and focus group with the participants (5/3). "Generate an initial reflection, listening to and collecting the needs and expectations of the various actors regarding the future of the island (p. 2)" [2]. The Guarantor for the rights of prisoners in the Livorno area, Dr. Giovanni de Peppo, "stressed the need to adopt a far-sighted vision for the island, which aims at enhancing it and promoting the development of the innovative potentialities present, evolving from the agricultural colony to a new model of smart and green island; to do this, collaboration between prison and territorial realities, for example municipal entities, is necessary, which can give prisoners job prospects ”(Ib.). The discussion was reported for synthetic elements grouped by macro-themes, everything was also reported in large sheets. P.e. in the macro-theme:
- "Scientific research: Gorgona island laboratory" it is said that: "many research institutes have set their sights on the island as a research laboratory, some activities may involve properly trained inmates. The fields would be: the marine environment could provide a comparative bench given its integrity compared to other contexts; germplasm bank to be enriched with seeds of rare or endemic plants; study of the nutraceutical properties of plants (Ib.). & nbsp;
- On the macro-theme "Work for prisoners", opportunities for training and work could be opened: collaboration with scientific research, renovation of buildings in the town, assistance with animals, production of honey, bread-making, recycling of waste (Ib.). & nbsp;
- Other macro-themes are tourism, environment, archaeological heritage. P.e. on the environment it has been said that the prison has on the one hand protected the island from speculation and tourist pressures, but it has also generated scars like an unfinished building of which the reinforced concrete skeleton and a spill of diesel fuel remain. Risks for the environmental sustainability of the island were mentioned, for example: • waste management, which impacts both the prison and the ship that transports the same; to date there is no separate collection on the island, the waste is divided downstream; • alien and invasive species (eg ailanthus) • energy supply: at the moment energy is produced by burning diesel fuel, there is a renewable energy plant but it is abandoned; a feasibility study was funded for the installation of renewable sources on the island.
- Considerations regarding opportunities emerged (linked to the presentation of European projects, candidacy of Livorno as Capital of Culture 2021, and some difficulties such as the cost of running the prison, about double per inmate compared to that of Livorno.
- Second laboratory - The current situation: values, potential, criticalities and conflicts (12/3). During the first phase of the workshop, the participants received some cards of four different colors, representing the four categories of the analysis (modified SWOT): green for opportunities, pink for values (points of strength), light blue for critical issues and threats, and yellow for conflicting issues. They were then invited to write their ideas and suggestions on the cards, taking into account the meaning of the colors. i the discussion took place on what was presented on the cards, which were attached to a billboard hanging on the wall and organized according to the reference category. & nbsp; [3]. Among the values we have 14 cards that present elements of generic value that can be found everywhere but also precise such as: Limonium gorgonae (a perennial rhizomatous herbaceous plant); fish breeding plant to be restored for endangered species; still valid open prison model (e.g. prisoners have the opportunity to communicate with residents and people who work there). The current critical issues concern: the relationship with the prison police with expressions such as: "the guards command", "the law does not apply to prison", everything is subject to the authorization of the Ministry of Justice, there are no clear rules (eg bathing ) which can change the day after for the needs of the prison, too many restrictions on the park which covers 4/5 of the island (in the integral reserve areas you cannot go even with a rowboat but the police motor boats - among other things with old polluting engines - they go there); difficult connections, there is no pier that facilitates docking, precarious conditions of various historic buildings, lack of a reference point / room other than the prison. Moving on to the conflicting issues, there is a contrast between the Municipality and the Port Authority, between the Prison and the Superintendency, many bodies involved that overlap and no intermediary body (sometimes the park performs this task). Finally, some lines of development have been identified on which to share actions: & nbsp;
- The prison model of Gorgona is a rehabilitation gym for inmates, through work and training (eg inmate lifeguard, bringing food to tourists on the island, collaboration in scientific research - citizen science - inclusive science. It is appropriate to exploit the presence of new generations of prison police. It is necessary to imagine a transition from agricultural colony to island smart and green. & nbsp;
- For the future of the community it will be necessary to enhance its identity, a community museum and an exhibition of old photos in a room granted by the Municipality, to be restored perhaps by the inmates.
- Governance and financing: a new synergy must be pursued between bodies, institutions, residents ... Also through the GIIS participatory project; yes bbe thinking of drawing up, in analogy with river contracts, an "island contract" ... European planning is a great financing opportunity [3].
2) & nbsp ; COMPARISON PHASE
provides for the organization of participatory workshops aimed at defining the future vision and a shared development model of the island of Gorgona, as well as any project ideas and concrete initiatives to be carried out by the parties involved. The project will end with a final reporting event of the activities carried out and the results obtained. & Nbsp;
There are no reports of the 3rd, 4th laboratory and the closing meeting scheduled for 7/5 . An image of the 4th laboratory can be found (see attached images) in which some leaflets with single actions are shown on a large billboard. The more generic, others more detailed: training of prisoners, restoring the aquaculture plant, a control room - a planning office - common is needed, clarifying rules and objectives, etc.
Influence, results and effects
In addition to the absence of the final reports, there are no references to public communications from the administrations and consequent administrative procedures.
Analysis and lessons learned
Transparency . Since it is a project funded by the APP and communicated through the regional Open Toscana web pages, we wonder if checks and controls are carried out on the commitments and fulfillments of the projects supported. The inclusiveness of the actors was - from what can be understood from the initial reports - sufficient to bring out the conflicting issues on which it seems to have begun to work, to mediate and generate objectives. However, it seems that this tension is loosened when concrete actions are built and everything returns to the usual equilibrium. Perhaps we need stronger economic stimuli (European projects) or new rules on access to the island-prison that have been mentioned but that it is not clear from the documentation to what extent they have been shared with the prison administration and other bodies administrative, during the last appointments. & nbsp;
On the representativeness it would have been necessary at least one inspection-walk on the island (planned but does not seem to have taken place) with a public meeting on the spot to check the general mood of residents and perhaps police assistants, as well as prisoners (as it has been said that they can talk to residents). & nbsp;
See also
References
[1] AA, Gorgona, the inhabitants protest, "More difficult for us to go home", La Repubblica Florence, 27/7/2013.
[2] Simurg Research, Project initiation laboratory, 5/3/19, http://open.toscana.it/documents/665587/0/Report+Incontro+di+opening+5+marzo+ 2019 / 1daed7c3-ac40-434e-bb5e-919fb7284cb4 (release 28/10/19). & Nbsp;
[3] Simurg Ricerche, Second Laboratory, 12/3/19, http://open.toscana.it/documents/665587/0/Report+laboratorio+12+ March + 2019 / 65f4fd90-ba38-4da2-985b-36261ade34dc (ril. 28/10/19). & nbsp;
[4] Luca Salvetti Mayor, The strength to look beyond, program electoral by Luca Salvetti, Livorno, 2019, https://lucasalvetti.it/admin/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Programma_Salvetti_esteso.pdf (ril. 30/10/19).
[ 5] Stella Sorgente Sindaca, Movimento 5 Stelle, Livorno, 2019, https://stellasorgente.it/#1556367606099 -1f93faf5-6afb (ril. 30/10/19).
External links
Link 1 - Open Toscana, GIIS - Gorgona Island Inclusive and Sustainable, http://open.toscana.it/web/giis-gorgona-isola-inclusiva-e-sostenibile/home (ril. 10/28/19).