Maison de la Paix || Casa Universale delle Culture (EN)

 

CASA UNIVERSALE DELLE CULTURE

The Maison de la Paix - Casa Universale delle Culture is a place strongly representative, in which will convey the knowledge of the different identities and cultures, structuring permanently initiatives aimed at the spreading of peace, necessary for the shared development.

The Maison de la Paix - Casa Universale delle Culture (MdP) is a project conceived by Michele Capasso, approved by many Countries and international organizations. It is an architecture that keeps the memory of many Peace activities which created history, often more than the wars, but it is – above all – a space "to build” Peace.

The architectonical complex has an important symbolic worth: it represents the Countries of the World engaged in the Peace process and the Countries victim of the conflicts.

Proposed by the Fondazione Mediterraneo with the Maison des Alliances – together with the main adherent organizations, such as the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, the League of Arab States, the "Anna Lindh" Euro-Mediterranean Foundation and others, the MdP represents a referent point for all the ones who dedicate their lives to peace.

The symbol of the MdP is the "Totem for Peace", an artwork by the Italian sculptor Mario Molinari which the Fondazione Mediterraneo is promoting all around the world, creating the network of the "Cities for Peace".

The first seat of the MdP was inaugurated on the 14th of June 2010 (Maison de la Paix - Casa Universale delle Culture) in the historical building of the Grand Hotel de Londres in Naples.

The action of the Maison de la Paix - Casa Universale delle Culture aims at improving the main activities of the "Universal Forum of Cultures" in: Barcelona (2004), Monterrey (2007), Valparaiso (2010) and Naples (2013).

The Maison de la Paix performs most of the initiatives jointly with the Maison de la Méditerranée.

 

The Fondazione Valenzi and the Fondazione Mediterraneo have accepted the appeal by the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano and launched a programme of initiatives and of civil commitment for Naples. The two Foundations, recognizing a political-cultural convergence, shared values, shared aims and the essential roles of memory and of civil and social commitment, have signed a protocol of agreement, which will come into force starting from tomorrow.

The first objective is to prepare the multi-year programme “FOR NAPLES” aiming at the creation of a technical place for discussing the problems and challenges of the territory in order to contribute to the renascence of the city.
The agreement also provides that the President of Fondazione Mediterraneo Michele Capasso and the responsible for institutional relations Claudio Azzolini will be members of the Orientation Committee of the Fondazione Valenzi and that the President of Fondazione Valenzi Lucia Valenzi and the Secretary General Roberto Race will be members of the Scientific Committee of the
Fondazione Mediterraneo.

The agreement provides for the planning and carrying out of studies and proposals on the subject of development and democracy in Naples, in Campania, in Southern Italy and in Italy, particularly with regard to the wider Mediterranean region, as well as for the planning and carrying out of studies on the transformation processes of Italy, with particular interest for the changes in social composition, economic development, social and environmental policies.
The first initiative will be “Memoriae”: the event organized for the Memorial Day, now at its second edition. This year the event, organized in collaboration with ALI Association, will be held on February 7th and will be coordinated by the journalist Nico Pirozzi, also author of the new edition of the text by Maurizio Valenzi “Italian Jews Facing Racism”, published in Tunisia in 1938.

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On the occasion of the starting of activities of the "Maison de la Paix - Casa Universale delle Culture" the work by the Turin sculptor Mario Molinari "Totem for Peace", symbol for the peace in the world, was inaugurated.

A red sail, symbol for journey and union, chosen by 187 countries in the world as an image of dialogue and union, created and made by the sculptor of colour, Mario Molinari. The work is displayed on the terrace of the Maison de la Paix, but soon it will also be at the Museo Diocesano in Naples, at the Theatre of San Carlo and in more meaningful places too.

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At the end of the 6th Edition of “Angels and Devils” with the unveiling of the Totem of Peace, the Fondazione Mediterraneo – considering the Universal Forum of Cultures in 2013 – announced the opening of a branch of the "Maison de la Paix - Casa Universale delle Culture" in Rutino.

They aim at building a Campus for Peace hosting young people coming from difficult areas of the world in the historic residences and offering them the small ancient village and Cilento qualities, its ancient tastes and knowledge, its history and its memory.

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From today onwards, peace has its own address: Via Depretis, 130, in Naples, headquarter for the Fondazione Mediterraneo and now for a great action for peace too: the Maison de la Paix.

And the Maison de la Paix could not but have one symbol: the Totem of Peace, the icon for the peace in the world. A red sail, symbol for journey and union, chosen by 187 countries in the world as an image of dialogue and union, created and made by the sculptor of colour, Mario Molinari. The work is displayed on the terrace of the Maison de la Paix, but soon it will be also at the Museo Diocesano in Naples, at the Theatre of San Carlo and in more meaningful places too.

In the ancient building of the former “Grand Hotel de Londres”, gathered around the “Totem of Peace”, ambassadors and representatives from supporting countries, members of International organizations and institutions officially started the activity of the “Maison de la Paix - Casa Universale delle Culture” with an important debate “Middle East: which dialogue for which possible peace”.

Several messages supported the opening of the “Maison de la Paix”: from the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano to Msg. Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, from the Advisor of the King of Morocco André Azoulay, to the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Jordan Wijdan Al-Hashemi, from the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean to Beatrice of Bourbon Two Sicilies.

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