Youth Action for Peace Italia

Campi di lavoro Patrimonito -Arpino-

Patrimonito ad Arpino in Agosto 2008   

Description: Arpino is a small town site 100 Km at South of Rome, on the right slope of the Liri Valley close to the outer spurs of the Central Appennines. The old town centre is overlooked by the splendid Acropolis of Civitavecchia (650 m a.s.l.), which surrounded by majestic megalithic walls, is the ancient heart of Arpino. The Acropolis is a fascinating site, that probably has been the original nucleus of a primitive Volscian settlement (7th-6th century), built as a defence on a place high and steep and then fortified by massive walls. The Mountain Community, the municipality and YAP Italia present this workcamp in order to organize the historical site “Acropolis” and to raise awareness among the local community on the importance of protection and preservation  of local historical  Heritage. The site is well maintained by the local authorities. The main problem is the lack of recognition of the site among the young people of Arpino. They like to come to the place in the evening to be together with friends because of its nice setting and slightly isolated position with regards to the city centre, but they are not aware of its cultural importance for the region. The idea of bringing an international group  of volunteers is to raise the awareness of the local youngsters of the significance of heritage in general, the site in particular and world heritage as a concept.
Work:During the time of the workcamp the volunteers will clean the site and organise creative activities aimed at the local youngsters on the site itself. They will organise workshops, games and use other creative methods such as role plays and forum theatre in order to introduce the reflections above. The international volunteers will provide pictures of the patrimonial heritage of their village and will try as well to involve the youngsters of the near by towns in the preparation of the photography exhibitions. By doing so we hope to facilitate debates about issues related to the heritage and about  how to value the historical site and how to avoid that this important site on a local level will be considered as "just a place where young people gather".The volunteers will also write articles, take pictures and set up a documentary that will be among others published on the homepage of Arpino and they will organize as a last activity a seminar for the inhabitants of Arpino, in order to inform them about the significance of the Protection of World Heritage. The participants of the workcamp are going to learn about the history of Arpino and the history of the Acropolis, they are going to be sensitised to issues relating to the protection of World Heritage in order to be able to forward their knowledge. The concrete activities to clean and preserve the acropolis have a two –fold objective: on the one hand they pursue a first degree aim to improve the state of the site and on the other hand they provide an opportunity for the local youth to concretely join the efforts of the international group by working together with them.
Accomodation: In the elementary school of Arpino
Terminal: Roma or Napoli