Saturday, October 15th and Sunday, October 16th will see the return of the “FAI Autumn Days”, the great autumn event that FAI – Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano ETS – dedicates to Italy’s cultural heritage and landscape, animated and promoted by the FAI Youth Groups, with the support of all the Delegations, FAI Groups and FAI Groups “Ponte tra culture” – bridges between cultures – active from north to south of the peninsula.
Now in its 11th edition, the Foundation‘s young volunteers will make available their energy and enthusiasm to open up to the public 700 special places in more than 400 cities across Italy, selected because they deserve to be known and enhanced and many of which are usually inaccessible, where visits will be offered – free of charge – enabling participants to capture the splendour of the cities in which we live and the territories that surround us.
A beneficial immersion in art, history and nature and also a valuable opportunity to learn more about FAI’s mission and to become aware, once again, of Italy’s immense and varied cultural and environmental heritage. The event is part of the fundraising campaign “Ricordiamoci di salvare l’Italia” (Let’s remember to save Italy) that FAI is organising during the month of October and will take place in full compliance with health and safety regulations (the list of the places that will be open and the procedures for taking part in the event will be available from October 4th on the website www.giornatefai.it).
Among the many places open in all regions there will be palaces, villas, churches, castles, archaeological sites, museums, military sites, examples of industrial archaeology, places of education and research centres, which will be shown through the passionate and original gaze of the young people of FAI. As usual, there will be no shortage of village itineraries, nature trails and visits to “green” places such as parks, historic gardens and botanical gardens, even in urban settings, in the wake of the Foundation’s growing commitment to spreading a greater “culture of nature”.
The 2022 FAI Autumn Days are made possible thanks to the fundamental contribution of important enlightened companies:
Fineco, one of the most important FinTech companies in Europe and one of the leading consultancy networks in Italy, firmly believes that the care and value of the artistic and cultural heritage is a strategic asset for the country’s development, and is, therefore, the prestigious Main Sponsor of the event.
We would like to thank Edison, a company that has always been committed to safeguarding the places and realities of cultural, tourist and social interest in our country, for its renewed support for the initiative. For this occasion, the energy company will open its hydroelectric plant in Val Caffaro.
Thanks also to Ferrarelle, the FAI’s official water, which has donated its product for the initiative and is present with its Parco Sorgenti di Riardo (CE) in the list of places that can be visited.
The event is being held under the patronage of the European Commission, the Civil Protection Department, the Ministry of Culture, and all the Italian Regions and Autonomous Provinces.
The FAI Autumn Days close the FAI Week dedicated to cultural heritage in cooperation with FAI. From October 10th– 16th, as has been the case for over 10 years now, Rai confirms their to the promotion, care and protection of Italy’s cultural, artistic and landscape heritage. Rai will in fact be in the front line alongside FAI with all its radio and television channels and through RaiPlay to create a choral tale that will focus on the beauty and sustainability of our heritage.
Rai is FAI’s Main Media Partner and supports the 2022 FAI Autumn Days in particular, also through the collaboration of Rai per la Sostenibilità ESG and the fundraising promoted on the public service channels.
Many thanks to the 131 Delegations, 110 FAI Groups, 93 FAI Youth Groups and 7 FAI Bridge Between Cultures Groups that are active throughout Italy. Flanking the volunteers will be the students participating in the “Apprentice Tour Guides” project, who will have the opportunity to follow a training course, with the support of their teachers, that will prepare them for an engaging and memorable experience of active citizenship.
We would like to thank the Ministry of Defence, the Defence General Staff and the Armed Forces for their collaboration, who, during the FAI Autumn Days, grants the opening of some of their symbolic places, and the Italian Red Cross for the partnership now consolidated over the years.
Last but not least, we would like to thank in a special way the owners of the hundreds of places that are open in addition to our properties and the municipal administrations that have welcomed this initiative.
Visit FAI Autum Days website for more information on places, cities and sites to visit (page in Italian).
