The National Union Pro Loco of Italy (UNPLI) with about 6,000 Pro Loco members is the only point of reference at national level of these associations (the first was born in 1881) that boast a total of about 600,000 members. The UNPLI is registered in the national register of Associations of Social Promotion. The UNPLI was founded in 1962. It is structured in regional and provincial committees. It is directed by a national Council composed of 30 members representing the Pro Loco of each Italian region.

THE PRO LOCO ASSOCIATIONS

The Pro Loco are non-profit associations formed by volunteers who are committed to the promotion of the place, to the discovery and protection of local traditions, to improve the quality of life of those who live there, to enhance the products and beauty of the territory. The Pro Loco organize events in tourism, cultural, historical, environmental, folkloristic and gastronomic. They are a reference point both for the inhabitants and for the visitors of a locality. The number of Pro Loco existing in Italy in the last twenty years has more than doubled and continues to grow, showing with absolute evidence that the Pro Loco is a winning model, not at all obsolete, indeed very current, able to satisfy the growing will shown a good part of citizenship to act directly at the local level in favor of society and to defend its most genuine values.

THE NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE
The UNPLI is registered in the National Register of National Civil Service and offers the possibility to about one thousand volunteers each year to serve at the offices of Pro Loco located throughout Italy. Young people, aged between 18 and 28, carry out projects related to the promotion of territories, the protection of the intangible cultural heritage, the protection of the landscape and the typical regional features. An activity that guarantees young people a strong educational and training value, an opportunity for personal growth, an opportunity for education to active citizenship, contributing to the social, cultural and economic development of our country. For more information: www.serviziocivileunpli.net – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

THE PROJECTS UNPLI
In recent years, in addition to "Aperto per Ferie" (2003-2006) conceived with the aim of raising awareness on issues such as the depopulation of thousands of Italian villages, trying to give them prospects through sustainable tourism development, UNPLI has several projects funded by the Ministry of Social Policies. Among these we mention "SOS Intangible Cultural Heritage" (2007), the first operational project structured in a capillary manner on the Italian territory for the rediscovery of traditions, rites, typicality and knowledge of our country. The project "Abbraccia l'Italia" (2009), which has obtained the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism and the UNESCO CNI for its high cultural value in the field of protection and protection of intangible heritage. The project "B.I.L.anciamo il futuro" (2010) has promoted an innovative research into the perception of social well-being understood as the capacity of local communities to combine the protection and preservation of their traditions and the quality of life. The project also received the active collaboration of ISTAT and President Enrico Giovannini. The project "Lectures of Territory" (2012) wanted to support, through the promotion of cultural exchanges, the values ​​of dialogue, cultural diversity and social inclusion of first and second generation migrant citizens. The project promoted a knowledge of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of our country among first and second generation immigrants, highlighting their potential for integration into diversity. At the moment the UNPLI is committed to the multi-year project Cminitaliani.it (2014) with the aim of supporting and promoting all the paths and paths existing in Italy, with the sole aim of promoting and enhancing them also through training sessions for the management and promotion of these realities. (www.camminitaliani.it)

CREDIT UNESCO
Thanks to the projects and the results obtained in the field with the numerous initiatives for the protection and protection of the Italian intangible cultural heritage, UNPLI has obtained an important recognition by UNESCO: in June 2012 it was accredited as a consultant of the Committee Intergovernmental envisaged by the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003. There are only 178 accredited organizations in the world. An important goal for the UNPLI considering the commitment that has been lavished in recent years precisely in the awareness of the Pro Loco and local communities on issues related to the potential of intangible assets but also to their profitability. At the end of June 2014, UNPLI participated in a major international conference in South Korea at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Korea and the UNESCO Second Class Center present in Korea. It was an experience that allowed us to present our activities and the potential of the Pro Loco network not only as associations able to dialogue with local communities but also as a model of involvement in community life and the preservation of local traditions. The Pro Loco "model" has aroused much curiosity and there have been several points of contact and exchange of experiences with other realities. The process of building an Italian wall (to which UNPLI is working with the other Italian NGOs accredited to UNESCO) was also presented in order to promote constructive dialogue between local communities and experts.

ICH NGO FORUM
At the same time as UNESCO accreditation, UNPLI joined the Forum of accredited NGOs formed informally in the first meetings and which is now gaining visibility and relevance also in the work of the UNESCO Convention of 2003. The Forum organizes in the margins of official meetings, seminars , in-depth studies and moments of exchange of experiences between the various associations involved. The work that UNPLI is doing at international level with the conception, updating and management of the site www.ichngoforum.org, which UNESCO recognized, during the last session of the General Assembly held, was also highly appreciated. in Paris from 2 to 5 June 2014, as an important tool for the construction of this international network of associations and NGOs.

CHANNEL “MEMORIA IMMATERIALE” ON YOUTUBE
The IMMATERIAL MEMORY channel with its thousands of video interviews has become a real online inventory consulted from all over the world and realized thanks to the local communities involved. The channel has totaled over 2 million minutes displayed in about three years of activity. In addition to collecting the video contributions made by the staff of the UNPLI Projects Office, the channel has started collecting videos made by the Pro Loco or simple enthusiasts of the themes promoted by the channel: rites, feasts, traditions, stories, legends, crafts, dialects and much more. (LINK: www.youtube.com/user/ProgettiUNPLI)

NATIONAL DAY OF THE DIALECT AND LOCAL LANGUAGES
Every year on 17 January every Pro Loco is invited to include a small space in their manifestations that reminds of the importance of local languages ​​and dialects. During the month of January, but now also throughout the year, events are taking place in hundreds of Italian locations participating in the initiative. The first edition took place in January 2013. Info: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LITERARY PRIZE "SAVE YOUR LOCAL LANGUAGE"
The National Union Pro Loco of Italy has also announced the Literary Prize "Save your local language", open to all authors in local language and divided into different sections in one of the local languages ​​or dialects of Italy. The Award received the support of Prof. Tullio De Mauro, an internationally renowned linguist, named Honorary President. Info: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

LOCAL ASSETS COLLECTION
The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the UNPLI has started for some time a collection of the expressions of the local cultural heritage (Traditions, folklore, rites, knowledge, customs, memories, dialects etc.) and the good practices carried out by the Pro Loco on the territories at order to preserve, protect and enhance local peculiarities. A collection to which all the Pro Loco can participate, who want to insert their activities in this sector into the UNPLI database. On the website www.unpli.info there is a banner from which it is possible to fill in a form for each individual report. For assistance in completing the form and for any other questions, please contact the UNPLI Projects Office - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also send video contributions (interviews, documentaries, events, etc.) that can be published on our online archive (www.youtube.com/ProgettiUNPLI) where you can request a space inside the channel to publish videos (interviews with the owners) of knowledge, documentaries, events, etc ...) on the themes of the collection of intangible assets.

IDENTITY OF THE UNPLI

The National Union of the Pro Loco of Italy is the reference association of all the Pro Loco of Italy, which in turn are the basic associations that best combine the protection and preservation of local specificities with a vocation for the development of social growth and improvement of well-being.

The motivations that induce our Union and our Pro Loco associated to be united and cohesive among them, are to be found on the one hand in the great historical values ​​of the Pro Loco movement and on the other in the managerial ability to grow and renew to give answers adapted to the individual communities in the modern and changing "global village" over time.

Success is a consequence, not a goal; the consistency of behavior in promoting, enhancing, protecting the local peculiarities of the associates in an overall logic of continuous improvement, represents the sure step of an active management of our movement.

We look positively to the future, presenting also two budgets from 2006: one economic and one social. Both indicate the global growth of our Union and the relative amplification of the symbiotic relationship with our movement in its multiple social, cultural and ethical realities.

We are a different association, unique and tangibly recognizable for consistency, ethics and attention to the national territory as a result of thousands of localities rich in historical, cultural, environmental, folkloristic values, in which are generated activities of high social value addressed to the Community without any discriminating barrier.

The services designed and built exclusively for our members and for individuals, their members are identifiable by unique and registered brands, the result of study and professionalism.

The UNPLI is the only association that brings together the Pro Loco of Italy, true sentinels of the culture and values ​​of our people, deeply rooted in the Italian province in which they predominantly operate.

OUR PRINCIPLES

The values ​​of the "Pro Loco" system that led to the birth of the National Union of Pro Loco in 1962 today present with its own articulations in all Italian regions and, in cascade, with provincial and sub-provincial peripheral articulations can be summarized in "a pact for the development of local communities ".

Today, together with the presentation of the financial statements, we believe that we are responsible for agreeing on the principles that guide the organizational changes in the way we stay together in the "Pro Loco" system. The pro Loco is in fact an irreplaceable resource for the local communities, the constant improvement of the forms in which the mutuality of the network is expressed must be inspired by principles that guarantee development in continuity; fidelity in innovation, consistency in modernity.

PRINCIPLES OF THE COHESION CARD

1 - Principle of autonomy
The autonomy of the single Pro Loco is one of the fundamental principles of the Movement. Autonomy is expressed in a full and fruitful way if it develops within the "system" of the National Union of Pro Loco.

2 - Principle of cooperation
The cooperation between Pro Loco through local, regional, national and international structures is a condition to preserve their autonomy and stability and to improve their ability to serve the members and users of the initiatives.

3 - Principle of mutuality
The system "mutuality" is a condition for realizing the forms of internal mutuality (with and towards the partners) and external (with and towards the territory) provided for by the regulations and by the UNPLI Statute.

4 - Solidarity principle
Solidarity within the individual Pro Loco and among the Pro Loco is an indispensable principle of the Movement. Contributing to creating the best conditions for the birth, operation and sustainable development of the Pro Loco represents a priority value and is a primary concern of each Pro Loco and of the entire "system" of which it is a part.

5 - Principle of connection with the territory
The Pro Loco is born, lives and develops in the territory. It is an expression of it and at its service it is completely dedicated, indirectly (favoring members and members of the local community in all activities) and in a direct way (fostering social cohesion and responsible and sustainable growth of the territory).

6 - Principle of unity
The unity of the "system" is an indispensable asset for each Pro Loco. The convinced adhesion of the Pro Loco to the Local Aggregations and of these to the Italian Union must be constantly pursued, while respecting the voluntary nature of the choices.

7 - Principle of democracy
there, the principle of democracy regulates both the relations between the members of the single Pro Loco and the relationships among the Pro Loco within the associative-consortium structures that they have endowed over time.

8 - Subsidiarity principle
The "system" of the National Union of Pro Loco is based on the principle of subsidiarity and presents itself as a coordinated system of autonomies based on structures operating at various levels with distinct but complementary functions.

9 - Principle of transparency
The initiatives and relationships within the "system" of the National Union of Pro Loco are based on the principle of transparency and reciprocity. Transparency means establishing relationships inspired by clarity and facilitating access to and circulation of information at all levels.

Inno Pro Loco d'Italia