Village Hosts: the Manifesto

Two years in the making - Village Hosts: the Manifesto!

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We at We Are Holis are immensely proud to have spearheaded the creative process resulting in the 'Open School for Village Hosts' manifesto. As one of six partners, our 2 years long extensive journey encompassed developing comprehensive online training and conducting invaluable in-person sessions in Grottole (Italy) and culminating in crafting this transformative manifesto.

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From Village Hosts for Village Hosts

Recognizing the essence of creating a truly impactful document, our focus remained rooted in collaboration throughout the entire process. Our paramount goal wasn't just to craft a visually appealing document but rather to ensure its relevance and practical utility. We aimed for a document that wouldn't just gather dust on shelves but would instead be actively utilized, modified, and adapted by real village hosts (that's our hopes!)

Understanding that its value lay in its practicality, we shaped our process to resonate with the needs and experiences of village hosts themselves. We strived to create a living document—a blueprint that could be readily embraced, altered, and improved upon by those it was designed to serve. The intention was to develop a dynamic framework that could evolve alongside the evolving needs and aspirations of the community it represented.

The Process‍

The creation of manifesto was a dynamic process, beginning with Simona, Dominika, and Justyna engaging in brainstorming sessions, exploring the essence of what the manifesto should encapsulate and what it shouldn't. These discussions laid the groundwork for our direction.

However, the pivotal point was the immersive workshop held in Grottole by Dominika and Simona, where we delved into the profound sentiment of being a village host. Here, participants freely shared their reflections on the essence of hosting a village, allowing us to understand firsthand what it truly means to them.

Drawing from these invaluable insights, Simona and Dominika drafted an initial framework, knowing full well that this document was meant to evolve alongside the continuously changing landscape of village hosting. Collaborating with our partners, we worked on synthesizing and making sense of these diverse perspectives.

The next significant phase was sharing the draft with a select crowd for feedback, fostering an inclusive process of refinement (Thank You all!). Through surveys and interactions, we meticulously integrated the received feedback, leading us to Manifesto 1.0—a culmination of collective wisdom and community insights.

Embodying our core value of collaboration, this manifesto symbolizes a collective journey—initiated by the enthusiastic participation of Grottole's community, expanded through collaboration with esteemed partners, and culminating in essential feedback from a broader audience.

Next Steps - The Future

This manifesto signifies merely the inception of an ongoing transformative process. As we embark on this journey, we acknowledge that this document signifies the commencement of continuous evolution and impactful transformations within our communities.

Soon, the manifesto will be available in seven languages 🇭🇺🇵🇱🇮🇹🇷🇸🇱🇻🇬🇧🇪🇸 ensuring its widespread accessibility. Below, you can download the English version of the manifesto to delve deeper into our transformative initiative.

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Internal-External Collaboration

This achievement wouldn't have been possible without the remarkable dedication of our team members—Simona Mancusi & Dominika Majewska (main manifesto writers), Justyna Turek (editorial project manager), Márton Gosztonyi (research, training materials), and Maxim Dedushkov (trainer). We extend heartfelt gratitude to ELISAVA's Massimo Menichinelli, Helena Elizondo Nieva, and Sara Simeone from Materahub for their invaluable contributions and unwavering support throughout this process.

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📩 If you are interested in the topic and would love to involve more - join us in eager anticipation as the Hungarian version premieres during the event, marking yet another significant milestone in our journey. Sign Up Today > 7th of December / 🇭🇺 Budapest Hungary

#VillageHosts #CommunityEmpowerment #BudapestEvent #OpenSchoolforVillageHosts #ruraldevelopment #rural #event #holis #weareholis

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