HARET Project Study Visit – Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Updated: Jun 27
7-11 April 2026
The study visit in the region Emilia-Romagna, part of the HARET Project, focused on sustainable tourism and social innovation in predominantly rural areas. Organised by the Italian partner Aura Mundi Viaggi and Territori e Italianità designed not as a simple agenda of meetings, but as an immersive journey into the Culture of Hospitality of Romagna: a model built on authentic relationships, productive identity, European dialogue, and welcoming communities.
The programme opened with a welcome experience in Faenza’s historic centre, followed by a welcome dinner in Faenza at a home restaurant run by a Cesarina (GIULIA MELANDRI) in a domestic setting that represents the most authentic form of Italian hospitality: the home, the shared table, the sharing of traditions.
Institutional and thematic sessions took place in Faenza with local authorities, cultural associations, and European partners. These included meetings focused on territorial governance and visits to key cultural institutions, illustrating the deep connection between local identity and craftsmanship traditions.
We also had the opportunity to visit several remarkable places and associations, including:
The Twinning Association - The Association, established on 14 September 1999 in Faenza, is a voluntary, non-profit organisation that supports the Municipality in its institutional relations with twin towns. It currently has around 80 members;
The AiCC – Associazione Italiana Città della Ceramica is an Italian organization that brings together cities known for their long tradition in ceramic production.
Mondial Tornianti Gino Geminiani Association was founded by the will of eleven founding members, with the aim of fulfilling the desire of master wheel-thrower Gino Geminiani: to create a ceramic workshop where the transmission of know-how can take place, covering wheel-throwing techniques, decoration, and the entire ceramic production process in all its stages.
International Museum of Ceramics (MIC) - as a journey through the global history of ceramics, from ancient civilisations to contemporary creation. The museum is considered the world’s most important museum dedicated to ceramics.
“SOLO PER NOI DUE” - Quiet hills of Modigliana, where nature, silence, and beauty come together.
The Pascucci Printing House - one of Italy’s oldest living craft traditions in Gambettola, Emilia‑Romagna. Founded in 1826, Stamperia Pascucci has been hand‑printing textiles for two centuries, passing its artisanal know‑how down through seven generations of the Pascucci family.
Federico Fellini’s House - A Refuge for Art & Social Innovation. The goal is to transform Casa Fellini into a cultural production center, connecting visiting artists, students, and the Gambettola community through residential programs.
Tour of the town of Gambettola - Roberto and his association, Natura Magica exploring the local area through walking and storytelling.
The last tegliaio of Montetiffi / Piadina Romagnola - the last artisan workshop where the historic teglie di Montetiffi are still hand‑made, a rare surviving example of an age‑old craft deeply rooted in local food culture. This living craft connects food lovers - where earth, fire and community come together in every piadina served.
Seminar on Collaboration and Local Development (Roncofreddo) with regional representatives from Visit Romagna. The meeting begins in a municipal library presented as a central hub of local life, which has developed over the years to become a space that is at once cultural, educational and social.
Steering Committee (at the Osteria dei Frati) - The second steering committee meeting for this study trip to Italy focuses largely on the structure of the training courses, which are considered a key outcome of the project. Discussions centre on both content and teaching methods, adaptation to local contexts, and implementation procedures.
All this field visits to traditional workshops, craft spaces, rural and semi-rural contexts, where partners explored local gastronomy, agricultural production, and experiential learning activities linked to regional traditions brought of informal exchange and shared meals that reinforced the project’s focus on conviviality, inclusion, and community-based tourism.
Alongside these visits, structured working sessions supported the strategic development of the HARET project, including discussions on communication and training activities.
The Learning Expedition concluded marking the end of an intensive programme of exchange, reflection, and collaboration. While the formal visit ended, it reaffirmed a long-term vision of hospitality as a regenerative force, where culture, governance, and community come together to shape more sustainable and inclusive territories.
