“ The Francigena of Sigerico Way”

The Association of Volunteers for the enhancement of the Canavese Stretch of the Francigena of Sigerico Way

WHO WE ARE

The Association has evolved naturally from various events relating to the research on the topic of the Francigena Way.

Until the end of 2008, the Group that dealt with the topic of the Francigena Way were part of the Serra Morena Association, Pro Loco of the City of Ivrea. It was within this framework therefore that the Association took its first steps since the beginning of 2007

More recently, activities relating to the Via Francigena had scaled up to inter-municipal level and then to inter-provincial level. Thus, management went beyond the tight framework of the Ivrea Municipality and could not continue with the necessary freedom without being labelled as 'local'.

For these purely operational reasons, in January 2009 the new Association called "The Francigena of Sigerico Way" was created.

The members of the new Association are the same who in the past two years have developed and pursued all of the activities relative to the Via Francigena, generating the current level of interest in the topic.

All current and future initiatives are being developed and carried out with the same enthusiasm and competence demonstrated up to now, with the advantage of a greater freedom of movement and, therefore, of greater efficiency.

The objectives of the Association:

1. To signpost the route defined together with the European Association of the Francigena di Sigerico Way using temporary signs, to allow interested parties to be able to follow it, whilst waiting for the permanent signposts to be laid by the Ministry of Culture.

2. To research for alternative paths to the original path for the purpose of enhancing all the historical, cultural, natural and environmental resources already present in the area. These variations to the baseline route have represented, for long periods, true alternatives to the original road recognised today, owing to historically proven contingent situations.

3. To form a "network" for the Via Francigena in Piemonte, by developing new collaborations with Municipalities in the Biellese-Vercellese area and their local Associations. This network will be capable of organising events and displays in common and to respond to the various needs and to the local situations, optimising initiatives and promoting them in a framework of openness and interest.

4. To enrich what has been discovered so far on the Via Francigena in Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta and create a reference point for students and scholars of the topic of historical pilgramages in our region, by searching for additional historical documentation.

5. To expand the reach of educational proposals and the possibilities of guided tours on routes that are not included in the baseline itinerary, by strengthening and extending relations with scholarly Institutes.

6. To deepen knowledge on the topic of the Via Francigena and related issues, by continuing promotional activities, which include the organisation of conferences, meetings, and scholastic and research interventions.

7. To create guides and specific brochures for pilgrims and tourists in transit, illustrated by specific maps, photographs, and a thorough description of the Francigena Way, as well as a historical description of the events, of the peculiarity of the architecture of the monuments, and of the particular natural features of the region. All of this will be accompanied by useful information on local services and logistics. Specialised publications will also be prepared, in collaboration with local authorities, relative to the various monuments and minor architecture present in the region, on the various historical events which created them, and on local folklore.

The new Association is faced with many tasks which it is tackling with the energy and the enthusiasm demonstrated in the past, trying first of all to involve new people interested in deepening their knowledge on the topic of the Via Francigena and in collaborating for the successful achievement of the initiatives.