How do you imagine Venice in the future? Carla Plessi Ventura, designer

By thinking of others, we will help ourselves: Compassion is the driving force for any new vision of community and social life: for the environment, tourists, ancient crafts, the urban fabric to be repopulated with young people. Carla Plessi Ventura, designer, for #RewriteTheFuture of Venice.

“I wrote these words on April 25, the feast of Saint Mark, Liberation Day. Never as much as this year have we understood the value of freedom and how fragile it is, how simple it is to lose it and how little we have nurtured it, allowed it to grow.

I write these few lines expressing my thoughts on the near future of Venice because, looking into my daughter’s eyes, I feel duty-bound to do so, seeking a better future for her and for all young people like her.

The immobile beauty of the city, frozen in the emptiness of this terrible moment, has almost no meaning. The city is beautiful when it vibrates in its relationship with the people who created it, in the excitement of doing, in the movement of people that produces energy.

In this time of difficulty, I sense that COMPASSION must become the driving force to animate any new vision of community and social life.

In the initiatives of everyone, from citizens to workers, investors to tourists, compassion must be that element of novelty without which it will not be possible to rebuild such a depleted urban fabric.

It is a common sentiment that has animated the actions of many in recent weeks and that emerges so predominantly. By thinking of others, we will help ourselves.

Thinking of the environment, making Venice the main center of scientific research and culture with the help of institutions already present in the city.

Educating tourists, bringing them closer to the beauties of the city, aware of its fragility and the need for respect.

Rediscovering ancient crafts, but above all repopulating the urban fabric with young people, with their brown, blonde hair, full of life. They, with their children, will repopulate this marvelous city that awaits schools, nurseries, gathering places, sports centers, but above all work.

Let us rethink the policy of tourist rentals toward profitable residential management. And then let us reduce taxes: all of us who have chosen to live here feel the weight of sometimes unsustainable costs. Let us look the Venetian people in the face and ask ourselves what they need. Then everything will be much easier.”

Carla Plessi Ventura, designer.

#RewriteTheFuture of Venice is an open debate with citizens organized by Venezia da Vivere and Associazione Piazza San Marco: we asked entrepreneurs, art curators, museum directors, university professors, hoteliers, event organizers, and Venetians to imagine the future of Venice.

Carla Plessi Ventura is also the wife and muse of Venetian artist Fabrizio Plessi, who during the lockdown created the social project Plessi. Progetti del mondo, an ideal journey to escape the walls of home, a journey through 44 cities around the world via Instagram.