How do you imagine Venice in the future? Hélène Molinari, entrepreneur

The splendor of Venice, a flagship of humanity, re-emerges after years of mass tourism. Today it is a symbol of sustainability and a unifying example of a Humanist Renaissance in harmony with the Living. Hélène Molinari, entrepreneur

For the #RiscrivereilFuturo project, Venezia da Vivere and the Associazione Piazza San Marco interviewed entrepreneurs, curators, directors of cultural institutions, rectors and university professors, hoteliers, event organizers, and citizens who live and work in Venice. An open debate with the citizenry to give birth to an idea of a city in balance with the environment, work, and its civitas. Today we interview Hélène Molinari, entrepreneur.

Vdv: How do you imagine Venice in the future?

First of all, a few words about the context. I bet that we are at the end of a cycle in the path of civilization, as happens approximately every 500 years. The entire world will have to reinvent itself, and Venice is at an advantage from this point of view. Hit by the terrible Acqua Alta last November, which had already considerably slowed tourism, it was the first in Europe to suffer the explosion of Coronavirus, which abruptly, brutally, and lastingly halted mass tourism—the primary source of income for the city over the last 20 years, but also its main scourge. Venice has lived differently, and will live differently.

Thanks to the isolation of human beings, nature has been able to reclaim its rights: fish, octopuses, and ducks have returned to the canals, pollution has dissipated, the water in the Grand Canal has regained its color, and the light has been cleared of impurities. Wonderful photos of Venice have circulated widely on social media; the Serenissima was suddenly rehabilitated in the eyes of the entire world, which rediscovered the unprecedented beauty of its architectural heritage, its islands, its calm, its colors… Venice has spontaneously become a kind of symbol of the benefits of a world that respects nature.

The recent stance taken by local authorities regarding the end of mass tourism and the desire to reinvent the city have crowned the rehabilitation of Venice’s somewhat tarnished image, contributing to creating a global expectation for the evolution of this flagship of humanity, toward which millions of people everywhere in the world feel a sense of attachment.

We must become aware of this crossroads and historical moment, as well as this local and global expectation, to be able to respond in the best possible way.

If we are to contribute to reinventing Venice for the decades and perhaps centuries to come, based on a common vision, it is desirable that this new positioning allows the archipelago to offer a wonderful and authentic living environment to all its inhabitants. It is also necessary that it attracts new families to bring life back to the city and that, in parallel, it can play an eminent role for the rest of the world, as it did in the past during the Renaissance when Venice was an economic, cultural, and spiritual center of the highest importance.

I see a future Venice that is alive, joyful, and radiant, a bearer of light and consciousness for humanity and the world! A unifying and unifier Venice, which will become the world’s lighthouse, the witness, the symbol of a new paradigm that we will need to co-construct: “a humanist Renaissance finally in harmony with the Living.” This model must satisfy the search for meaning and allow for the necessary preservation of the planet.

In the future, the inhabitants of Venice, greater in number, will live in harmony with themselves, with others, with visitors and new tourists, and with nature, fauna, and flora—in short, they will simply live in perfect harmony with the Living! They will study, work, improve themselves, meditate, and enjoy themselves in Venice; they will be in full health, fulfilled, and full of joy.

Venice will attract experts from the entire world, arriving to contribute to the co-creation of this new model, young people to be trained, a global journey in search of inspiration. Venice will thus become a sort of living ode to the planet, to humanity animated by a new consciousness, to the intelligence of Life with a capital L, which celebrates singularity, beauty, freedom, abundance, and joy. A sort of rediscovered and very concrete Eden.

How?

To open this new path of the “Humanist Renaissance in harmony with the Living,” Venice will leverage its many strengths, which must be given new momentum in line with this positioning.

The city possesses a remarkable historical and cultural heritage, enjoys an international openness that has always existed through its travelers, its commerce, its Film Festival, and its Biennales; it is therefore already a connecting channel between the past and the future, between East and West, North and South.

It is characterized by a strong tradition of craftsmanship and artisans of excellence who ask for nothing more than to be reborn and whom it is urgent to support; it is also an ecumenical city, always open to all religions. It has an opera house, La Fenice, which has been able to rise from its ashes many times, a conservatory, exceptional churches and museums, and fine universities, including the atypical Venice International University, which has a role to play in the future.

The city has a market for local products, Rialto, where fruits and vegetables come from the surrounding islands, a lagoon rich in fish, and an annual calendar of traditions that brings an exciting novelty to Venice throughout the year.

More recently, Venice has also welcomed Homo Faber and The Human Safety Net, a humanist initiative of the Generali Group. The Royal Gardens have also been restored by the Venice Gardens Foundation with Generali, and today they house the Greenhouse, called The Human Garden, by virtue of the activities that will be carried out there.

This humanist turning point in Venice has therefore already been triggered spontaneously. I propose to accelerate this dynamic through three complementary initiatives:

1. First of all, restoring nature’s rights, protecting it, promoting water quality and reducing air pollution, measuring them day by day, favoring biodiversity in the lagoon and on its islands, ensuring local food independence and excellence… making sure that Venice becomes exemplary in terms of Sustainability to embody the concept of “harmony with the Living.”

2. Recognizing what distinguishes the human being from other species: their cognitive abilities (the mind/the soul) and the skill of their hand. The new esteem that Venice will give to the human being will bring the mind, the hand, and the heart into harmony. The mind because it is the soul and consciousness, the hand because it is art and matter, the heart because it is fraternity and beauty!

Regarding “the mind,” a new university will help human beings acquire greater self-knowledge and elevate their consciousness. Venice can adopt Gandhi’s quote: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” This university will call upon economic, media, and political leaders from all countries, so that they feel the need to experience a personal journey and acquire the ability to better decipher the current world, in order to contribute to the creation of new paradigms.

This initiative is multidimensional, scientific, spiritual, cultural… It creates bridges between what was separated, and in this case too, Venice is a beautiful symbol! In relation to this, Leonardo da Vinci said, “Observe nature, that is where your future lies.” Our university will find its foundation in nature and will be inspired by it.

Concretably, this project has already been launched in collaboration with the Venice International University. This work aims to answer the questions “who am I?” and “who are we?” and to effect the profound change, strictly connected to nature, necessary for the advent of a new era.

3. Regarding “the hand,” under the impulse of Homo Faber, the Design Biennale, and other initiatives that are putting artistic craftsmanship back at the heart of Venice, we will rehabilitate historical skills and attract new artists and artisans, to create unprecedented objects and encourage unexpected creations by revealing talents.

Venice, a unique city, unique products, generated by and witnesses to human genius! This is what could provide a lasting response to an exaggerated consumerism of disposable products that makes no sense.

I would conclude by stating that for me, the future of Venice would be for this architectural jewel to become an ecosystem model perfectly integrated into its environment, living and fully healthy!

May Venice be able to lean on its roots, its strengths, and its singularity to elevate itself on the level of consciousness, so as to anticipate what humanity wants to become tomorrow.

It will shine with light, peace, love, and joy. It will thus become a permanent source of inspiration for all its inhabitants who have been forgotten, for Italy, and for the entire world.

Vdv: What can politics and citizens do for a renaissance of Venice?

It is urgent to launch a major consultation involving every Venetian citizen to create an impulse that is as inclusive as possible and to ensure that everyone has the pleasure of expressing themselves and engaging on this topic or contributing their ideas.

Students must get to work to provide their ideas, because the new world concerns them first and foremost, and they should be able to analyze, classify, and highlight the main suggestions. More broadly, social media and artificial intelligence could allow for the sharing of requests and suggestions from the entire world.

This vast consultation will be a local and global barometer from which we will draw inspiration to refine our vision and direction. This approach will then be broken down into projects achievable step by step.

Everything is first and foremost a matter of mindset! It is crucial that everyone is ready to make an effort to set aside their ego, differences, or political rivalries. The project for the future of Venice is intended to bring us together in fruitful collaboration. It is one of the keys to success. The ideal would be for us all to be “on board” and “rowing” in the same direction.

In this way, we will embody a supportive human chain, a new world of co-creation where everyone is free to give their contribution, offer their expertise, their talent, their network, and their means at the service of a common cause: Venice!

In carrying out humanist evolution projects and assuming the role of a model for the new paradigms being created, Venice will benefit more easily from its own funds and a special tax regime, to support, for example, the settlement of new artisans or creatives.

Vdv: Please propose a specific idea in one of these fields: environment, residency, work, culture, tourism, security.

Environment:
This is a key point. Venice must undertake a reflection on water and wetlands like the one carried out in the Arles region (Tour du Valat). Venice must survey its natural resources to know, measure, preserve, and use them intelligently (as the Luma Foundation does).

Venice has the potential to become a model center for marine biomimicry through the observation of the lagoon’s biodiversity and the organisms that live there, with the aim of being an eco-responsible source of inspiration for the industrial innovations of the future, themselves profoundly renewed.

The return of trees and flowers to the heart of Venice is also necessary, following the restoration of the Royal Gardens, as is the creation of “discovery paths” in these places conducive to meditation and reconnection with nature.

Agriculture:
Venice must aim for its own food independence, with permaculture and biodynamic vegetable gardens that regenerate the soil, on the surrounding islands or along the lagoon. Venice must be able to supply its inhabitants and restaurants with fruit, vegetables, poultry, local catch… Venice could likewise become a training center for permaculture for all the farmers of the world, something that does not yet exist.

Health:
Hippocrates already said it: “good health requires a varied and quality diet.” It is more than appropriate to establish an experimental center that allows for healing both “internally” and “externally” by integrating traditional holistic medicine with techniques drawn from ancestral teachings, sounds, light, Bach flowers… the quantum medicine that is beginning to emerge and seems very promising. This center will be both a treatment center and a school for doctors from all over the world.

Craftsmanship:
All artisanal initiatives must be able to share a common project and enrich each other around the magnificent showcase that Homo Faber has become.

In this regard, it will be appropriate to encourage the installation of new workshops, collaboration between artisans, designers, and artists, and even new technologies, all benefiting from a privileged tax zone, and to ensure that residencies can welcome and train young people.

The creation of an excellence award could also reward artistic creativity and skill every year. The boutiques that today sell low-quality items made in… will naturally be replaced by boutiques where one can find exceptional products at all price points.

Cultural tourism:
All closed Venetian churches must be reopened, and discovery circuits of these magnificent places must be encouraged.

Spiritual tourism:
This innovative concept is to be pioneered and developed. Venice must equip itself with initiatory and contemplative circuits to encourage inner reflection. Why not organize a meditation in Piazza San Marco once a year, broadcast on social media? It is, in the truest sense of the term, about cultivating oneself as one cultivates a garden.

Work:
With smart-working likely becoming more common in the years to come, many families may want and be able to move more easily to Venice and live there. It is our duty to ensure that there is good internet reception in the city and to install typography laboratories equipped with 3D printers.

Furthermore, we must encourage the installation of headquarters of large companies in Piazza San Marco as a symbol of corporate commitment to Sustainability and the new paradigm.

Hélène Molinari, entrepreneur.