Evento n.3 Guardistallo (Italia) 29-30 novembre e 1° dicembre 2023

The activities of the event were divided into two parts: the institutional one in the morning, and a “more informal” one, with survey and games, during the afternoon.

PART 1

The first part was dedicated to the local institutions, and member of regional associations. The Mayor, Sandro Ceccarelli, introduced the Municipality, its European projects and the women-oriented policies, as the tampon-tax. Guardistallo was the first village in Italy who deleted taxation on tampon, and it inspired also regional and national authorities who replied to this successful policy. In addition, the Municipality will soon provide free tampons in every public building.

Moreover, during Covid-19 pandemic, several actions were done inside the Municipality to face poverty, especially in female-leading families: there were donations of food, clothes and goods necessary for a decent life.

Lorenzo Gori, the Project Manager for Guardistallo Municipality, presented some statistics on woman participation and presence in the village.

The conference focused on the COVID-19 impact on local citizens, how it affected their lives and how societies reacted to new problems, and finally a European answer of community and shared vision.

The pandemic affected especially women in several fields, as employment and education, health, well-being, lifestyle and civic engagement. For these reasons, we selected 3 stories of success to be presented and, probably useful to be replied abroad

Through these 3-female best practices, we figure out some results: resilience, adaptability and development.

During the first part, there were also some guests from association and institutions. In particular:

• Italian Trade Unions (CGIL, CISL, UIL), which presented an important action in the Province of Pise towards woman inclusion at workplace, and job opportunities. 

• Confederation of Farmers – Tuscany Region, they introduced the “Women on-field project” (“Progetto Donne in Campo Toscana”) which is the association for agricultural entrepreneurs and, more generally, for women involved in agriculture and rural areas. Their activities aim at improving the professionalism of women entrepreneurs, at contributing to the development of their businesses and the safety of their jobs, at valorising their work and their products, at examining their problems in depth through studies, research and conferences.

Thanks to the stories of these stakeholders, international participants understood what was done locally in order to improve woman condition, not only from a socio-cultural perspective, but also at workplace.

PART 2

After the lunch, Part 2 based on surveys and on interactive games.

Surveys were delivered in with the purpose to obtain some socio-cultural statistics, as type of job, personal perception of gender equality, social barriers, number of sons, etc. Here below some pages:

Moreover, the Municipality organized interactive games on social aspects, as women condition at workplace, at home and during their daily life:

1. Wishing Tree

Creation of a tree with “wishes”: each participant will attach a card to the tree where he/she will write a thought/word/hope for a future daughter named “Europe”.

This game focused on creating an European common sense, and future hopes which are shared among the different participating countries.

2. Treasure Box

Each participant writes a thought on a ticket which will be placed inside the bow, this ticket would give a precious thing for women which they would never give up.

This activity relied on analysing how woman is seen inside our societies, and what we can do to improve it.

3. Genie of the lamp

Each participant inserts a note with three wishes into the lamp, this note would focus on improving the conditions of women (health, education, work, home, family, society).

Again, also this game focused on women, in particular to what we think they are still missing in our society, and to what they should have in order to bridge the gap with man.

4. Cube

This is a game with rolling of the two-color orange and green cube; these two colours indicate an opportunity or a criticism. A participant per group rolls the dice and tries to find remedies, solutions or opportunities.

This last game based on unforeseen events, here some of them:

• Do you prefer a female or male boss? And why?

• Which work policy would you introduce in the company welfare?

• You are the boss company: which question would you ask the female interviewer?

Here, the success of the game was that participants answered trying solve some real and possible work situation; and from the answers we understood which were the critical points inside our societies, and how to solve them.

Finally, the event concluded with non-formal networking time where the public had opportunity to create new, international connections, exchange opinions and share experiences. This activity contributed to the strengthening of European identity and creating cross-sectoral connections among all the participants.

Links to press articles/social media pages related to the project event:

- Cia e Donne in campo per la parità di genere

- FB pages: CISL PISA, Comune di Guardistallo, Sindaco di Guardistallo,

- Newspapers: Il Tirreno (30/11, 01/12)