Sunday 21 June, Biella, Fondazione Pistoletto. What was perceived upon entering the Palazzo del Buongoverno was not the solemnity of the occasion. The first impression was emotion.

It was felt in the morning greetings, in the conversations that preceded the start of the proceedings, in the faces of people arriving from different cities, organisations, and backgrounds to take part in such a long-awaited appointment. Outside, the solstice heat accompanied one of the sweltering days of the year, almost as a reminder of the environmental and social urgencies that run through our time. Inside Cittadellarte, however, time seemed to move differently, in that time of transitions that mature slowly and that, when they finally take shape, make it clear that something has changed. Yes, because yesterday the Chamber of the Statodellarte met for the first time. During the day, the Constitution and related acts entered into force, the Board of Guarantors, the Presidency, and the General Secretariat were inaugurated, and the programmes and structures called upon to shape the new organisation were presented.

Opening the session was Giuliana Setari Carusi, president of Cittadellarte, who began by recalling the path that, from the birth of Cittadellarte, led to the development of the Third Paradise and, subsequently, to the construction of the Statodellarte. "I do not want to miss this appointment with history," she stated at the beginning of her speech. Setari recalled how the Statodellarte project is the result of a long process of research involving artists, entrepreneurs, educators, administrators, activists, and citizens in different contexts around the world. She spoke of a community that, over the years, has chosen to test its ideas in reality, transforming art into a tool of relationship and responsibility. "We - she stressed - are not on display, we are in practice," as if to specify that art cannot reveal itself only as the representation of change, but as the practice capable of producing it.

Following greetings from local institutions - represented by the councillor of the Municipality of Biella, Riccardo Leonesi, and the president of the Province of Biella, Emanuele Ramella Pralungo -Michelangelo Pistoletto took the floor and introduced one of the most significant symbolic elements of the entire day: the frame of the Statodellarte, destined to become the focus of a reflection that would accompany the entire meeting. Pistoletto explained how the frame traditionally defines the space of the work, delimiting the field within which art manifests itself and is recognised. The Statodellarte, he suggested, was born precisely from the desire to extend that space, to widen the frame to include the complexity of collective life. "The frame widens," he declared. In that statement, an important part of the meaning of the meeting was concentrated. The frame of art extended to the city, to society, to institutions, symbolically encompassing the whole of human civilisation. Throughout his speech, Pistoletto also recalled the principles that form the backbone of the Statodellarte: the Third Paradise as a perspective of balance between nature and artifice, Demopraxy as a method of social organisation, the role of enterprises and communities of practice, the value of sport as an example of competition capable of recognising the opponent without turning them into an enemy. A pivotal role, ça va sans dire, for Preventive Peace, indicated as the general horizon of the action of the Statodellarte.

While Pistoletto's speech outlined the cultural and symbolic horizon of the Statodellarte, Paolo Naldini delved into its political architecture. The director of Cittadellarte chose to start with a seemingly unexpected theme for a constituent session: emotions (there they are, returning). He spoke of the need to recognise their role in public life and to reclaim civil space from a narrative dominated exclusively by fear, anger, and division. "To claim the role of emotion in public life," he observed, means to recognise the value of trust, care, friendship, and the capacity to imagine together. Following this, the core of his speech developed, dedicated to communities of practice. As he explained, "we are not separate individuals": the phrase introduced an interpretation of society based on relationships, since, for him, everyone belongs simultaneously to many communities: schools, businesses, associations, cooperatives, research groups, cultural organisations. Realities that produce knowledge, generate relationships, influence decisions and behaviours, and concretely organise a significant part of people's lives. According to Naldini, these communities constitute what he defined as the "second government". Alongside public institutions, there is indeed a vast network of entities that daily exercises a function of governing collective life without being recognised as such. Demopraxy was presented as the method through which to connect these two levels of society: "It is about making visible what already exists." The Chamber of the Statodellarte was thus described as a space for encounters between institutions and communities of practice, a place to build forms of participation.

The discourse expanded further with the speeches of the Board of Guarantors. Among them, Enrico Giovannini, Economist and former Minister of Labour and Social Policies of the Italian Republic, placed the birth of the Statodellarte within the transformations affecting the contemporary world. He focused, specifically, on the path that led to the introduction of the protection of the environment, biodiversity, and future generations into the Italian Constitution and recalled how cultural changes often precede regulatory and institutional ones. "Paradigm shifts - he observed - happen when new ideas become social practices." For this reason, he looked to the Statodellarte as a possible laboratory of cultural and civil innovation, capable of contributing to the construction of new models of development and coexistence. In his speech, room was also found for a proposal destined to return several times during the day: to develop tools capable of measuring Preventive Peace. As he asserted, if indicators exist to assess economic growth, conflicts, or social crises, why not imagine indicators capable of measuring the conditions that favour peace, cooperation, and collective well-being?

Representing the Board of Guarantors, Cittadellarte councillor Emanuele Montibeller also spoke, choosing to start with a personal reflection on the meaning of his appointment. He recounted how he had wondered why he had been called to play this role, someone who does not come from the academic world but from a path built through experience and the encounter with art. Precisely this position, he explained, can represent a value within the Board: the capacity to ask questions, to test convictions, and to continuously ask whether the choices made are consistent with the declared principles. In his speech, he delved into the relationship between the Statodellarte and the territory that generated it, stressing how a project of this scale must maintain a constant dialogue with the place from which it is born, also accepting the possibility of being a critical and transformative presence. "Art has this capacity: to pose questions that seem not to belong in the garden in which we move," pointing to the provocative and generative dimension of art as one of its main strengths. Montibeller then addressed the theme of legacy: he interpreted the Statodellarte as a project called to evolve over time, a tool born from a precise vision, but destined to transform through the contribution of those who will be part of it.

A significant passage was also that recounted by Niccolò Abriani, who, together with Luca Bergamo and Paolo Naldini contributed to the translation of the idea of the Statodellarte into the principles and instruments of its Constitution. His reflection started from a precise moment: a meeting in the autumn of 2024, when around a table were present, on one hand, the Italian Constitution and, on the other, the Formula of Creation. Precisely this meeting between two seemingly distant dimensions – the regulatory and the artistic language – represented the main challenge: to transform a vision into a structure without limiting its generative capacity. Abbriani recounted the difficulty and, at the same time, the strength of translating a dynamic idea, conceived as a collective work in continuous evolution, into a Constitution capable of guiding it without rendering it static. "It was a creative idea that had to find its own regulatory network, but one that would not trammel it, nor limit its potential," he explained. The Constitution of the Statodellarte was thus born as a particular structure, based on principles rather than simple regulation, with a preamble and a framework consistent with the very nature of the project. Abbriani recalled how the work started from an already existing reality: communities, ambassadors, activators, and paths built over the years around Cittadellarte. The task was to give shape to this energy through a system of shared principles, keeping the original creative dimension alive. Closing his speech, he recalled a reflection by Carlo Ginzburg on the value of learning, linking it to the figure of Michelangelo Pistoletto: "The brightness of the teacher was worth the desire to learn."

Another perspective came from the speech of Elisa Parola, curator and art historian, lecturer at the Accademia Unidee of Cittadellarte. Her reflection introduced the theme of heritage into the debate, a word that, she observed, had not emerged with sufficient centrality in the morning but which represents one of the fundamental nodes of the ongoing process. "What is being built today, what contemporary art is building in these years, is a heritage," which she understood not as something to be preserved simply because it comes from the past, but as something new, complex, flexible, and in transformation. Parola stressed how the task of cultural operators, but also of the economy and society as a whole, is to question what kind of heritage we want to build and leave to future generations.

Present and active participant, for the occasion, was also Günter Pauli, initiator of the blue economy, who brought a global perspective into the room. Through examples from different continents, he linked the theme of peace to that of biodiversity, innovation, and sustainability, warning of the need to overcome a fragmented vision of the major contemporary issues. "Environmental, economic, and social crises - he recalled - are deeply intertwined." For this reason, in his view, Preventive Peace cannot be limited to relationships between human beings, but must also concern the relationship with ecosystems and other life forms that share the planet.

Bringing the discourse back to the overall journey of Cittadellarte was the coordinator of the ambassadors, Francesco Saverio Teruzzi, who recounted the feeling of facing one of the many turning points that have marked this experience. "I have been marvelling for years at no longer being marvelled," he joked, recalling how in the history of Cittadellarte steps have occurred capable of continuously shifting the boundary of the possible: from art in space to the public and social dimension progressively assumed by the project. In his speech, he stressed how the strength of the Statodellarte does not lie in a break with the past, but in the capacity to safeguard and transform it.

The morning continued with the presentation of the Embassies, the Demopratic Works, the Special Programmes, and the General Secretariat. Projects were illustrated ranging from the interreligious dialogue promoted by URRA – Unity of Religions, Responsibility of Art – to initiatives dedicated to the relationship between creativity and the production system developed within the framework of Art and Business Union, up to reflections on cultural heritage as a dynamic and generative process. Not only that: the proclamation of the entry into force of the Constitution of the Statodellarte took place, with the delivery of the documents to the Board of Guarantors and the inauguration of the bodies provided for by the Charter. All these moments formally sanctioned the transition from the constituent phase to the operational one.

Explaining the functioning of the Chamber and the meaning of the first proposal submitted for discussion was Luca Bergamo, who, as mentioned previously, contributed along with Niccolò Abbriani and Paolo Naldini to the translation of the principles of the Statodellarte into the constitutional structure. His speech focused on a fundamental theme: how to make different people, skills, and practices, united by the same purpose, work together. Bergamo illustrated the role of the Chamber as a deliberative body and the method through which it is called to operate: consensus. A choice that, he explained, is not simply a decision-making technique, but a practical translation of the Formula of Creation. Not a system based on opposition and the majority against a minority, but rather a process in which everyone can bring their own point of view and contribute to the construction of the decision. "There is no voting as a basic mechanism," he explained. "We work on proposals, everyone has time to speak, and if there is no blocking objection, we proceed." A method designed to transform confrontation into a generative tool: not to eliminate differences, but to bring them into relationship to build a new element.

In his speech, Bergamo then introduced the first major proposal entrusted to the Chamber: the construction of an international campaign for Preventive Peace. The choice, he explained, stems from the reading of the current historical moment, in which "the logic of force is supplanting the logic of law". That is why the Statodellarte chooses not to limit itself to a position of opposition to war, but to question how to concretely build the conditions for peace. "Peace is not when there is no war," Bergamo stated. "Peace is an exercise in daily construction. It is a creation." A perspective consistent with the Constitution of the Statodellarte, which interprets peace as an active process based on relationships, responsibility, and the capacity of communities to generate new practices. The campaign proposed to the Chamber was presented as a path structured on multiple levels: a global dimension of adhesion and communication, a local dimension through practices and actions in communities, and a feedback mechanism capable of collecting experiences and solutions born in the territories. Not a request addressed only to governments or political decision-makers, but an attempt to build a culture of peace from the bottom up.

The first session of the Chamber also gave voice to the various bodies and paths that make up the Statodellarte, reflecting the plurality of practices and skills called to converge in this new structure.

Simone Mainardi, member of the Presidency of the Chamber, introduced the theme of the functioning of the body and its operational role. Starting from Article 22 of the Constitution of the Statodellarte, he illustrated the architecture composed of the Demopratic Work, the College of Embassies, the Chamber, the Presidency, and the Board of Guarantors. The Presidency, he explained, represents a body for coordination and impetus: it convenes meetings, prepares proposals, manages documents, and accompanies the decision-making processes of the Chamber. A step that makes it clear how the new structure is not merely symbolic, but equipped with concrete tools for organisation and development. Andrea Redaelli, on the other hand, presented the Art Business Union programme, conceived as an encounter between the entrepreneurial world and the social transformation promoted by the Statodellarte. The enterprise, for him, is not called upon only to produce economic value but to become a co-creator of the future: a place where planning capacity, innovation, and responsibility can contribute to the construction of a different society. "We are not talking about today or tomorrow – he explained – but about co-creating a future together." Francesco Monico, for the Spirituality Office of Cittadellarte, then delved into the relationship between art, knowledge, and imaginary, recalling the Formula of Creation as a generative principle. Art, he stressed, is a neutral space capable of accommodating differences and producing new possibilities of thought. From here stems the work of the Spirituality Office, understood not as a search for a synthesis between religions, but as a place for encounters between different visions, through the language of art and culture. Alberto Guggino, ambassador, recalled the function of the Statodellarte as a "mirror": a tool capable of reflecting the best parts of people and communities. Giacomo Bassmaji brought the voice of the Demopratic Works, recalling the value of experiences already activated in the territories and their role in building bridges between different communities. During the discussion, Michele Cerruti But, academic vice-director of the Accademia Unidee, also spoke, raising some operational questions regarding the Preventive Peace proposal: from the need to define the concept more precisely to the relationship between communities of practice and concrete action, up to the theme of the economic sustainability of the paths. His proposal was to set up a small working committee capable of delving into these aspects and contributing to the development of the campaign.

The afternoon was dedicated to the work of the Chamber. The proposal for an international campaign on Preventive Peace became the centre of the discussion. The debate touched upon various themes: citizenship of the Statodellarte, the role of local communities, the relationship between conflicts and ecosystems, the possibility of introducing the concept of ecocide into the public debate (this point in particular "warmed up" the attendees), and the tools necessary to make a culture of peace concrete. The plurality of positions that emerged did not represent an obstacle. On the contrary, it constituted an interesting aspect of the meeting. Demopraxy, after all, is born precisely from the idea that differences can be transformed into a resource and an opportunity for collective construction. Among foundation collaborators and ambassadors, numerous individuals spoke or participated: Ruggero Poi and Elisabetta Gallana for the Learning Environments Office, Olga Pirazzi for the Fashion Office, Marina Maffei as executive and organizational manager, Nazarena Lanza for Biella Città Arcipelago, Armona Pistoletto and Francesca Castagnetti for the Nourinement Office, Annalisa Perino as a teacher at the Third Paradise Open School, Manuela Maffioli for the Demopratic Work of Busto Arsizio, through to ambassadors Andrea Marostegan, Paola Zanini, Raffaella Bullo, Andrea Paoletti, Tiziana Pers, and Silvia Filippi.

At the end of the discussion, the Chamber entrusted the Presidency with the mandate to further develop the campaign on Preventive Peace, integrating observations, proposals, and contributions that emerged during the debate. Furthermore, the birth of the Embassy of the Statodellarte of Sanremo was symbolically announced – also thanks to the work of Fortunato d'Amico, present throughout the session – the first entity established after the entry into force of the Constitution.

The frame evoked by Michelangelo Pistoletto at the beginning of the morning continued to accompany thoughts even after the close of proceedings, like a moving image. A frame that widened to include new people, new communities, and new responsibilities. A frame that invited people to consider art as a space for building the present.

In the course of the day, there were discussions on art, politics, community, environment, education, citizenship, business, religion, and peace. Above all, there was talk of the possibility of building connections between worlds that often proceed separately. In this mosaic of words, what struck the writer was the enthusiasm, the animosity, the energy of the people who, from 10 in the morning until the closing at 17:30 on a hot Sunday at the beginning of summer, continued to have their say, to share creativity, to get involved, and quite simply, to participate. And this is only the beginning.

The inauguration of the constitutional bodies

During the session, the bodies provided for by the Constitution were inaugurated for the first time. Appointed in application of the transitional provisions (Art. 89 Const.), they launch the constituent phase of the Statodellarte. The Presidency of the Foundation formally delivered to the Board of Guarantors the dossier containing the Constitution and all related acts developed by Cittadellarte for the transitional phase, acts that the Chamber may subsequently amend in its own autonomy.

The Board of Guarantors, called upon to ensure compliance with constitutional norms, brings together figures of the highest profile and prestige from institutional, legal, economic, and cultural life: Gustavo Zagrebelsky, Stefania Giannini, Enrico Giovannini, Günter Pauli, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Niccolò Abriani, Giuliana Setari, and Emanuele Montibeller. In the first meeting of the Board, its members will designate the Chairperson of the Board.

The Presidency, a collective body representing the Statodellarte, coordinates the implementation of decisions by the Chamber and directs the work of the General Secretariat. It is composed of Paolo Naldini, Simone Mainardi, Tiziana Maffei, Walter El Nagar, Saverio Teruzzi, Giacomo Bassmaji, Marina Maffei, Olga Pirazzi, and Maria Teresa Pisani. Furthermore, the College of Embassies, the Demopractic Works, the Special Programmes, the Artivators, and the General Secretariat took the floor, presenting their respective fields. In the first session, the members will designate a Rector of the Presidency.

At the head of the General Secretariat, the structure that ensures the functioning of the Statodellarte, Luca Bergamo, former deputy mayor of Rome, was appointed.