Vote for your favourite place; you have until 30 November

There are still a few weeks left for you to vote for you "Favourite Places" in the seventh year of the initiative promoted by the Italian National Trust Fund, FAI. The project seeks to communicate with the people, using the language of emotion, and invites them to take part actively in the protection of the places they love.

This campaign is inspired by collective passion, because we all have to root for Italy. Favourite places come in different forms: they are gardens, churches, olive groves, beaches, buildings, mills, villages. And supporting them, by contacting the FAI, means defending them, so that, despite the ravages of time and the neglect of men, they will not become mere memories. Saving the artistic and natural heritage of Italy and putting it first in our thoughts and attentions must become a national goal. In 2012, one million people took part in the "Luoghi del cuore" census, voting for thousands of places and properties that needed attention and help. In this way, they "supported" them, as one might support a favourite team.

For this reason, everybody can vote for their favourite place. But this year, teams will get particular attention. The census has always been a great way of mobilising and uniting, with the creation of spontaneous committees, where everyone can take active part in a group that identifies what should be saved, a place that is the favourite of many. Given the great success of the previous census, a particular chance will be given to those places that receive at least a thousand votes: they will be able to make a request to the FAI to act, following the guidelines which will be published in 2015, after the results have been announced. This is a further incentive to gather the largest possible number of votes to put your favourite place in a privileged position.

Furthermore, this year, given the imminent Expo Milano 2015, the census will give special attention to the places linked to the theme of the great event in Milan "Feeding your planet, energy for life”. A table will be created (which will appear in a reserved area of the website www.iluoghidelcuore.it) of places where food is produced and processed: pastures, vineyards, olive groves, mills, dairies, alpine pastures. Moreover, the winner of this particular section, regardless of the position in the overall classification, will undergo intervention, following approval of a project that will be presented to the FAI, with the support of the Foundation and of Intesa Sanpaolo.

In Varese Province, there are several places that are candidates for being "favourite", including the Teatro Sociale (Social theatre) in Busto Arsizio, the Colleggiata Church in Castiglione Olona, and the Sant’Eusebio Church in Casciago.