For the thirteenth year a new edition of the census starts again “The Places of the Heart”the program of YOU DO which makes citizens protagonists in choosing which assets to safeguard in our vast heritage of history, art and nature. All this is possible thanks to the precious collaboration of Intesa Sanpaolowhich today hosted the presentation of the 2026 edition at one of its locations.
Since 2003, more than 13.5 million votes have been castwith numbers increasing year after year thanks to an ever-increasing involvement of local communities, which in 2024 led to over 41,000 reports. Obviously the Italian Environment Fund and Intesa Sanpaolo cannot take care of all these assets, and therefore the only way to decree to whom the funds will be allocated is to use the most democratic method possible: voting. It will be possible to give your preference to your favorite place (even more than one, in fact there is no limit of votes and goods to be able to select) from today until December 15th, by accessing their website.
In 2026, the vision of the FAI and Intesa Sanpaolo translates into concrete support of 600,000 euros. The challenge for the territories is twofold: aiming for the national podium – with prizes of up to 70,000 euros – or mobilizing the community to exceed 3,000 votes, the threshold necessary to access the tender which awards contributions of up to 50,000 euros. It is a mission that speaks above all to our churches: of the 180 stories of rebirth written so far by the “Places of the Heart”, well 73 concern religious buildings. Saving these places means protecting the soul of the “Country of bell towers” and removing the symbols of our identity from the dust of abandonment.
The financial contribution provided represents only the spark. Indeed, as was underlined during today’s conference, voting is not an end, but an incredibly powerful means. When a place receives hundreds, if not thousands, of reports it is as if a beacon is lit on it, also obliging local institutions – Regions, Municipalities, Provinces – to intervene actively by adding extra funds. When citizens move in unison, public resources come.
The results of this activism are concrete, especially when we talk about sacred buildings, which represent a heritage of very high historical and cultural value for our country. If you still haven’t convinced yourself to vote, we bring you some examples of redevelopment that would never have happened without the votes collected during the census:
- St. Peter of the Samari (Gallipoli): A small 11th century church that was collapsing. Thanks to 50,000 votes, the FAI has allocated 50,000 euros. This gesture pushed the Municipality of Gallipoli and the Province of Lecce to invest another 370,000 euros. Result? A complete restoration costing over 400,000 euros started from a small popular “shock”.
- Sasso Oratory (Orasso, VB): An isolated and wonderful place. Here, an FAI co-financing of 30,000 euros convinced a local foundation to provide another 170,000, saving a piece of history of the internal areas.
- Sant’Angelo a Magno (Ascoli Piceno): Perhaps the most striking case. The church had been excluded from post-earthquake funding. The mobilization of the “Places of the Heart” broke the bureaucratic impasse, leading to state funding of 13 million euros.
In addition to saving cultural assets, the people who benefit from them are also saved. In this sense, the example of the Campania experience becomes a lesson to be learned for all of Italy. In Naplesthe management of ecclesiastical assets has stopped being a “cost” to become a driver of employment. We talked about it with Don Antonio Loffredothe man who led the rebirth of Health district.
Don Antonio, how can a simple vote in this FAI census transform into a real opportunity for work and a future for young people, especially for those who think they have to leave their own territory to find fulfillment?
«This “Places of the Heart” project in Naples is standing out precisely for its ability to link cultural heritage to the work of young people, combating unemployment which is an atavistic evil. It’s the recipe we tested at Sanità. With Bishop Don Mimmo Battaglia we also spoke with the Pope, who encouraged us to continue like this. We challenged the logic of the “financialization” of everything: instead of the ticket, we asked people for responsibility. By removing the fixed ticket, the visitor is no longer a consumer, but becomes a supporter. And it works: in the first year, only with the logic of the gift, we managed to guarantee salaries to 20 kids. The goal is to reach 60 within the year. With God’s help and the participation of the people, we will succeed.”
What was the “spark” that transformed an abandoned church – which is often perceived almost as a burden – into an engine of rebirth?
«Everything was born out of need, more than twenty years ago. The Rione Sanità was a “closed” place; my grandfather, when I was a child, always said: “You don’t go there.” There was an unacceptable contradiction between such a profound history and the present degradation. Hope was extinguished. As a priest, I had the privilege of rekindling it in the hearts of young people. I told them: “The impossible happens.” If Christ was resurrected overcoming death, everything else is a trifle (not to use stronger terms!). With this spirit of challenge, the boys understood that they had a treasure in their hands. I took them around the world to see how others valued their heritage and they came back saying: “But we have so much more!”. We started from the catacombs and the rebirth began there. The neighborhood understood that those roots were the meaning of their existence. They have become owners of their past and, consequently, owners of a future to build.”
