{"id":104,"date":"2010-11-24T14:30:05","date_gmt":"2010-11-24T14:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/danilodolci.org\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T13:10:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T11:10:23","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/danilodolci.org\/en\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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About us<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>

The Centre for Creative Development Danilo Dolci \u2013 ETS is a non-profit organisation whose history is deeply connected with<\/span> Danilo Dolci\u2019s social and educational work<\/strong>.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n

We work in the <\/span>educational and social fields<\/strong> to promote <\/span>communities' creative and nonviolent development<\/strong> by using participative methods. We aim to build an environment where everyone can<\/span> fully and creatively contribute to society.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Our values<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Development<\/h4>

We believe continuous and respectful recognition and validation<\/strong> are necessary to promote organic growth (of a creature, a group, an area, or the whole world), stemming from individual needs and values.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Creativity<\/h4>

The Italian word creativit\u00e0<\/em> (creativity) shares the same root as crescere<\/em> (i.e. to grow): connecting the pre-existing in a new way, conceiving, evoking by generating<\/strong>. One should know how to question oneself to find unexpected solutions and value things that seem wasted.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Our work stems from the following principle: no real and sustainable change can be achieved unless we involve the community and the people for whom we conceived<\/strong> our interventions. Thus, we start processes aimed at identifying the community's needs and desires and co-design bottom-up interventions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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What we do<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>

We pursue our mission by implementing projects and initiatives at local, national, and international levels and by identifying synergies and cooperation opportunities with schools, universities, institutions, organisations, and the whole community. <\/span><\/p>\n

Our Centre has over 20 years of experience in managing national, European and international funds<\/strong>, such as Erasmus+, AMIF, Creative Europe, CERV, EYE, ISF CSEP, ENPI CBC MED and EuropeAid. It relies on a team of 15 employees and more than 40 volunteers, experts and collaborators. We work with a network of more than 25 schools, universities, and local organisations, as well as +300 partners from 50 countries. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

JOIN OUR NETWORK<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Our initiatives focus on three main topics:<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Danilo Dolci<\/h4>

We want to <\/span>pay tribute<\/strong> to Danilo Dolci\u2019s work and aim to enhance his <\/span>legacy<\/strong> and social, political and educational commitment so that it can still be cherished in the future. <\/span><\/p>\n

We foster our <\/span>maieutic experimentation<\/strong>, cultivate relations and develop national and international networks focused on the following topics: n<\/strong><\/span>onviolence, participation and educational issues.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Participation<\/h4>

We create the conditions for <\/span>nonviolent community development<\/strong>, enhancing self-analysis and grassroots action-research processes. <\/span><\/p>\n

We promote <\/span>participation<\/strong> by using nonviolent methodologies. We offer support in designing initiatives that could have a systemic impact on the community. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Education<\/h4>

We support education <\/span>as a means to promote social change<\/strong> and give value to each person's interests and potential. <\/span><\/p>\n

We promote <\/span>nonviolent educational approaches and training <\/strong>to help people achieve their goals and contribute to the creative development of the community. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Our goals<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>
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Testing and promoting innovative and participative educational approaches<\/strong> in non-formal and formal settings.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Enhancing active citizenship, democratic participation<\/strong> and social dialogue using research-action processes targeted at social change.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Promoting nonviolent development, critical thinking and empathetic, responsible and reciprocal communication<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Contributing to social justice<\/strong>, by creating the conditions for fostering harmonic growth, promoting social inclusion and supporting human rights.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Our history<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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1952<\/h5>

Danilo in Sicily<\/p>\n