7milamiglialontano
The Project
Returning to the centre means first returning to the origin, where it all began.
It means renewing the sense of adventure that began many years ago, which remains unfinished and I hope will continue for many years. Now the time has come to close the circle – to return to the beginning and to find the centre of this circle. And then, immediately, depart for a successive and new journey.
Return to the origin, then. Return to the centre.
The centre is Mysore, southern India, where 7milamiglialontano’s extraordinary journey began in 2009 and where it will conclude July 17, 2017, thus finding its full realization.
7MML “return to the centre” 2017 is a project that brings to conclusion and completes a solidarity travel experience that was also intended as a creative way of seeing the world.
The project is divided into seven different routes. Each route varies in terms of its itineraries, participants, time, place and means, but all trips will be united by one mind with one purpose: to build School of Fine Arts in Southern India.
I feel strongly that I can help this project come to fruition because I have always believed in the power of imagination and a whole-hearted approach to one’s commitments. Most of all, I believe in creative people and in their ability to organize projects and realise their dreams.
7MML “return to the centre” in 2017 will involve photographers, filmmakers, writers, professionals and enthusiasts on a journey that is sure to include multiple points of view and perspectives. It is a unique opportunity originating in the heart but which will branch out onto seven different paths infused with adventure. Ultimately, this project is intended to create something that will endure, something to help young creative talents to grow in a part of India where very few are afforded the opportunity to study the arts.
It will be a significant and needed journey that we can accomplish together to ultimately return to the centre of ourselves.
Giuliano Radici Project leader
7MML “return to the centre” 2017
2017 Project
Our Project: building a School of Fine Arts in the South of India.
Our Journey: 7 different means of transportation, 7 starting points around the world.
Our Goal: all team 7MML “return to the centre” 2017 members will meet in southern India to inaugurate and give life to the project.
Professional image- makers, communications experts and off-road adventurists (journalists, photographers, video- makers, travellers…) are the protagonists of this journey marked with adventure, writings and images.
7 trails, 7 points of the world, with 7 different modes of transportation: ATVs, motorcycles, mountain bikes, public transportation, by water, on foot and in Ape cars.
The common arrival destination is in southern India and will be reached by all participants on the same day: 07.17.2017.
Following the successes of our previous endeavours: 7milamiglialontano 2009, 7milamiglialontano2.0 of 2012, 7MML “around the world” 2014/15, this new project has been developed using our combined human and organizational experiences gained in previous years with ethical and aesthetic concerns discovered by traveling along with donations by various humanitarian organizations.
The idea of 7MML “return to the centre” 2017 is simple and concrete. Achieve something enduring, something that will allow teams and project partners to help develop young talents in a part of India where arts funding is particularly limited and unavailable to most.
The joint venture of 7MML “return to the centre” in 2017 aims to produce an important photographic book and film, as well as raise to funds to finance the purchase of the land and the construction of the school.
The project has been designed by and will be organized and managed by the 7milamiglialontano cultural association, lead by its president: photographer Giuliano Radici.
The school workshop will be built in Kannur [Kerala] – a village in Southern India – with funds collected through the project.
The Centre Jyothi Nilaya of Mysore in India, managed by the Suore Orsoline di S. Girolamo Somasca, is the designated beneficiary of the project and will own of the land purchased and donated by the 7milamiglialontano cultural association.
The School’s operation will be supported in the following ways:
_ 7milamiglialontano association will fundraise to support building maintenance costs
_ Jyothi Nilaya Onlus association will manage the staff and local teachers
_ the Accademia di Belle Arti Santa Giulia of Brescia will design the school and offer some teaching through web seminars matching Italian and Indian students together
The fine arts school
A nation of immense industrial development and population growth, India is home to some of the most creative programmers and developers in the world. It is a country with immense talent, but does not often support equal access to opportunity. It is within this context that we have chosen a project to support learning in the arts by the construction of a school workshop in southern India which will be managed locally and benefit from the cross- cultural exchange of know-how and knowledge by encouraging interactions between Italian and Indian fine art students.
We are convinced that the Italian artistic cultural training can make an important contribution to young Indian art students by exposure to diverse creative and international professional training, both in terms of industrial and artistic concerns. Likewise, an exposure to Indian culture would be invaluable to the professional and personal growth Italian art students.
The school aims to promote the learning of visual arts, such as photography, graphic design and film, and is, for us and our partners, the best way to develop young talent in a part of India where the study of art, along with much more, it is unfortunately still available proportionately to very few.
