Nichi Vendola: Italy's Next Generation (abridged)

MY VISION FOR THE ITALY OF TOMORROW Hello.

My name is Nichi Vendola, Govenor of the Apulia Region of Italy, and Leader of Italy’s national political party Sinistra Ecologia Libertà. In this brief presentation I would like to demonstrate the work I have done in my Region since being elected in 2005. Please take a few moments to read it.

I have also included a more indepth document entitled Nichi Vendola: Italy’s Next Generation.

At your leisure, you may also consult the press review, and other documents included in this presentation. For your convenience, digital versions have been inserted in a handy CD-Rom. Thank you for your time.

CLEANER WORLD Contrasting climate change by encouraging renewable and other clean forms of energy.

NATURAL RESOURCES

Dedicating special care to the quality of our air, water, and soil.

CIVIL RIGHTS

Modernizing civil rights: freedom of research, equality amongst same-sex couples, equal rights to minority and migrant groups.

LEGALITY

Restoring dignity to generations of communities devastated by the Mafia.

WELFARE

Establishing a welfare state representative of our times. Prioritizing our investments in today’s youth.

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

Modernizing Italian culture while preserving our rich artistic and cultural past. Reforming the current education system.

AGRICULTURE

Supporting local, zero-impact agriculture that is free of harmful substances. Preserving our unique “slow”-food culture.

MODERN WORKFORCE

Creating new synergies with companies that respect and enforce worker rights.

PEACE ON EARTH Using Italy as the crossroad for promoting peace amongst the nations within the Mediterranean.

ENVIRONMENT

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Our Government has taken major steps in preserving the beauty of our land, improving air quality levels, and protecting our seas and coastline.

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We were the first Region in Italy to enact the a

system of rules that favor the development of renewable energy resources and attracting investments from the rest of the nation and abroad.

COASTLINE PROTECTION

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Primary producer of solar and wind energy in Italy.

In 2006, our Government passed an important law concerning our 800km (500 miles) coastline.

The law protects the area from real estate speculation, sets up measures to prevent the erosion of our coasts, and helps mother nature restore its beaches, and unique flora and fauna.

16 REGIONAL PARKS created within the last 5 years.

8M euros

(US $ 11.1M) invested in the creation of these parks.

13% of the national solar energy production

24% of the national wind energy production

Taranto is Apulia’s second largest city. In 1961, construction efforts began for the construction of ILVA, Europe’s largest steal factory. The factory was supposed to be the pride and hope of an entire community. Instead, it has become the main cause of this city’s rising mortality rate. Taranto’s main factory contributes substantially to the nation’s emissions of air pollution through the release of furans, dioxins, and other toxic gases.

Taranto’s children told us their stories and their pain in living with this enormous factory. Through their eyes we witnessed the poisonous gasses that are released from the factory’s many chimney stacks.

They told us about their fears and the horrors that they see day by day. Our decision to take action starts from them: from their letters, their drawings, their dreams, but also from their nightmares.

ANTIDIOXIN LAW In December 2008, we decided to enact the first law of its kind in Italy. It reduces the limit of dioxins permitted to values equivalent to those of the European Union’s 2004 Aarhus Protocol; approved by EU member states, but never enforced by the Italian Government.

LEGAL LIMIT OF FURAN & DIOXIN EMISSIONS as of December 31, 2010.

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10 nanograms per m3

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Int’l tourists

760 M euros US $ 1BN

(US $ 45.9M) invested in opening new ports and modernizing existing ones.

30M euros (US $ 41.7M) in discounts to students

and workers who use public transportation (reduced ticket fares).

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225 M euros US $ 312M

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and coach bus networks.

(US $ 167M)invested in the railway

ism sector; mostly businesses set up by youth

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machines.

water purification plants brought to norm.

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120M euros

sensors installed to monitor the water network.

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(US $ 21M) small business start-ups in the tour-

250.000

water meters replaced by new and more efficient

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the water purification process.

National tourists

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euros (US $ 7M) saved per year for internalizing

Growth rate from 2005 to 2008

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Investing in research enables progress. Local investments, knowledge and labor, and a green economy guarantee a stable quality of life for our present and future generations.

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Apulia has become one of the more attractive tourist destinations in Italy, and in Europe. While the world economic crisis slows down tourism in Italy, in Apulia the trend is the exact opposite.

INNOVATION

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modernizing the network.

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150.000.000

euros (US $ 208.5M) invested in improving and

Within the first nine months of this year, passenger traffic at Apulian airports has shown a growth rate far beyond the national level.

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Our administration approved a Bill stating that water is a public good, universally recognized and essential to all mankind, and thus not susceptible to any form of privitization. The Apulian Acqueduct is amongst one of the most impressive examples in water managment engineering in the world.

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200 M euros US $ 312M

25.000 euros (US $ 34.800) granted to over 4.880 young

spaces for the promotion of cultural activities.

13.300 Bursaries Apulian students study abroad. After completing their studies, students commit to return home to share their newly acquired knowledge.

MOMArt: a cultural center in a suburb of the City of Bari, promotes up-and-coming Apulian artists. The MOMArt was born out of an ex-discotheque previously owned and operated by the mafia.

BARI INT’L FILM & TV FESTIVAL

created in 2010, to create synergies between musicians, producers, and distributers. This is the first project of its kind in Italy.

a film produced in collaboration with the Apulia Film Commission, received a Special Jury Mention at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.

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108 M euros US $ 151M

celebrates its third year this year.

It is a special occasion for the film industry to discover Apulia.

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5.2M euros US $ 7.3M

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Old buildings restored and converted into public

created in 2007, and has attracted over 100 new film & TV productions from around the world

PUGLIA SOUNDS

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169 Urban Labs

APULIA FILM COMMISSION

In 2010, two production hubs were inaugurated in Bari and Lecce.

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entrepreneurs for their first year of activity.

We believe that a key solution in overcoming the world economic crisis is by investing in ideas.

Apulia ranked last for investments in culture. Up until 2005, the Regional Government spent an average of 50 euro cents (US $ 0.70) per citizen on culture. Today, funding is comparable to 4 euros (US $ 5.60) for every Apulian Citizen.

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Our administration has made fighting organized crime a priority.

Along with other non-profit organizations like Libera, we firmly support the re-integration into society of goods confiscated from illegal activities. Goods such as land and real estate are sold to agricultural cooperatives and other ethicallysound organizations. We empower our citizens to decide along with local administrators how best to introduce these goods back into the community. With Free the Good, the Apulia Region intends to favor the creation of synergies amongst private and public administrators who support innovation and modernization, who promote a legal use of these goods, and who help develop new industries and work opportunities for its citizens. Culturally, this is a major step towards restoring harmony to populations devastated by generations of repression.

CINEPORTI

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We are investing in a knowledgebased economy through the promotion of ideas and creativity.

Investing in our youth today not only guarantees future prospects but also helps regenerate today’s lingering economy.

CULTURE

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YOUTH

LEFT, ECOLOGY, LIBERTY Sinistra Ecologia Libertà celebrated its founding convention in Florence, this past October. It is a left-wing party, led by Nichi Vendola. Its mission is based on peace and nonviolence, work and social justice, knowledge and a green economy. It is founded on the principles of solidarity, cooperation, and direct participation amongst its members. It promotes the major forms of democracy and participation, starting with the use of primaries to elect the leader of a coalition.

7% Consensus

poll published by Ipsos Italia on 11/09/2010.

This rate is in constant growth.

Other political party standings: PDL (Berlusconi): 26,5%, PD: 23,4%, Lega Nord: 11,6%, IDV: 7,6%, UDC: 5,8%, FLI: 7,7% M5S: 4%, FDS: 2,5%, La Destra: 1,4%, API:1,1%, MPA: 0,4%, Other: 2,5%.

41% Confidency Nichi Vendola is considered the preferred leader of the center-left coalition; positioning himself ahead of the leader of the PD Partito Democratico (Democratic Party); today’s major opposition party. He is perceived as the strongest candidate to run against Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s current Prime Minister and leader of a right-wing coalition.

LA FABBRICA DI NICHI In 2009, we launched a grass-roots movement called La fabbrica di nichi (Nichi’s factory). The factories are open to anyone who believes in what Mr. Vendola stands for. A horizontal organizational structure promotes active participation from everyone who wants to get involved. Buone Azioni, or Good Deeds are our most popular form of participation. They are mini campaigns that anyone can do to give a concrete example of Mr. Vendola’s message.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Mr. Vendola is very popular amongst the younger generations.

This is why we have focused our communication efforts online via www.nichivendola.it and on Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter. Today, La fabbrica di nichi is considered, by many, a revolution in political communication.

+500 factories have opened in less than 1 year.

+315.000 fans

on Facebook. 1st politician in Europe and 21st in the world in social media followers.

1st

Founding member of “Arcigay” Italy’s foremost National gay rights organization Graduates in Faculty of Literature University of Bari Founding member of “Lila” Italy’s main AIDS awareness organization Part of the central committee of the Italian Communist Party Founding member of the “Rifondazione Comunista” Reformed Communist Party Elected Member of the Italian National Parliament with the Reformed Communist Party Re-elected in the National Parliament Member of the National Commission on Culture, Science, and Education Re-elected in the National Parliament Member of the National Justice Commission Secretary of the National Antimafia Commission Re-elected in the National Parliament Nominated Vice President of National Antimafia Commission Member of the Environment, Territory and Public Works Commissions

Wins the Primaries as the candidate for the center-left coalition to run for the position of Govenor of the Apulia Region This is the first time in Italy’s history that the Primary System is adopted in the selection of a political candidate

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2005

April 4, wins the elections becoming Govenor of Apulia Vice President Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies (NERUST).

January 24, primaries are again held to select the leader of the centre-left coalition in Apulia.

Mr. Vendola wins the Primary vote with a 70% majority.

March 29, is re-elected Govenor of Apulia Coordinator Climate Change Observatory for the European Union's Committe of Regions.

October 24, founds and is declared president of a new national political party: “Sinistra Ecologia Libertà” (Left, Ecology, Liberty) a left-wing ecologist party.

In addition, Nichi Vendola, worked for many years as a journalist for the printed press; and has also written a series of books: “Prima della battaglia,” “La Debolezza,” “Soggetti Smarriti,” “Il Mondo Capovolto,” “Lamento in Morte di Carlo Giuliani,” “Dialogo sulla Legalità,” “La Mafia Levantina,” “Dilemmi della Speranza,” and “Ultimo mare.”

Mr. Vendola headed numerous international peace missions, namely in Bosnia, Colombia, Guatemala, and Tagikistan.

2008

2010

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Nichi Vendola was born in the City of Bari

1958