P o li t i c s a s S pi r i t ua lit y
the more things have proceeded. After a Damanhurian was elected Mayor of Vidracco it became obvious that direct participation brings greater results and faster. We chose to join the Green Party so that we could introduce our ideas; to promote the fact that politics must always unite big ideals with practical solutions that can be applied at local as well as a regional and national level. We have introduced our ideas, ideals and proposals within the Green Party in order to see them realized more quickly. But it has been far from easy. Interacting with the Greens is a complicated and difficult business because the party already has its own structure. There have been discussions, confrontations and let’s say ‘dynamic’ situations which are not always easy because within the Green Party, as in all groups, there are different factions with different interests. We entered a rather lively situation contributing our experiences alongside everybody else’s proposals. It has been a great challenge to transmit our holistic understanding of the environment, which does not see human beings and the economy as inevit ably in conflict with the protection of nature.
Remedy & Strategy: a Joint Effort We see politics not as an individual concern, but as one that needs to be organized by homogenous groups, which share similar ideas. You cannot improvize programmes and projects. What is needed is structured discussion, elaboration and exchange. Most of all politics needs individuals who are capable of developing concrete and realisable proposals. We organized a weekly meeting to bring together elected councilors with people who are interested in politics but have no official role. Within a few months we created a workgroup of thirty to forty people. The minimum amount of time invested is two to three hours a week. This is enough to involve people and develop ideas. It is also useful because it allows those with an official role to have an outside perspective. This confrontation is fundamental because it generates ideas, proposals and offers of support. Within an organized group you can discuss and confront the most important issues and take a position. We also use voting by a show of hands in cases of opposing points of view. This way of working is simple but effective. Decisions are taken together and supported by all. Within the Green Party we move in this spirit. An organized group (Con Te per il Paese) carries more weight than an individual’s point of view. We have a Damanhurian elected on the National Council of the Green Party. This body consists of approximately sixty people and discusses major issues at a national and international level. Another Damanhurian sits on the leading council in Piemonte. We also participated in the regional elections in support of the Greens. Obviously within Green Party meetings we do what we have always done: contribute our point of view. We are not interested in a passive presence. We want to contribute our experience, ideas and proposals. Our proposals are based on pragmatism because they derive from our experience as local council members. We understand the problems of
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