The December 2017 newsletter included an article that showed how the concept of the soil as a common good can be made into a reality.
The article focused on the case of Mondeggi, where a group of citizens opposed the sale of a villa and land belonging to the Province (now Metropolitan City) of Florence.
Under the banner of The soil is a common good, the committee “Mondeggi a Common Good – A Farm without Owners” advocated and continues to advocate that the whole property should be taken into public, participatory and autonomous management in the hands of local communities.
We concluded the article by noting that, despite the support of the committee and local residents, a sword of Damocles continued to hang over the heads of everyone involved in the farm: the provincial authorities had insisted on keeping plans for the sale of Mondeggi villa and farm on the table.
That sword has now fallen! After an interval of 4 years, the city authorities issued a new auction notice on 30 December 2018. Interested parties are asked to put forward offers for the purchase of the farm and villa before 1 March 2019.
We wholeheartedly support the appeal of the Committee for Mondeggi as a Common Good, attached below, to oppose this renewed assault on a public good. We invite anyone who can to attend the demonstration and intervention which the Committee is organizing on 1 March to coincide with the expiry of the auction notice and the opening of bids.
Gruppo Suolo Europa 