Eco-friendly female entrepreneurs In a move to promote equal opportunities between men and women, the European Social Fund has co-financed a project for the vocational development of 105 women from various parts of Italy. The project was implemented jointly by various Italian and foreign organisations and included managerial training aimed at creating companies managed by women. The course has encouraged eco-architecture graduates to capitalise on the potential offered by a promising new market so that, in addition to working in the traditional building industry, they could have a more innovative role working on existing buildings by, for instance, improving their facilities and safety in terms of health by using eco-friendly materials, or undertaking restructuring work based on bio-architectural principles. After completing the learning stage in the classroom, the participants, assisted by the tutors, set up and put into operation six new companies in 1998. At present, more than half the women participants in the project are working in the newly created companies and many others have joined existing operations.
Innovation is easy... on paper Isola Liri is a town of about 13,000 inhabitants in the province of Frosinone. The Liri river, known for its spectacular falls, flows through the town. At Isola, the river has been used by paper mills and other industries, such as wool, felt and hydroelectric operations, which have marked the town’s economy since the 16th century, giving it a markedly industrial profile. Inexorable decline has led to the closure of many activities, especially the two main production centres: the Lefebvre and Boimond paper mills. The local authorities, backed by ERDF funding, took up the challenge of converting abandoned industrial sites. They used the industrial archaeological heritage to turn Isola into the European Centre for Paper Culture. After redeveloping the area, they propose to market the town mainly as a weekend tourist destination, which could attract about 300,000 visitors. One feature will be a little train to enable the tourists to explore the surrounding countryside. The project’s main feature is the renovation of the building used by the Lefebvre paper mill, which includes the 16th century Carmelite monastery of Santa Maria delle Forme, and its conversion into an industrial archaeology museum. The work, part-financed by the ERDF, has focused on redeveloping the completely abandoned buildings. Restoration work is under way, and the first phase was completed in 1999. Work on strengthening the structures and the roof, installation of a gangway to a point where visitors can view the falls and construction of a car park will be completed in 2001. Work is also under way at the Boimond paper mill, which closed in 1977. The redevelopment project, implemented through an ERDF contribution, will give this former paper mill a role that is both productive and cultural. Seven or eight artisans’ workshops, including artistic paper work, wrought iron and goldsmith craftwork, could be installed in the building’s renovated pavilions, while a services centre promoting new businesses will be set up in another wing. On the cultural side, a freshwater aquarium containing species that are native to the Liri river such as prawns, trout and pike will be installed, as will a temporary exhibition hall.
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