CREDITO VALTELLINESE FOUNDATION: THREE YEARS' ACTIVITY
Established in Sondrio in March 1998 with the fundamental aim of helping the cultural, scientific, social and moral progress of the Lombard areas that are served by the banking Group, Credito Valtellinese Foundation has been now operating in those areas for three years. Today, new prospects are opening for a further development of its activity.
In fact, the Foundation has started procedures for national legal acknowledgement. Targets will be the same that have been steadily pursued since March 1998.
The need to extend the activity beyond the province of Sondrio is basically linked to the Group strategic plan, which guidelines are focusing in particular on:
bringing the Foundation's activity from regional to national level to include all areas that are served by the banking Group in Italy. In fact, article 2 of the Articles of Association reads: "In accordance with the mutual aid principles inspiring the activity of the promoting companies, the Foundation is a non-profit organization, which will support any initiative aimed at the cultural, moral, scientific, social and socio-economic progress in particular of the areas and communities served by the Group member banks". (at present, Credito Valtellinese banking Group's branch network is made up of 298 branches, of which 131 are based in Lombardy, 7 in Tuscany, 12 in Latium, 131 in Sicily). offering a wider range of services thanks to charitable, cultural and social initiatives undertaken in order to help the socio-economic progress of any member bank's home territory
As a result of its considerable development, the Foundation's revenue is expected to increase as well, thanks to annual contributions made by the member banks. A General Manager or a Secretary General will be appointed, while a Scientific Committee and Local Committees might co-ordinate the Foundation's activity in the crucial areas of the Group's territory.
Credito Valtellinese Group Foundation will be the first Foundation benefiting not only its home territory (Valtellina) but also other areas in Italy.
A few changes in its Articles of Association have already been confirmed by the Parent Bank Credito Valtellinese and by the Foundation's Board of Directors through a notary deed. The application for legal acknowledgement will be forwarded to the Prefecture, which will assess that the Foundation meets all the necessary requirements for being registered in the prefectorial Register by the end of March 2002.
ACTIVITY FOR YEAR 2001
In addition to an initial capital of L. 200 million, in 2001 the Foundation has benefited from L. 1,200 million, following Credito Valtellinese General Meeting, which was held on April 21.
CULTURE
Art exhibitions hosted at Credito Valtellinese Gallery inside Palazzo Sertoli, in Sondrio
Grants
Grant A year abroad (in association with Intercultura) is given to students of the senior high school between 14 and 16;
Grant Figli emigranti Valtellinesi (in association with Sondrio Provincial government) is given to students of junior and senior high school;
Publications
Volume of the financial series: Records of the conference "Il terzo settore nel 2000 tra servizi alla persona e alla comunità" (Sondrio, November 17 2000), organised in association with Foundation Camunitas and co-ordinated by professor Alberto Quadrio Curzio.
Training
The two courses were meant to ensure a highly qualified training to young graduates living in the province of Sondrio and to help the retraining of the local enterprises technical staff.
23 candidates (4 girls and 19 boys 20 to 34 years' old and resident in the area between Tirano and Morbegno attended the courses, at the end of which they will be provided with CISCO CCNA certifications, in conformity with international standards.
Next year, the Foundation is organising courses not only in the province of Sondrio but also in Sicily.
SOCIAL WORK
Also this year, the Foundation has been involved in social work inspired by principles of co-operation and mutual aid. Support has been offered to associations and institutes, which help the weaker, underprivileged classes. Below are the most significant benefits:
Social Cooperatives (Ippogrifo and Spazio Aperto in Sondrio, Nisida and La Quercia in Chiavenna, La Breva in Traona, Ozanam in Saronno, etc.); Associations and institutes ("Comunità Il Gabbiano" in Tirano, "Il Muschio" in Cosio, la "Navicella" in Morbegno and Tirano, "Piccola Opera per la Salvezza del Fanciullo" in Traona, Centri di Ascolto Caritas in Sondrio and Morbegno, Associazione per lo Studio e l'Informazione sul Suicidio in Tirano, Foundation "Aiutiamoli a Vivere" in Sondrio, etc.); Parishes and religious institutions (parishes of Gordona, Piateda, Berbenno, Sondrio, Convent of the Benedictine Sisters in Grandate - province of Como etc.); Contributions to support education programs (Liceo della Comunicazione in Sondrio, private primary schools in Sondrio, Chiavenna, Montagna, Calco - province of Lecco, etc.); Cultural associations (Famiglia Comasca, Famiglia Valtellinese in Rome, Associazione Valtellinesi in Milan, Società Storica Valtellinese, Orchestra Fiati della Valtellina, Civica Scuola di Musica della Provincia di Sondrio, etc.); Missionaries from Valtellina working around the world (missions in Peru, Brazil, Uganda, Siberia, Salomon Islands, etc.)
The Foundation has also financed the second training course for social workers and voluntary workers organised by the Caritas Diocese of Como at the CV Training Center of Tresivio.
Not to be forgotten, CV Foundation was one of the founders of the Foundation "Sorella Natura di Assisi", which works for the culture and protection of the environment according to the message of Saint Francis. Inspired by the principles of the Saint from Assisi, the Foundation Sorella Natura supports environment-friendly topics, mutual aid and cooperation (excerpts from the Articles of Associations, article 2).
PROGRAM FOR 2002
As far as social work is concerned, the Foundation is supporting activities inspired by principles of social cooperation, voluntary service, Parishes and Religious Institutes and private schools.
As regards cultural initiatives, the Foundation is mounting art exhibitions and financing the publications under Credito Valtellinese series.
As regards training, the Foundation is organising more Cisco CCNA courses, as well as promoting a new initiative. The project "Orientarsi e formarsi in Valtellina" (Vocational Guidance and training in Valtellina) will lead to the opening of a Vocational Guidance Center in the province of Sondrio, in association with Milan's Città dei Mestieri e delle Professioni. The center is helping people know more about training and job opportunities so that they are guided in making the best choices.
The initiative Città dei Mestieri e delle Professioni in Milan, which is cooperating with the CV Foundation, is promoted by Assolombarda, Milan Chamber of Commerce, Comune di Milano, Direzione Scolastica della Regione Lombardia, Fondazione Cariplo, Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica di Milano, Provincia di Milano, Regione Lombardia, Università Cattolica di Milano, Università degli Studi di Milano, Università degli Studi Milano Bicocca, under the patronage of the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education.
The center in Sondrio is a landmark within the Città dei Mestieri e delle Professioni network. The center in Milan represents in its turn a crucial landmark in the network of centers all around Europe. The initiative is therefore benefiting from the cooperation with universities and academic institutions, information and support, organizing guidelines.
CV Foundation itself will lead such a socially significant project, keeping the contacts with the Center in Milan and with the local centers, opening an office with qualified personnel providing support and vocational guidance, as well as a library with specialised books and multimedia supports, organising meetings with operators working for the different institutions and Città dei Mestieri e delle Professioni centers.
"Vetri antichi dall'oriente" (Ancient glassware from the East)
"Mountains" by Paolo Punzo
Donegani
Pierre Casé
Silvia Levenson
Mail Art
Magnelli
Arturo Schena Award, which is given to graduates born or living in the Province of Sondrio;
"L'astronomo valtellinese Giuseppe Piazzi e la scoperta di Cerere", a volume of the historical series
In 2001, CV Foundation has been particularly involved in training activities organising two Cisco CCNA courses, which were held in April and in November at the CV Training Center in Tresivio. The Foundation joined the Cisco Systems Network Academy Program. A local Academy was established to instruct professional operators in configuring and administrating corporate Intranets and in enabling Internet access by the public, also in view of the next evolutions of this sector.
