Comune di Formigine

Formigine covers some 46.98 square km of the area lying between the nearest main city of Modena and the tiles district of Sassuolo, a few kilometers from the foothill of the Tuscany and Emilia Apennines. Formigine is 82 meters above sea level and includes the villages of Casinalbo, Corlo, Colombaro, Magreta and Ubersetto. With more than 34,000 inhabitants, it is the fourth largest town in the province of Modena by population. Though a middle size town, Formigine enjoys excellent transport links to major cities in Emilia-Romagna and northern Italy such as Bologna (60 km), Parma (65 km), Verona (110 km), Florence (160 km) , Milan (180 km), Venice (210 km). Among Formigine’s typical food products we find those most widely appreciated even on an international level: the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, the Prosciutto Crudo raw ham, the Lambrusco wine. Formigine is considered a well livable city and every point of interest can be easily reached by walking or by biking with a well-developed network of cycle paths (over 35 km). The Municipality of Formigine is a local public body which provides public services to citizens and promotes the youth participation throughout intercultural activities, volunteering projects and official communication tools (web site, bimonthly magazine, press releases, social networks). One of the most important aim is to support active citizenship, solidarity and social involvement of young people by helping the development of networks and coordinating projects for youth and adults who work with them: national and local voluntary service, international youth exchanges, training course for young people, European Voluntary Service before and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) projects now. About 180 people work for municipal offices. Offices involved in the ESC projects are: 1. Hub in Villa: it is a real meeting and information point for 14-32 years old; it aims to spread informations about every field of youth interest and activities are planned in collaboration with Youth Policies Office; moreover it hosts an Ideas incubator/co-working Hub, a Europe section and a Music section; since many years it promotes youth international mobility, in order to increase youngsters' sensibility to the European themes, their involvement in the reinforcement of Europe through active participation and with their fresh and innovative competences. 2. Europe Office: coordination and management of European projects which the Municipality of Formigine is leader or partner of and management of international relations carried on with foreign authorities and organisations, including twinning activities with the cities of Saumur (France), Kilkenny (Ireland) and others, such as cultural exchanges in different fields (environment, youth, volunteering, culture, sport, etc.). Since 2010 Municipality of Formigine has been a member of Modenapuntoeu, a local network that aims to disseminate knowledge and expertise on European Union to Modena’s area municipalities, to help them to get opportunities offered by the European Union, to develop more European communities. Formigine also collaborates with Europe Direct of Modena about promotion and dissemination of the European ideal, and in particular the opportunities about youth mobility abroad, always in the spirit of broadening contacts and intensify the exchange of good practices and experience between different organizations active in the area who deal with youth and non-formal learning mobility. With the implementation of the ESC projects, Municipality of Formigine pursues the following general aims: - to provide more opportunities to young people to achieve new competences and grow as individuals, through non-formal learning; - to improve young people spirit of initiative, creativity and awareness of being European citizens, by fostering activities focused on the intercultural knowledge and understanding; - to help young people in achieving a greater k