To better understand many of my projects, it is important to know my history, my passion for my land and my past path. For this reason, I have chosen to share my resume in a format that reflects my personal style. After a first version written years ago, I recently added previously omitted details. Today, with age and a certain tiredness, I feel freer from other people's judgments and, as Clark Gable said to Scarlett O'Hara in 'Gone with the Wind', 'Frankly, I don't care'.

Curriculum non curriculum by Ignazio Caloggero: Under the Sign of Resilience

Premise

Often, wanting to achieve certain goals in life, we hear that we don't have an adequate curriculum. How many times have I been told, how many times have I felt this judgement, and how many times have I thought I wasn't up to it?

Throughout my life, I have made choices that others deemed unsuitable due to my lack of an 'appropriate' resume. Many of the roles that adorn my resume today were obtained without traditional prior experience. Now that my resume has become all things considered “presentable” and I myself feel tired and less inclined to conform to traditional standards, I want to publicly highlight this aspect. Too often, resumes clip the wings of those who have a lot to offer but are judged superficially. Formal documents fail to always reflect the will, inner strength and desire to change what appears to be a predefined destiny.

Sometimes, we give up on our goals, thinking we don't have the necessary curriculum to achieve them. Personally, I have always believed that a cause is worth fighting for, even if it seems lost from the start, as long as there is even a minimal chance of success. If a goal is noble and just, we must accept the challenge, regardless of the difficulty. You shouldn't just choose easy battles, but fight with determination until the end, aware that sometimes the value lies in fighting more than in the final result.

I want to be clear: I do not consider myself a person who has achieved all of his goals in life. On the contrary, I often, all too often, feel a painful sense of failure. Many battles with uncertain outcomes still await me, and the road is long. Only time will tell if I will be able to achieve, at least in part, what I desire, if I actually know it. For now, I continue to fight, as long as I have the strength to do so, perhaps because I don't know how to do anything else, or perhaps because I am not given the choice or simply because the story cannot be considered over as long as I continue to fight.

By making my “non-resume” public, I hope to encourage readers to fight for their goals despite adversity, with determination and resilience. No one can guarantee us victory in the battles of life, but having fought to the end can give us the pride of never having given up and the satisfaction of being able to say that "we will die while living". Not fighting means having lost from the start and living with the regret of not having tried, ultimately leading us to "live while dying".

The real objective I propose is therefore not to tell the success story of someone who started from scratch, because mine is anything but a success story. It is a life lived under the sign of resilience, which is worth living to the full, despite everything.

I had to invent something, and I invented something.

The Curriculum vitae, a Latin term meaning 'course of life' and commonly shortened to 'curriculum', is usually an account of a person's work and professional experiences, their studies and the crucial phases of their career. Adopting a broader vision, we can state that a person's curriculum is adequate when 'the course of his life' and the environment in which he finds himself create the conditions and minimum requirements necessary for achieving a given objective, whatever it may be. .

I have often wondered what is important to highlight in a CV: the titles acquired over the years or the contents with the description of what one has actually done. Let's say that generally a long list of titles, representative of real skills or simply representative of nothing put there to make up the numbers and give the impression that one is important, is more effective. The concrete contents, however, may not be immediately understandable for those who are used to evaluating only titles. For this reason, while listing all my qualifications, past and present, I invite you to look further, because titles, no matter how 'cool', can never fully convey real skills.

To simplify, I have divided the "curriculum" into three areas and some sub-sectors:

1) The CV, what's cool to show

• • Titles and roles held in the associative and work environment
  • Publications

2) The curriculum is not the curriculum as it was actually constructed

• • Let's start from the beginning: How to build a resume from scratch

3) Ongoing scientific and cultural projects

 

1) The CV, what's cool to show

Titles and roles held in the associative and work environment

Active roles

• President of the Italian Association of Tourism Professionals and Cultural Operators (AIPTOC) recognized by the MISE to issue Certificate of Quality and Professional Qualification pursuant to Law 4/2013
• Director of the Helios Study Center
• Component of technical body UNI / CT 040 / GL22 (Tourism) UNI - Italian Standardization Body 
• Member of the Steering Committee of the degree course in "Tourism sciences" and of the master's degree course "Management of tourism and cultural heritage" of the University of Molise"
• AIPTOC contact person as an institutional member at Interpret Europe
• Member of SISTUR Italian Society of Tourism Sciences
• SIMBDEA member: Italian Society for Museography and Demo-ethno-anthropological Heritage
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Feliciano Rossitto Study Center (vice-president)
• Board member of Skal Palermo 
• Provincial contact person FLAI - FIJET - Association of Journalists and Writers of Tourism
• Writer (over 30 books to date)
• Cultural Event Manager
• Interpreter of the Cultural Heritage
• Creator of the Experiential Quality Mark ®
• Designer and creator of the International Experience License (IEL) ® 
• Computer scientist, teacher, course designer, didactic tutor, designer and manager of the E-Learning platform, technical assistance employee, front office and back office employee, porter and cleaner of the Helios Study Center

In the past I had the honor and I believe I have carried out with dignity, the following associative and professional positions:

• Member on behalf of AIPTOC of the inter-ministerial technical table (Ministry for Transaction, Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Ministry of Tourism) "CAM Eventi"  
• Member on behalf of AIPTOC of the inter-ministerial technical table (Ministry for Transaction, Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Ministry of Tourism) for the drafting of National Guidelines for Sustainable Events 
• Lions District Service Delegate, District 108 YB, 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026: “Myths and Popular Traditions: Knowledge and Opportunities”
• Lions District Service Delegate District 108 YB, year 2022-2023: "Sicily For The Blind, We Make Cultural and Environmental Heritage Usable"
• President of Lions Ragusa Host Social year 2021-2022
• Lions region secretary 108YB 
• Lions Deputy District Secretary 108YB
• District Delegate Lions Video Conferencing Committee 108YB
• Treasurer and master of ceremonies Lions Ragusa Host
• ISO9001 Certification Inspector
• Quality Consultant
• European project designer
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Assistance for the Elderly of a Pious Work
• Member of the evaluation unit of a public body
• Responsible for the design of the SIOI (Integrated Hospital Information System) of a hospital
• IT Program Manager
• Member of the Software Design Team of the first European military satellite Helios
• IT designer and analyst
• Computer programmer
• Electronic technician
• Electrician
• Military (SGT EM, RDT, TP: Electromechanical Sergeant, Radarist, Telepunter, with the role of Central Shooting Chief)
• Laborer
• Catering assistant
• Janitor and cleaner 
• Plongeur and Marmiton (dishwasher and pot washer)
• Dechargeur (discharger)
• Tractor driver
• Fermier (farmer)
• Used bottle collector

Publications 

From the series Manuals for the International Experience Licence:

• 2025: Experiential Literacy  
• 2025: Heritage Interpretation: Origins, Foundations, and Theoretical Approaches  
• 2025: Heritage Interpretation: Practical Applications and Operational Criteria  
• 2025: Elements of Quality Management for Experiences 
• 2025: Designing Quality Experiences
• 2025: Guest Experience Specialists 
• 2025: Dinner Experience Specialists 
• 2025: Specialists in Interpretation of Food and Wine Heritage 
• 2025: Exhibition Quality in the Museum and Artistic Sector
• 2025: Entertainment and Show Experience
• 2025: Experiential and Interpretive Hiking
• 2025: Heritage Interpretation: Telling Places, Revealing Meanings

Other volumes

• 2026. Tourism and Experiential Marketing: Principles, Case Studies, and Professional Profiles. Second updated edition. ISBN: 978-8832060558
• 2026: Esoteric Symbolism – Cultural Esotericism and Heritage Interpretation ISBN: 978-8832060531
• 2025: Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily. Vol. 2: Maritima loca – Collection New Digital Technologies at the Service of Archaeology ISBN: 978-8832060393
• 2025: Heritage Interpretation – Principles, Methods and Techniques ISBN 978-8832060362
• 2024: Outdoor Exploration Experience: Principles, Operational Examples and Case Studies ISBN 978-8832060348
• 2024: Dinner Experience: Principles, Operational Examples and Case Studies ISBN 978-8832060331
• 2024: Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily. Vol. 1: Via Selinuntina: Series New Digital Technologies at the service of Archeology ISBN 978-8832060300
• 2024: Guest Experience Quality, Operational Examples and Case Studies ISBN 978- 8832060299
• 2024. The Skills Cycle for the Construction of Professional Profiles and Educational Standards ISBN 978-8832060270
• 2024. Tourism and Experiential Marketing: Principles, Case Studies, Experiential Quality Seal, Skills and Professional Profiles ISBN: 978-8832060287
• 2024. Destination Management: Quality and Competitiveness of Tourist Destinations ISBN 978-8832060263
• 2023.The Skills Cycle for the Construction of Professional Profiles and Training Standards ISBN 978- 8832060256
• 2023. Tourism and Experiential Marketing: Principles, Case Studies, Experiential Quality Seal, Skills and Professional Profiles 978-8832060249
• 2023. From Ecomuseums to Heritage Interpretation Experience Centers (CEIP) ISBN: 978-8832060232
• 2022. Experiential Paths and Interpretation of Cultural Heritage Vol. 1: Origins and Theoretical Principles ISBN: 9788832060218
• 2022. Sicily Unveiled: Before the Greeks ISBN:9788832060188
• 2022. Myths of Ancient Sicily ISBN:9788832060157
• 2022. Cults of Ancient Sicily ISBN: 9788832060102
• 2022. Masks and Faces of Sicily ISBN: 9788832060119
• 2022. The Baroque of Val di Noto in the UNESCO World Heritage Site ISBN: 9788832060140
• 2022. Tourism, Art and Cultural Heritage: Professional Profiles and New Skills Framework ISBN: 9788832060171

For those interested I have activated a web page with the description of the individual volumes: 

https://www.itinerariesperienziali.it/pubblicazioni-centro-studi-helios/

Further volumes written in the past.

• 2020. Tourism, Arts and Entertainment Competence Framework: “Tourism, Arts and Entertainment Competence Framework (TAECF)”. ISBN: 9788832060058.
• 2020. Cults of Ancient Sicily (2020 Edition): ISBN: 9788832060089
• 2019. Baroque of the Val di Noto – Vol. 4: Catania. ISBN: 9788832060027
• 2018. Cults Myths and Legends of Ancient Sicily ISBN: 9788894321913
• 2018. Sicily between History, Myths and Legends - Vol. 1: From Prehistory to the Phoenicians. ISBN: 9788894321951
• 2018. Baroque of the Val di Noto – Vol. 1: Baroque Heritage of Humanity. ISBN: ISBN: 9788894321920
• 2018. Baroque of the Val di Noto – Vol. 2: Ragusa. ISBN: 9788894321937
• 2018. Baroque of the Val di Noto – Vol. 3: Modica and Scicli. ISBN: 9788894321944
• 2018. Details of Sicily. ISBN: 9788832060003
• 2017-2020. Quality, Operating Models and Competitiveness of the Tourist Offer. ISBN: 9788894321906, 9788832060065

 

2) The curriculum, how it was actually constructed

Let's start from the beginning: How to build a resume from scratch 

But let's go in order and start from the beginning.  

1967. The collection of used bottles.

I started my working activity early, at the age of eight, in Germany, in a certain sense we can say that I was an expert in the field of environmental protection: I worked on my own and at least for that activity I was not asked for particular experiences. My specialization consisted in the urban collection of empty bottles still in good condition that I took to the shops where I received a small amount for the return of used bottles. I was particularly good I always managed to find bottles in the most disparate places, in gardens, in garbage cans, around the streets and in basements. I was very good at cleaning the basements of empty bottles that were waiting to be returned to the shopkeepers. Mine was an act of courtesy towards the owners as I avoided them the trouble of delivering them directly, I did not wait for them to thank me, on the contrary I was very careful not to let them notice, in case someone had misunderstood my gesture of altruism and even thought that I was rubbing the empty bottles from their basements to go and resell them.

1968. The family garden.

Back in Italy, I changed my work sector, I was placed by my parents in the fruit and vegetable sector, at nine I was in charge of water problems in the family business: a small plot of land dedicated to vegetables; in fact it was a real problem to be able to curb the water that came out of the obligatory paths created with the hoe and which served to direct it to the various sectors in which the vegetable garden where I carried out my duties was divided. The irrigation system used to irrigate the garden was the natural one, the water was directed to the various sectors through a series of forced passages made with the hoe. Always with the hoe the openings and closures were made that allowed to irrigate only one sector at a time. The violence of the water was such that often the small margins of land could not hold, my task was to run here and there with the hoe in an attempt to stem the leaks and prevent the water from getting lost in the fields instead of going where the seedlings were. Too bad that the hoe was almost bigger than me and a pity that the water was able to cheat me constantly "breaking" always in the most distant points from me. The thing irritated me very much not so much because the water broke the edges, indeed it was interesting to see the leak gradually widening; but for the energetic reproaches I received from time to time when this happened.

1969. The combine harvester

In the period of the wheat harvest I worked on the combine harvesters in charge of the wheat sacks that were gradually filled during the harvest. My task was to be careful when the bags filled up, tie them, lift them and throw them from the chute where once they reached the ground they would be collected later. Once filled, the bags weighed between 50 and 60 kilos, considering my age it is likely that the difference in weight between me and the bags must have been minimal. What I remember most was not the weight of the bags but the beastly heat which was not only due to the fact that the work consisted of being in the sun all the time, but also from the heat generated by the combine itself, to complete the picture, the dust that was created as a result of the separation of the wheat from the rest of the wheat entered everywhere, and when I say everywhere I refer to the broadest sense of the term.

1970. In the sawmill.

At about ten, it was decided that I had to enrich my curriculum vitae, I stopped going to school, I was sent to a sawmill, where boxes for fruit packaging were made; work no less heavy than the previous ones, but at least I had my first salary, since in previous jobs I had always worked for mine. My first pay was 500 lire a day, a pity that the first week instead of 2500 lire I received only 1200 since I had inadvertently broken "u bummulu", the terracotta container for water in the shape of an amphora that was then used to keep the water fresh and from which we all drew to drink. My employer decided that I had to reimburse the expenses necessary to buy a new one, he told me that he did it not for money but to teach me the principles of life.

My employer was a very precise type, so precise that every time the finance came and we boys ran away so as not to be seen (he says that even then you could not work illegally especially if you were children) on our return he would tell us how long we had stopped working and therefore deducted the hours not worked from our weekly wages. My employer was a very nice person, he gave us the job and taught us the sound principles of life. Too bad that finance did not understand his magnanimity towards us poor kids who otherwise would have grown up in the middle of the street. Thanks to him we had a lot of fun loading those beautiful wooden stumps that would later become fruit cages, and it wasn't that bad if any of us got hurt a little with some weight or with the pedal stapler where they came. assembled the cages and where we boys inserted the "cousins" with which the wooden boxes were assembled. In a few seconds a box was assembled: a boy put his fist on another person's machine, operated the electric stapler, pressing on a pedal, more or less like pedal sewing machines. Except that because of the speed, a moment of inattention, his hand did not withdraw quickly and then the fist and fingers of us unfortunates were sewn together. I remember that once I had to use a nipper to remove the fist sewn on one of my fingers and since I wanted to be "big" I didn't even cry, I made a good impression in front of the older ones, but inside me I couldn't help less than screaming "fuck what pain". In any case, if accidents happened it was certainly our fault and if we interrupted our work for this, we were not paid for the lost time, not for money, we needed to grow more attentive and stronger.

1972. The tractor driver.

At thirteen, after the beautiful experience in the sawmill and with a few holes on my fingers, I returned to the countryside, but this time no longer with the hoe, but with something much larger and more modern: the family tractor, a very larger than the tool I was used to when I worked in the garden, but the use of which involved much less effort, this aspect made the work more interesting than the previous ones, even if it did not last for a long time, less than a year.

1973. The kitchen boy.

 When I was 13 my family decided to move back to Germany. We immediately knew the problems of intolerance; in fact in Germany they did not tolerate that children under 15 could go to work. Fortunately, an Italian abroad always finds another Italian friend who helps you, I found a job in an Italian restaurant: in charge of sanitizing supplies, or dishwasher, that is to say with the function of "marmitton" (dishwashing machine). I regularly work illegally, in the morning we started after 11, on the other hand in the evening the work ended at two or three in the morning. To get home, late at night, I would pass the train station, a truly uplifting setting for a 14-year-old boy.

My new employer was a pioneering guy: in 1973 he applied what are now considered modern concepts of quality control. He periodically came to check how the service was carried out and if he had found a piece of cutlery with some halo stain to make me understand the importance of a correctly performed service, he would have thrown into the sink all the cutlery that I had washed in the meantime, even the clean ones. ; what a lovely person my employer is. One day he told me that if I had behaved well I would have made a career and that within two or three years I could also aspire to be a waiter, as long as I behaved well. I decided that I didn't deserve so much goodness and that at the first opportunity I would have a bundle.

1973-1975 The martial arts

One non-work activity worthy of mention was the Tae-kwon-do gym I attended. It was only because he taught me to download and channel in the right way the great anger in my body that I have always had in my life. If I hadn't been in that gym and if I hadn't had that Master who was not only a master of Tae-Kwon-do but for me, a true teacher of life, who knows what happened to me. In the 70s "bands" were in fashion, not those that played but played them, there were all kinds and from all origins, especially in the world of migrants and when they met each other it was certainly not to take together a cappuccino. Knives, bars, chains and "nunchaku" were snapped up by the young and very young of that period. It was easy to fall into the trap of belonging to this or that gang, but my never forgotten teacher taught me that anger can be a great non-destructive force, if you can handle it. Thank you Master Kurt, my debt to you will never be extinguished.

1974-1975. At the station

When I turned 15, I found a job at a large German company that was present throughout Germany. Practically the company covered the entire supply chain that started from the sea, with its own fishing boats, to the consumer, with the shops that sold fresh but also cooked fish and where it was also possible to have lunch. I worked in a station where the fish depot for the various branches in the area was. My job consisted of unloading the fish wagons arriving from the North Sea and placing them in special cold rooms, or loading the trucks that had the task of taking them to their final destinations. Often early in the morning, we went around the various branches where fish was sold and cooked, to collect the garbage of the day before, we took it with the truck to the public landfill: fuck that stinks, especially in summer. All in all it was an interesting job, it was heavy but at least I was hired regularly and the working hours were acceptable. 5 days a week which became 4 as a duly paid day was destined for the “berufschule”, the school for underage workers. Of course, the cold of the refrigerators sometimes made itself felt. In summer, the outside temperature reached almost thirty degrees and considering that there were about twenty degrees below zero in the cells, it happened to undergo temperature changes of almost 50 degrees, even now, and especially with a few years on my shoulders, my body it reminds me, with some pains, of that period spent in the cold rooms. On Saturdays, for a change, I used to go to the station in a company near mine to unload wagons, so much so as not to lose the habit. They paid us based on the hours actually worked, and when I could before handing over the money to my parents, I "stole" a few coins from the envelope they gave me at the end of the day.

1975. The truck unloader

At 16, I returned to Italy with my family. I continued working as a truck unloader, but this time not with wagons but with trucks, at my local fruit and vegetable market and in the produce packing warehouses. I began to get bored of that life, and between one truck and another, I decided I had to change something. I wanted to study, graduate from middle school, get a high school diploma, and why not, even a college degree. How wonderful it would be to become an engineer or a doctor and not have to unload trucks anymore. I made two bets with myself, one of which was to get a college degree ( I've never told anyone about the other one; I'll tell it for the first time later ). But how could I possibly think of something like that? I had only a primary school diploma, and in the small town where I lived, there was no after-school program. I could apply as an outsider, but it wasn't that easy, working more than eight hours a day and spending my life between one truck and another, between a fruit and vegetable warehouse and the local market, sometimes getting up at 3:30 in the morning. I had the opportunity to express my desire to graduate to friends and family, but I was laughed at, and the most benevolent reaction was a pitiful pat on the back. In short, to put it simply, I didn't have the CV I needed for the purpose I had set myself. I had to come up with something, yes, I really had to come up with something.

1976 -1982. The Navy

At that time, I had a mania for reading everything I could get my hands on: comics, magazines, advertisements, anything longer than two words. One day, I had the chance to read a Navy ad that said: "Join the Navy, you'll study and travel the world." Holy cow, that was exactly what I wanted. I was especially intrigued by the first part. I had suffered greatly when I was forced to drop out of school, and that could have been the opportunity of a lifetime. And it was indeed the opportunity of a lifetime. I only learned many years later that, unknowingly, I had come across those damned resumes. For reasons I don't remember or don't want to remember, I didn't have the necessary qualifications (basically, I didn't have the right resume). I think someone, unbeknownst to me, had adjusted some of the requirements, so in 1976, I joined the Navy. I was 17, full of anger and a strong desire to grow.

During the initial selection process , I asked to be assigned to the electronics technician category, but, obviously, once again, I didn't have the right CV. I only had a primary school diploma, and they told me it would be too difficult for me. So I was assigned to the mechanic qualification and sent to La Maddalena, but I didn't want to be a mechanic; I preferred a screwdriver to a wrench, and the smaller the better, it was much easier. I still had vivid memories of the physical exertions I'd endured in previous years. I had to come up with something, and something I came up with. I made such a mess that eventually someone took pity on that stubborn boy, so they decided to accommodate me, at least partially: I was assigned to Taranto to take the electrician course. They told me I'd scored highly in the aptitude tests, but that with a primary school diploma, that was the best I could hope for.

When I arrived in Taranto , I continued my battle. I discovered that the electronics technician course hadn't been activated that year, but that one considered equivalent had been activated: electromechanics. In a conversation with the director of the non-commissioned officer training school, I told him that despite my "curriculum," I would place first on the exam scheduled after the first three months of the course. I proposed a bet to the director: if I succeeded, he had to promise to help me transfer to the electromechanics course; otherwise, I swore I wouldn't bother me again and would resign myself. He agreed, perhaps thinking it was the only way he could keep me happy.

I won the bet, so after three months I returned to him to collect the debt. The Director, who would never have expected such a thing, while admitting he was impressed by what I had managed to achieve, tried to convince me to give up. He spoke of two fish: one small and one big. In his opinion, if I stayed on the electrician course (which lasted only nine months), I could become the head of the small fish, while by enrolling in the electromechanical course, due to my undeniable academic shortcomings, I could only aspire to be the tail of the big fish, provided I managed to pass the various periodic selections that took place during the almost two-year course. In fact, he told me that in the electromechanical course, all the participants had at least two or three years of attendance at secondary schools, while I only had an elementary school diploma. Furthermore, he couldn't let me start the course right from the beginning, but would eventually assign me to the already active course where they had already completed the first three months, thus further increasing the difficulties due to the missed lessons. I replied that I was willing to bet that I could at least reach the fish's stomach.

The Director, impressed by my tenacity , persuaded me to move up to the advanced course, although less than a month later, bad luck would have it that I injured myself and that, due to a cast on my hand, I would miss another twenty days of classes. The anger I had in my body during those years was much stronger than the bad luck, and thanks to the precious teachings of my dear Tae-kwon-do master, I had learned to tame it to my advantage. I fought and won the challenge again—in fact, I won it remarkably: at the end of the course, I placed first, won a scholarship, and even managed to graduate from middle school during that time, studying as an external student at the age of 18.

At the end of the course, the Director called me in and thanked me, because he never would have expected that a boy like me, who barely knew the Italian language (and he was right, because partly due to my academic shortcomings and partly due to interpersonal issues, I often couldn't communicate properly with others) could teach something to him, who had years and years of life experience. I thanked him in turn, because without his trust, I wouldn't have been able to demonstrate that not everything is written on paper.

I became an electronics expert in charge of radar management on the most important operational ship of the time: the destroyer Audace. I studied as an external student, having graduated from middle school at eighteen, and at twenty, applying for a secondary school diploma, I earned my high school diploma. Meanwhile, I didn't forget to fulfill my military duties: two years of petty officer training, finishing first overall, and then four years of seamanship.

On board the ships of the Italian Navy I carried out various activities, including being the youngest non-commissioned officer in the Navy to actually manage a Fire Control Center, coordinating a dozen people and carrying out a series of experiments with Fire Control Radars and various other things that I omit here because for some of them, I was not allowed to talk about them at the time and therefore I will continue not to talk about them, but also because they would significantly lengthen the discussion.

At twenty-two , in 1981, after two scholarships, one offered by what was then the Imperial Iranian Navy, I was offered admission to the Naval Academy (it was the logical consequence of my background, and in the military, symbols are generally appreciated for display at various events to motivate young recruits). I owe a lot to the Navy; the little good I accomplished in the years that followed, including my degree, I owe to Mama Marina, but fate then took me down other paths. To the disappointment of more than one person, I decided instead to retire and start over, which I did in 1982 at the age of twenty-three.

1982 -1990. Pisa and the university period

I enrolled, as a simple civilian and without the protection of "Mamma Marina" in Information Sciences at the University of Pisa, in reality not even this time I had a curriculum suitable for the purpose, the University of Pisa was then among the most difficult in Italy and I had taken the baccalaureate by studying, from outside, only a few months and despite having taken 56/60 (the highest grade of all the participants in the baccalaureate exams) I was aware of my scholastic deficiencies, moreover I did not have a lot of money to support myself in my studies until I graduated, I had some little help from my parents but unfortunately it wasn't enough to support me. Among the various activities carried out to keep me at my studies I did various jobs, including the attendant at the ANFASS in Livorno, in other words, after being in charge of the Nave Audace Shooting Center, the most important operational ship of the Navy and having given up a brilliant career as an officer in the Navy, I returned to washing dishes and cleaning toilets to support myself in my studies. The experience at ANFASS, however, was very important for my inner growth. Dealing with disabled people makes us understand, at times, the true meaning of life and what they are able to give is much higher than what the so-called "able" give them, for work or voluntary work. For a few years I did various odd jobs until I was hired as an electrician. I spent the last period of the University working eight hours a day placing high voltage cables inside the Pisa airport. In the evening I was studying and on more than one occasion I fell asleep with my head above the university books. 

1990-1995 The computer career

At thirty, fresh out of college, my career in IT officially began. I'd heard about an IT company, Datamat, and I applied, but it wasn't accepted because my resume wasn't up to par. A thirty-year-old graduate with a grade of 88/110 doesn't attract big companies. When I decide to publish—if I ever do—the book that recounts other aspects of my life, I'll explain how I managed it. The fact is, after about a year, I was at Datamat as a member of the software design team for the first European military satellite, "Helios" (launched on July 7, 1995, from the Kourou base in French Guiana).

I subsequently participated in other interesting projects: designing an IT system to manage construction site activities for steam extraction for ENEL's geothermal power plants; designing IT procedures for prefectures; designing IT systems for the healthcare sector; and teaching IT for various companies, organizing and conducting IT courses, including some for my former employer, the Italian Navy.

1996 - 2000 consulting and training

At thirty-six , in 1995, I had achieved the role of "Program Manager," a coveted qualification in the IT field. Meanwhile, due to my new studies (in 1990 I had re-enrolled at the University of Pisa in the Faculty of Arts, specializing in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage) and the holidays I had spent in Sicily, I had fallen in love with Sicily and its immense cultural riches. I also realized that I had lived almost thirty years of my life away from the land of my birth. At 37, I decided to start from scratch, this time with a wife and child to support. I quit my job and returned to my hometown, unemployed and filled only with self-confidence.

I was one of the first in Sicily to begin working in Quality Management Systems. I didn't have much experience in the field (the usual CV wasn't suitable for the job), but it was true that at that time in Sicily there weren't many people with expertise in the field. I had to invent something, and something I did. Thanks to my determination and a few friends who believed in me, about a year after my reckless decision to abandon what was considered a secure job, I became one of the first inspectors in Sicily for Quality Certification and the regional manager of the quality certification service for the CNA (National Confederation of Artisans and SMEs). In addition to my consulting work, over the years I have carried out design and teaching activities for various training institutions.

2000 - birth of the Helios Study Center 

At forty-one , in 2000, I began my career as Director of the Helios Study Center, a company specializing in training and promoting the local area. When I embarked on this new venture, I quickly realized I didn't have the right CV to be an entrepreneur. I didn't have (and still don't have) the entrepreneurial mindset, I didn't have (and still don't have) the sales skills, and all those other positive things that make it happen. Once again, I had to invent something, and something I did, at least to survive in this world of crafty people: the idea was to continually offer new, innovative services before they became widespread, so that customers would seek me out, given my inability to seek them out. It is on this principle that I have ensured that the Center has been a pioneer in many sectors: the first organization in Southern Italy to be accredited by the Ministry of Health for healthcare training, the first Sicilian organization authorized to conduct online refresher courses in the food and safety sectors, and among the first organizations in Italy to offer distance learning in apprenticeships, plant protection products, and more. Currently, the Helios Study Center's e-learning platforms have over 5.000 registered users and over 740.000 hours of training delivered. All of this is detailed in the "standard" curriculum vitae, which you can read separately.

The Helios Study Center, which I direct, has also operated with an innovative spirit in the field of Cultural Heritage promotion : in 2002, it was one of the first organizations to design a course for Experts in Multimedia Promotion of Cultural Heritage; in 2006, it organized, entirely with its own funds, the "Multimedia Baroque Week," proposing, among the first in Sicily, a different and innovative way of promoting the region through new multimedia technologies; in 2008, it produced a multimedia CD created for the presentation of a book of poetry, which harmoniously blended recited poems interspersed with pictorial images and background music.

Starting in 2013, I began creating new portals or revamping older ones according to a web philosophy that wasn't yet widely understood. Those who want to be cutting-edge, even with their websites, often talk about Web 2.0. I anticipated the concept of Web 3.0 somewhat, but this too can be seen in the "standard" CV, which you can read separately.

In 2013, I decided that my Heritage Sicilia project, launched about 10 years earlier with the aim of promoting Sicilian cultural heritage, wouldn't be limited to just creating websites and multimedia products. The idea for Heritage Sicilia Eventi was born, which included cultural events in the region and an award (Premio Heritage Sicilia) dedicated to anyone who, through culture, entertainment, or their own work, contributed to the promotion of Sicily and its cultural heritage. But how could I carry out such a project during a time of economic crisis in a region like Sicily, where so little is accomplished without using public funds? And, above all, how could I convince the various local stakeholders of the validity of my idea? What I came up with was very simple: I simply convinced a few close friends to help me organize the events. Otherwise, I didn't have to convince anyone because all the initiatives were carried out almost entirely by my own efforts, including financial ones, and by the people closest to me. I've run two editions of the Heritage Sicilia Festival and would like to run more, but to keep going I'll still have to come up with something new because I don't have the strength and resources to manage events like the Heritage Sicilia Award, especially when you live in a world where many are willing to jump on a bandwagon, but only if it belongs to the winner and, above all, only if it's already in motion and they don't have to push.

Almost always, the initiatives undertaken were started without even the opportunity to compare notes with others, for the simple fact that there were no others to compare notes with. In our world, success is measured by the ability to make money; in this sense, neither I nor the Center I direct have ever been successful, most likely because we're incapable of it, or perhaps because we've never focused on this aspect. Every time we've succeeded in realizing an innovative project, our efforts have been directed toward new goals. We might say we're more interested in "doing" than "selling," but perhaps the real reason is that the only thing we know how to do is "create," without any commercial skills to capitalize on the things we've accomplished. I'd also venture to say that perhaps, unlike others who have the ambitious project, I've only had the ambition of the project.

1976 to present: Trainer

In my life I have done many jobs, but perhaps that of the trainer is the one that has accompanied me for a good part of my life and that perhaps I have loved the most. I believe I can affirm that my career as a trainer began in 1976, when a young student of the NCO School of the Navy and having, as qualifications, only elementary school, I was the "After School Teacher" for a group of Iranian soldiers who attended the electromechanics course with me. They didn't understand Italian well, I probably less than them, yet I was able to pass something on to them. I think I had, indirectly confirmed when after a few years I was awarded a scholarship from the then Imperial Iranian Navy, I think there was the hand of the Iranian military to whom I gave after-school lessons. Perhaps a way of thanking me for what I had done for them, even if I never knew it officially, especially for the events that immediately afterwards led to the fall of the Shah of Persia.

In the standard resume, I have included a non-exhaustive list of the courses I designed and/or taught or developed the handouts for. This list is not exhaustive, as I have lost track of many of the events or they were delivered unofficially. The list shows that I have designed over 20.000 hours of training, approximately 14.000 of which were e-learning and over 6200 hours in-person. I have also taught approximately 12.000 hours, over 2.200 of which were in the classroom and the remainder via distance learning. I have developed the handouts for all of the hours I taught myself.

2018: the year of resilience

 

2020: The Barons of culture and the peasant writer 

Unlike the desire to graduate, which I shared right away, I never told anyone (this is the first time I make it public), the second bet I made with myself when I was 16: one day I would have written at least a book.

Why this bet? To understand this we must take into consideration the fact that leaving school at 10, my only source of knowledge and inner growth were first the comics, and then the books. I had a mania for reading, one day I exchanged the first communion watch for some comics, imagine the happiness of my parents in learning about this. I have always loved books and when I could I bought them, first, second or third hand, as long as they were legible. When I was a student in Pisa, on more than one occasion I used the money from my lunch to buy a book and now, at my house I find about 4.000 volumes, including novels, essays, encyclopedias and so on. I have never envied other people's money, but libraries did and if I was a thief as a young man, I was a thief for books. The "truvature", that is the enchanting treasures, the subject of many ancient legends, in my dreams were not with chests of gold coins but shelves of ancient books. Writing a book meant for me to be part of that world that I have loved all my life, that of writers who achieved immortality through their works.

I have always been aware that it was not (and is not) easy to overcome the difficulties that my very limited knowledge of the Italian language can entail. Especially for those like me who have never actually studied even the basics of grammar. As a kid, and certainly up to the early years of the Navy, I had many difficulties in communicating, probably not only for a linguistic fact but for psychological reasons that I do not tell here. The consequence of all this was that I was seen in the eyes of other observers (not attentive) as an idiot and this made me suffer a lot, especially when this happened in the family context. "They" did not know that despite not being able to communicate my thoughts adequately, I understood, and above all, "felt" their words, their judgments, sometimes expressed in front of me as if I were not there or simply as if I did not understand, in fact, as an idiot. "They" did not know how many times I cried out of frustration, "they" did not know that they helped to feed, inside me, that anger that later turned into energy, but that's another story ... 

But let's get back to us, in my whole life the time, unfortunately, dedicated to the study of the Italian language, is perhaps limited to a few months, not more. It may seem strange but it is and I will try to prove it.

Apart from the study of grammar done during elementary school, the time devoted to studying all the subjects relating to the 3 years of the middle school certificate, taken at 18 during the frequency of the NCO course of the Navy, is resolved to about one month. actual. Let's say that while my peers were studying the Italian language and grammar I was busy working in the fields. It was in that period that every now and then I replaced the hoe with the pen to write my thoughts in my "secret diary", I was (and probably I have always remained), a "peasant writer"   

Same thing for the diploma (Professional Institute), taken after 2 years from the eighth grade. In fact, thanks to the electromechanical course done in the Navy, I was "bonus" 2 years of the professional, I went from outside for the other three years, but in fact, having never attended, I had to study the subjects of the first and second year. Basically, at the exam I presented, and was questioned, on all the subjects of the five-year period. The time devoted to studying all the subjects of the 5 years was approximately three or four months, a study carried out during the demanding navigation at sea with the Audace ship of the Navy. I haven't counted the time it took to study the Italian language, but I think it was very, very little.

At the Maturity exam (Technician of electrical and electronic industries), I had the mark of 56/60, they told me then, that it was the highest mark of the Institute, a great satisfaction after having dedicated only a few months to the preparation of the subjects related to 5 years of study. Obviously I was not a genius, otherwise I would not be where I am now, regretting all the bullshit made in my life, let's say that I was "charged", we could say that I had the "shock inside" that made my neurons go fast ". To be honest, a few months before I took the "shock" seriously; I was aboard the Audace ship, at that time I had a certain "ear" in hearing the failures of the equipment assigned to me. On one occasion he heard a strange noise in a specific part of the shooting radar, like a good idiot, I got close to hear better, maybe I got too close to the magnetron, the tube fed at high voltage (20.000 Volts) that was used to generate the electromagnetic waves of the radar. The result of that careless gesture was a "voltaic arc" that discharged some electrons on me, entered from his shoulder and came out of my hand resting on a point that was grounded. I had time, before I passed out, to ask myself where that stench of burning I felt was coming from, then he realized it was me. We were close to staying there, but that's another story too. As a joke I always say that at the time, the synapses of my brain neurons were going fast thanks to the 20.000-volt shock I had received.  

But let's get back to us again, I was trying to show how small the time devoted to the study of the Italian language was. When in 1982 I took leave of the Navy to go to the University of Pisa, choosing a technical faculty such as Information Sciences (now IT), it was not that the Italian language was studied much. The only contact I had with writing was not through studying but through reading thousands of books that I still keep all, or almost all of them, in my home. It is like those who learn a foreign language directly "on the field", obviously with all the limitations that this entails. For years when I heard about the subjunctive, I thought it had to do with eye problems.  

So here, I never had (and I don't have) the right curriculum to write and have the honor of considering myself a writer. Yet, this has never prevented me from writing, since I was a child, in the ways and forms that my level of knowledge of the Italian language allowed me. Often without letting others know, out of shame or modesty, what I wrote, sometimes timidly, although aware of my limitations, I exposed myself, as when at 17 I participated in a poetry contest organized by the Non-commissioned Officers School of the Taranto Navy. Gradually, I took courage, thanks also to my activity as a trainer, I started writing and disseminating my writings. In recent years I have realized that I have written a lot, but really a lot; in the teaching sector alone I wrote lecture notes for over 6.000 hours of training, I wrote articles published in some magazines, I wrote over 8.000 cards relating to the monuments cataloged in the Heritage Archive that can be visited on the portal "La Sicilia in Rete" and talking about this portal, I must say that almost all of the several thousand web pages that make it up are written by me. I think I have written a lot, but without publishing, except in the form of articles scattered in some magazine or on the Internet, at least until now.

In fact, in the early nineties I wrote a book, without publishing it, entitled "Cults and Myths of Ancient Sicily", in 1996 (I think), a person with whom I later became friends was able to read it, his name was Filippo Garofalo, a person of culture and appreciated, he liked it and wanted me to join what was then the Associazione Storia Patria of Ragusa. Within the Association, I met many people of culture, including some "Barons of Culture" who probably did not like the presence of a "peasant writer" so much.

A few years ago, thanks to the friends of Linea Verde on Rai 1, who decided to base part of their program on an article of mine relating to the Grotta della Capra d'oro which connects the "truvature" and the ancient human sacrifices, in particular the construction sacrifices, I was interviewed in their show which aired on 18 March 2018 on Rai 1. In the interview I was compared to none other than Gavino Ledda the author of "Padre Padrone". I thank my friends at Rai 1 very much, but the comparison is completely undeserved, apart from my painful youth and my military service, I feel like a microbe compared to writers like Ledda.  

The fact is, that thanks to the friends of Rai 1, for the first time I felt that I was given the "writer", even in a transmission broadcast on the main national TV, a dream for us mere mortals. Being called a "writer" was actually my ancient dream that I never told anyone, because I was fully aware of my unsuitable "curriculum", that's why I have now decided to take back all (or almost) the things written in the last 40 years and publish them officially with the fateful "numerino" ISBN. I have published and will continue to publish most of my works, in particular on the History of Sicily and some essays on various topics, together with tourist guides and photographic books that tell about my "beloved" land; and I will publish them despite my limitations, hoping that readers will focus more on the contents than on the inevitable linguistic blunders linked to the fact that after all I am only "a peasant writer" 

I believe I can affirm that my desire to write history books or essays is not presumption or usurpation of other people's spaces but the desire to convey to others, in the ways that I am allowed, the feeling of satisfaction that I find when I study topics such as history, the ancient religions or simply the world around us.

I must say that even today (perhaps more than before), I feel strong mistrust of me by the "Barons of Culture", according to them I do not have the "adequate curriculum" to write, imagine if I can have the presumption to consider myself as theirs. even. Who knows why it reminds me a little of how much I was an emigrant to Germany, I was considered a mafia, dirty and slacker, just because I was Sicilian. Amici Baroni della Cultura, I know that my "curriculum" is not comparable to yours, with all due respect I believe that you will never understand certain things, because it is very likely that you have never had the honor of staying a whole day with the hoe in hand to earn your bread otherwise you would not be "Barons of Culture" but "Men of Culture"  

Although I have been (and I am honored to still be) a peasant writer, I have written over a dozen essays, the updated list of my publications at present can be found at the top of this page

 

2021: Surrender not surrendered

2021: The surrender. With the resume update in October 2021, I had declared my surrender. Here's what I wrote: "I officially declare that tiredness and the desire for greater serenity are pushing me to say enough to the many forms of struggle that have characterized my life. One of these is that linked to the world of work, which has pushed me to always invent new things, initiatives that demonstrate how, despite the lack of a "curriculum," I was capable of doing what others thought was beyond my intellectual and professional capabilities. Now that's enough, I officially announce that I'm "retiring," not in the generally known sense of the term, as I believe that despite having worked almost continuously since I was ten years old (so over 52 years ago), I will have to work to "earn my daily bread," probably for as long as my mind and body allow me. In my case, "retiring" means dedicating myself primarily, even from a professional point of view, to things that make me passionate, that stimulate my creative way of being, that are not tied exclusively to the concept of "duty." What I had to and could I've done it, regardless of the results achieved, good or bad. I've proven what I had to prove, at least to myself. From now on, unless life throws me unexpected and unwanted battles, I want to fight only against myself, or rather against the inexorable passage of time that leads me to believe that many of my projects, tied to my passion and my desire to leave something significant, will never be completed. I'm comforted, however, by the thought that by being passionate about the things I plan to do until the eternal night comes, I'll have fun and feel alive until the end; this will allow me to "die living" and not "live dying."

2022: Surrender to surrender

2022: surrender (to surrender). Life events force me to resume battles I'd rather abandon; I'm forced to devise new projects and initiatives that, unless I live for many more decades, I'm unlikely to complete. It's fate that, just as I began, I'll end with battles far greater than I could reasonably face. But if this is my destiny, I will accept it as I always have.

Among the projects, conceived a few years earlier, resumed and consolidated at least from a formal point of view in 2022 I can list: 

• Formalization of concepts related to the Experiential and Interpretation principles of Cultural Heritage. The result was the publication of the volume: Experiential Pathways and Cultural Heritage Interpretation Vol. 1: Origins and Theoretical Principles
• Giving real meaning to the concept of Evaluation of the Quality of Experiences. The result was the birth of  Quality Seal of Tourism and Experiential Marketing ®.

Other volumes published in 2022:

• 2022. Sicily Unveiled: Before the Greeks  
• 2022. Myths of Ancient Sicily   
• 2022. Cults of Ancient Sicily 
• 2022. Masks and Faces of Sicily 
• 2022. The Baroque of Val di Noto in the UNESCO World Heritage Site 
• 2022. Tourism, Art and Cultural Heritage: Professional Profiles and New Skills Framework 

2023: Dare, beyond the limits that are recognized to you

In 2023, I decided to revisit some past studies related to the formalization of professional profiles. I'm not an academic, and some would argue that I lack the expertise to develop models and methods on the topic. Nevertheless, I dared to develop a methodology I called the "Competence Cycle," which can be seen as a bridge between the worlds of education and work. It provides a framework for identifying, defining, and developing skills that are both relevant to labor market needs and grounded in solid educational and training foundations. The result is the publication of the following volume: The Competence Cycle for Building Professional Profiles and Training Standards .

I also continued my studies on Experiential Tourism and published the following volume: Experiential Tourism and Marketing: Principles, Case Studies, Experiential Quality Label, Skills and Professional Profiles

Subsequently, without any official qualifications, I decided to revisit the concept of ecomuseums. At the time, I thought I had dared too much. The indifference and, perhaps, mistrust of the "experts" in the field made me doubt, leading me to ask myself: how did I dare redefine ecomuseums and create a new entity like "Centres for the Interpretation of Cultural Heritage (CEIP)"? Before I could sink into depression, something happened, something that gave me new courage to continue "daring." The book caught the interest of Hugues de Varine, a distinguished archaeologist, historian, and museologist, recognized as one of the world's leading experts on ecomuseums. Former director of ICOM from 1965 to 1976, De Varine expressed, through several emails, his appreciation for my work on ecomuseums, particularly for the comparative approach with Centres for the Interpretation of Cultural Heritage. He also expressed his willingness to discuss the matter further. The great De Varine, instead of looking askance at my attempt to redefine ecomuseums, demonstrated humility and open-mindedness, congratulating me—an attitude sadly lacking among many cultural "barons." Here's the book: From Ecomuseums to Heritage Interpretation Experience Centers (CEIP)

being updated… (maybe!) 

Finally

The one described is my real CV, the one without frills, perhaps unorthodox but it is part of my not easy life, lived in the name of fighting against prejudices but perhaps mainly against myself. For some years I have felt tired, very tired and when this happens there is a strong desire to stop rowing and withdraw into myself, but I have many things to do and unwon battles that perhaps I will never win, to continue to carry on. In my little boat of which I am the commander, there are people who still need my help, that's why as I said at the beginning, I will continue to fight, at least until I have enough strength to do so, perhaps because I am not capable of something else, perhaps because I am not allowed anything else. There are many things I could tell you that, although not part of my working life, have marked my past. One day, if I feel like it and if the conditions are there, I will tell another story; I allow myself to give a small hint now: The story of that time he contributed to saving the Audace ship and perhaps hundreds of people - an event known only to a few.

1979: The fire on Nave Audace

 

3) Ongoing projects and studies

Cultural projects: 

PC1) Heritage 4.0: From Access to the Semantic Archive through experiential itineraries

Creation of the first "GeoSocial", Multithematic and Territorial Cultural Archive, containing the assets of the Material and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Sicily and Malta. There are currently over 13.000 assets catalogued. 

Phases of the Heritage 4.0 Project (summary)

• Heritage Archive 3.0: Launch of the first Multi-Archive of Cultural Heritage "Heritage", consisting of a hundred thematic and territorial archives integrated with each other containing the assets of the Material and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Sicily and Malta. This phase, which began in 1995, has currently led to the cataloging and georeferencing of over 13.000 tangible and intangible cultural assets.
• Heritage 3.0 Plus Archive: This activity, which began in 2020, is currently under development and implementation
  • Audio guides: Integration of audio guides
  • Video media: Integrations of videos from social media (Youtube)
  • QR-Code: Insertion of QR-Code in the archive cards 
  • Downloadable mini-guide creations created with QR-Code.
  • “QR Archive for Accessible Navigation”: Creation of QR-Codes for the blind. These codes, once scanned, lead to web pages with specific audio content 
• Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily: Integration of the Archive with the project “Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily”. Phase started in 2020 and continually evolving.
• Experiential Itineraries: Development of Tourist Itineraries based on a holistic approach to the valorisation of the territory, following the experiential and Heritage Interpretation principles. The first itineraries will be published in 2024.
• Heritage 4.0: Creation of a Semantic Archive, which integrates the existing archive with semantic Artificial Intelligence. This will allow an improvement in the search for information and in the automatic generation of holistic itineraries. It will be possible to query the Heritage Archive using text and voice, overcoming the limits of current metadata (categories and hashtags). The testing phase is underway, with the expectation of publishing the first prototype by the end of 2024.

Reference link: https://www.lasiciliainrete.it/h1-1-archivio-heritage/

PC2) Multimedia Archaeological Map of Sicily (CAMS)

The map is substantially a geo-referenced, multi-thematic and muti-territorial archive which currently includes around 4.000 cataloged and geo-referenced archaeological sites. 

Reference link: https://www.lasiciliainrete.it/archivio-patrimonio-archeologico-di-sicilia/

PC3) Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily

The project "Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily" has a twofold objective:

• A: Identify and catalog the ancient paths and historical itineraries of Sicily so that they can be of support for anyone who wishes to identify hiking, experiential and eco-museum itineraries and routes that reflect faithfulness to the ancient paths as much as possible.
• B: Creation of the “Charter of the Paths of Sicily” on the basis of the existing routes created in the area by the various promoting entities and make a comparison of this map with the ancient Routes and Historical Itineraries.

To achieve the first objective, a series of operational phases have been envisaged:

1. Analysis of bibliographic and cartographic sources
2. Preparation of the Multimedia Archaeological Map of Sicily (CAMS)
3. Preparation of the Map of Paths and Royal Trazzere of Sicily (CSRT)
4. Preparation of the Map of the Paths and the Sicilian, Greek and Roman Crossroads

The Map of Paths and Royal Trazzere also includes segments of historical roads dating back to the 19th century. It is important to consider that numerous segments of the Regie Trazzere and the historic routes follow ancient routes documented in the Sicilian, Greek and Roman Routes and Crossroads Map.

Reference link: https://www.lasiciliainrete.it/antichi-cammini-e-itinerari-di-sicilia/

Scientific/professional projects

PS1): Project “Experiential Tourism and Interpretation of Cultural Heritage”

Premise

As predicted by Pine and Gilmore in 1999, we are witnessing a shift from a service economy to an experience economy. This transformation now affects not only sectors historically linked to tourism and culture, but also services and product marketing (experiential marketing). It is no coincidence that, to cite Italy alone, the dossier for the Strategic Tourism Development Plan for 2023-2027 repeatedly emphasizes how Experiential Tourism and Marketing are a strategic element for tourism development. The same strategic plan also emphasizes the importance of both the quality of tourism offerings certified through a label and the training of experience professionals. All of this requires businesses (and individual professionals) to prepare for what we might call the Experiential Transition , which will allow them to offer their products and services in the form of "Experiential Offerings."

Finally, since Cultural Heritage is often the "raw material" of many experiences, it is appropriate to promote innovative and holistic tools that allow its promotion and valorisation in the name of protection and sustainable development.

The Experiential Transition is therefore based on five important pillars:

1. The ever growing Experiential Offerings in the experience economy and the organizations interested in offering them.
2. The Guarantee of the Quality of the Experiential Offers
3. The professions concerned and their recognition in accordance with the law
4. Corporate and professional training
5. Cultural Heritage is the basis of many experiential offers

The project

The project was born as a response to the ongoing Experiential Transition and has the following objectives :

• • Promote and enhance the Experiential and Quality Culture and facilitate the transition of companies and society towards an experiential economy (Experiential Transition)
  • Promote and enhance experiential skills in the tourism, cultural, entertainment and commercial fields
  • Promote innovative and holistic tools for the promotion, enhancement and protection of Cultural Heritage

To achieve these objectives, various initiatives have been activated:

1) Campaign “Towards a New Tourist and Cultural Horizon: Knowledge and skills for innovative tourism”

• • 1.1) The Web of Knowledge: Creation of the first web platform that deals with 360° "experiences", with articles, in-depth sheets and guidelines that can be used for free.
  • 1.2) Dissemination of Skills: Possibility of free access to basic courses for the tourism, cultural and cultural heritage sectors;
  • 1.3) The Books of Experiences: Series of publications dedicated to exploring various aspects of Experiential Tourism and the Interpretation of Cultural Heritage. These volumes offer a complete and detailed overview, ideal for professionals, scholars and enthusiasts in the sector. The Experience books are available on the market, including the Amazon platform, where they can also be purchased using the Culture Bonus and the Teacher's Card Bonus. To facilitate access to the books by scholars and interested parties, it is possible to download the volumes for free from the ACADEMIA.EDU website.

2) Standardization, Enhancement and Promotion of Experiential Skills 

• • 2.1) Professional Competence Standards: Establishment of the Competence Network (RdC), a scientific-cultural partnership dedicated to the definition of professional profiles focused on skills. The strong point behind this initiative is the creation and implementation of the reference Framework of the skills required and applied in the Tourism, Arts and Cultural Heritage sector, called Tourism, Arts, Heritage Competence Framework (TAH-CF)
  • 2.2) Certification of Skills: Certification pursuant to the law of the skills of the experiential and eco-museum figures involved (Certificate of Quality and Qualification pursuant to law 4/2013 which allows, among other things, to obtain professional assignments in the Public Administration (DPCM 14/10/2021)
  • 2.3) Creation of the ACTASP Archive: "Archive of Tourism, Arts, Entertainment and Cultural Heritage Skills" and Experiential Databases: The ACTASP archive consists of the Repertoire of Professions and various integrated databases:
    • Repertoire of Professions: Directory of Professional Profiles;
    • Specialists: Multimedia database of recognized professionals in Tourism, Arts, Entertainment and Cultural Heritage (includes the B.D. Trainers)
    • Educational Paths: Database of training courses for Cresponsibilities of Turism, of Arti, of Spettacle and del PCultural heritage;
    • Training Centers: Universities, AFAM Institutes, Schools and Training Centers and other training structures.

The integration of the databases will allow, once fully operational, the extrapolation of various related information. For example:

• • • • • For each profession, it will be possible to identify related institutes and training centers, specific training courses and recognized professionals.
        • For each training path, it will be possible to identify universities, AFAM institutes, schools or training centers that offer it, as well as the professional skills associated with that path.

The archive is supported by further databases:

• • • • • Organizations: Bodies, Associations, Companies and other Organizations that in various capacities operate in the tourism, artistic and entertainment sectors and in the protection and promotion of Cultural Heritage.
        • Experiential Offers
        • Museums and Ecomuseums 
        • Heritage Interpretation Experience Centers (CEIP)

Each database in turn is structured into thematic sub-databases which highlight certain categories of membership. 

• • • 2.4) Experiential Quality Mark ®: Establishment of the "QE" Experiential Quality Mark which assumes the important function of guarantee towards users as it certifies the ability to create quality experiential offers.
    • 2.5) International Experience License (IEL) ®: Establishment of the International License of Experiences (PIE) which certifies the possession of the experiential skills necessary to operate in the Experiences sector.
    • 2.6) Professional Training: Implementation of corporate and professional training courses

For details on the individual initiatives, please refer to the individual project sheets accessible from the web page:

Project "Experiential Tourism and Interpretation of Cultural Heritage" 

PS2) MICOT “Integrated Model of Competitiveness of the Tourism Offer”

Designer and creator of the MICOT model. The model I created is inspired by the reading of some theoretical models of the tourism sector proposed in the past (Campbell, 1967; Thurot, 1973; Plog, 1974; Miossec, 1977; Buttler, 1980); of some models of competitiveness of tourist destinations (Ritchie and Crouch 1993-2003; Dwyer and Kim, 2003), of the Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index (TTCI) - and its evolution into TTDI -, developed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) with the objective of measuring the factors and policies that make a country attractive from a tourism point of view. The various concepts were revisited in light of the principles of Total Quality Management and the Quality measurement model that I called the 4 Q Model.

Reference link: https://www.aiptoc.it/il-modello-micot/

Ignazio Caloggero

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