His multifaceted figure as a politician, cultural operator, journalist, in a book
by Adriano Marinensi
On the cover of the volume there is a painting by the painter Piero Gauli with the emblematic title: The Sower. It recalls the peasant civilization and the traditions of a world that was among the main thoughts of Sandro Boccini, to which the volume is dedicated. To him and to the political-cultural initiatives conceived and implemented in the last part of the 20th century. And precisely, as an existential reminder, the cover still reads: “A life to do, a time to remember”. Remember a character from the recent Umbria story: Journalist, writer, cultural operator, politician.
The volume talks about him as a man of action. Renata Micheli defines him as “a bearer of interests of a community, a visionary who does not forget his roots, because the future always has an ancient heart”. There is the story of “a story within a story whose threads we intend to tie together so that nothing is lost”. Therefore the intent appears to be more valuable than a commemoration. Rather, they are the traits of an era that lived in the operational hope of building a development of a popular nature. Boccini was among those Umbrian thinkers who believed, almost fideistically, in regionalist revolution, as essence and passion for an open democracy and an innovative way of doing politics. Planning to promote the economic and social balance of the regional territory.
My contribution in the book says: “We ran together, Boccini and I, as if on a tandem, but he pedaled in front and it was he who indicated the direction and the strategy, a tenacious creator and tireless implementer of popular participation initiatives.” He was obsessed with the fundamental importance of responsible participation, combined with information and cultural promotion.
These three “dogmas” inspired the activity promoted in Umbria (and Sabina). In many fields he was an avant-garde pioneer. Starting from school days – which was still closed and “sovereignist” – with the student newspapers of “ideas, facts and controversies”, Il Nosy and l’Archibugio. Then, much later, the direction of the magazine Quaderni Umbri and the periodicals Agenzia Regionale dell’Umbria, Agenzia Sabina, Lavoro e Partecipazione. For a democracy not of the masses, but of the people.
Of his passion for the environment, history, folklore, there is in the book the testimony of Sandro Petrollini, journalist, who recalls “Boccini’s battles for the Valnerina Park and the Sibillini Mountains and the many other actions in the Regional Council of Umbria for the valorization of the environmental and historical heritage.”. Petrollini concludes with a singular expression: “We don’t know in which battles the spirit of Sandro Boccini is engaged today. Certainly, if he can, he will be talking about his Umbria.” The environment is mentioned in the regional bill presented by Boccini in 1977, to propose “the establishment of the Alviano wildlife protection oasis”. The promotion of art (this is just one example) with the printing of Felice Fatati’s work “To you man, to you life”, a graphic translation of the Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis.
The figure of Boccini Regional Councilor Alberto Provantini traces in the book, to remember the experience, which began – he points out – with the session of 7 June 1970. “That day a common commitment began, albeit from different positions”. A new door had opened for politics and administration with the bringing of government activity closer to the people. “We disagreed – adds Provantini – on some choices, but there was agreement on the basic issues”. One of the key points: “We were trying to move powers from Rome to Perugia to transfer them to the homes of citizens.” Boccini said, in his speech on the first programmatic declarations of the Regional Council: “We want everything to change, starting from the way of doing politics, the way of developing proposals, the way of influencing workers and citizens on decisions”.
Some examples of legal initiatives formulated by Boccini are cited in the book: the management of mineral water assets, the use of uncultivated lands, youth employment. “The phenomenon of unemployment – it is the passage of an intervention – requires us to try every initiative to alleviate the condition of profound discomfort of young people in Umbria”. His trust in young people is found in the constant work of research and collaboration carried out in many environments, regardless of the “color” of the ideas: the required requirement was the passion for new politics and the spirit of service towards the community.
The book recalls some of the countless initiatives conceived by Boccini and implemented through the Mattei and Vanoni study centers and the support of Filippo Micheli. The rediscovery of traditional festivals: the posters dedicated to the Corsa dei Ceri of Gubbio, the historical procession of Orvieto, the Corsa all’Anello of Narni, the peripheral centers of Umbria.
Antonio Carlo Ponti talks about Sandro Boccini unusual politician “who had the cult of politics linked, in a double thread, to democracy”. He oriented many initiatives “towards the regional territory understood as a symbiosis between historical landscape and nature, a set of cultural heritage”. Ponti again: “His transition into politics was characterized by civil passion, cultural taste, challenge to canons, dogmas and conformism”.
University professor Gianfranco Cavazzoni comments on thecultural operator and reports “a deep friendship, based on esteem, also due to the peculiar aptitude he had in transferring thoughts into actions”. Cavazzoni adds: “When, in Italy, and even more so in Umbria, the debate was characterized by a harsh ideological opposition, Boccini launched the idea ofconstructive opposition, concrete, activity, proposal for the solution of the critical issues of the territory”.
Therefore, we can well say an intellectual presence translated into works and into different fields of knowledge that has left a profound trace in the era of spring of regionalism. In 1993, thirty-one years ago, with the passing of Sandro Boccini, Umbria (and Sabina too) lost a protagonist. ALS gave him a few months to live. It happened that it was May. He was sixty years old.
