(Sixth Power) – Cesena, 23 May 2024 – Use your imagination on a tablet, exploiting all the potential of the virtual world, to generate new collective scenarios within a real place. A new way to create moments of sharing and avoid the profound loneliness typical of the digital world, an increasingly worrying element of contemporary society.
This is the goal of TECA, an innovative socio-cultural service aimed mainly at the youth world, but not only, which will be located inside Pavilion A of the Cesena Fair (entrance from Piazzale Ezio Vanoni, 100) and which Thursday 23 May, at 3pm, was revealed to the public for the first time in the presence of the authorities. In short, a physical but virtual meeting place, where young people between the ages of 6 and 30 will be able to share unprecedented collective experiences through a new use of technology.
Among the guests, also present Enzo Lattucamayor of Cesena, Antonio Buzzipresident of Confcooperative Federsolidarietà Emilia Romagna, Pierlorenzo Rossigeneral director of Confcooperative Emilia Romagna, e Gianluca Mazzinigeneral manager Lepida.
Realized by Generationsa social cooperative based in Dovadola and operating mainly in the Romagna area (www.generazioni.eu), this innovative project conceived by Doctor Enrico Chiudinelli, who takes care of the artistic direction while Elena Candoli takes care of the aspects linked to the place and the scenography, has received the patronage of the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipality of Cesena and the Order of Psychologists of San Marino, as well as the support of the Order of Psychologists Emilia-Romagna and CIA Conad. The doctor will organize participation in the activities, which will take place at the Fair until September Simona AntonelliTECA contact person.
“Our objective – explains Antonelli – is to find an answer to some social critical issues linked to youth hardship, primarily to those forms of loneliness and isolation, today defined as ‘new normalities’, which derive from the lack of dedicated real meeting and socialization places specifically for young people. Discomfort closely linked to the excessive and passive use of digital tools and platforms which sometimes even leads to addiction, giving rise to a distorted vision of reality in young people, as unfortunately some disturbing news episodes show us. TECA wants to be a prevention tool for these problems.”
“The launch of experiences like this – comments Mayor Enzo Lattuca – represents for our city, as well as for the reference area, an added value and an extra piece that fits perfectly into the actions undertaken in favor of young people and their interests. In this new digital era, young people have a particular space to inform themselves, communicate and express themselves: that of the internet. However, it is necessary to accompany them in the exploration of this constantly evolving sector, which is sometimes also a source of risk situations. Computerization is increasingly present in our homes, at school, where technologies integrate with traditional learning tools, and in public spaces such as offices, the Malatestiana Library, where there is a large section dedicated to virtual and digital, and the Open Laboratory of Casa Bufalini which offers weekly workshops and training and refresher activities. We are therefore certain that this new reality can expand the proposal already existing in the area, enriching the users who want to explore it”.
“I want to extend special thanks to the Generazioni cooperative because it was able to find a way to address such an important and delicate topic – underlines Antonio Buzzi -. We look at digital innovation as a fundamental tool for our future, and it certainly is. But sometimes we forget how we can remain slaves to some tools if we don’t have the ability to discern. Thanks to Generations we are keeping our attention high on a topic that is very current and which affects the new generations in an important way.”
How TECA works
Real and virtual in a virtuous mix. TECA is a physical place within which people can give life to new and original experiences through those technological means that characterize our society today, acquiring the concept of “sociability”. A stage machine with a modular structure which, through simple iPads and some of their applications (iMovie, GarageBand, Keynote, Pages, Note, Procreate and others), changes from time to time based on the creativity of the participants for a path shared that develops through the exchange of ideas, opinions and contributions, in a perfect combination of physical structure (real world) and digital contents (virtual world).
“TECA is a special meeting place where kids, through technology, can concretely immerse themselves in the experiences they are living, socializing in a real, full and complete way. A place where you can experience and share the virtual without losing your physicality – points out Chiudinelli –. In doing so, young people return to being active subjects, producers and users of the contents they themselves created (Prosumers) and at the same time actors and spectators (Spect-actors) of what they put on stage. Through what we call ‘experiences’ kids can discover, share and then play, having fun. A modus operandi permeated with creativity that opens the mind towards teamwork, cooperation, getting involved, critical thinking, the ability to analyze and plan, fundamental elements for their personal growth and for the lives of all of us , working and otherwise”.
The “experiences” will take place on two different days: during the first each participant will use their imagination and TECA technology as a means to create, sharing original digital content in the stage space; in the second, starting from these contents, different scenarios will take shape within TECA, which will then be experienced, giving life to new stimulating collective imaginaries. To date there are three “experiences” planned – Star Mission (6 – 11 years), Diary (11 – 14 years), History (14 – 19 years) – while two others are still in the planning phase – University students (19 – 30 years), Over (aged 60 and over) -. Entrance to the activities for this edition will be at a promotional price thanks to supporters. Generations is looking for supporters who will allow the TECA experience to be offered free of charge to schools in Romagna. “We are convinced that the unprecedented collective experiences of TECA can help rediscover the sense of community – concludes Chiudinelli -. Technology, used correctly, is always an added value. And not something harmful.”
