The National Laboratory for Health, Agroecology, and the Regeneration of Inland Areas Is Launched in Tuscia

Future well-being depends on environmental restoration, organic farming and a new pact of solidarity between cities and small villages. This is the vision at the heart of INNO VITAM, the project funded by the MUR (Ministry of Universities and Research) and carried out by the IFFSS Foundation (Institute for Training and Research on Sustainable Development).

To present the guidelines for this initiative, citizens, institutions, and experts are invited to the public meeting to be held on July 10:

• Where: Castro Caves (VT), at the Community Center.
• When: Friday, July 10, starting at 10:30 a.m.

The event is sponsored by the Lazio Region, the Province of Viterbo, and the Municipality of Grotte di Castro.

The Vision: Tuscia as a Therapeutic Space and an “Rural Metropolis”

The event aims to promote Tuscia as a true hub of well-being dedicated to public health. The goal is to demonstrate how inland areas—thanks to their organic agricultural heritage, historic villages, and healthy environment—can become a crucial resource for national health prevention, combating physical and neurological decline and supporting large urban areas such as Rome.

Through the five pillars of the project (Health and Prevention, Agroecology and the Environment, Nutrition, Telemedicine, and Inland Areas), the goal is to define the “Rural Metropolis”: a strategic alliance in which rural areas and lakes combine care services, health tourism, and healthy food at a fair price.

The Event Schedule

The day’s proceedings will be led and moderated by Federico Fazzuoli, longtime author and host of *Linea Verde* on Rai 1.

Morning Session (10:30 a.m.) – Scientific Presentations

A series of presentations of the highest academic and medical caliber will explore the links between ecosystems and human health:

• Epidemiology and Health in Lazio – Alessandro Solipaca (Health Observatory, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart).
• Effects of Pollution and Pesticides – Dr. Antonella Litta (ISDE Physicians for the Environment).
• Male Fertility and Environmental Biomonitoring – Dr. Luigi Montano (Ecofoodfertility).
• Olive Polyphenols and Age-Related Diseases – Prof. Roberto Crea (Co-founder of Genentech and pioneer in the synthesis of human insulin genes).
• Preventive Nutritional Models – Dr. Roberto Miccinilli (University of Viterbo).
• Livestock Farming and Food Quality for Human and Animal Health – Prof. Federico Infascelli (University of Naples Federico II) and Dr. Piera Iommelli (University of Tor Vergata).
• Native Germplasm and Regeneration of Inland Areas – Dr. Pietro Perrino (Bari Germplasm Bank – CNR).
• Tissue Analysis and Heavy Metals for Epidemiological Purposes – Dr. Nicola La Conte.
• Morning Conclusions – Prof. Francesco Orzi, with a presentation on regional strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

2:00 p.m. – Working Lunch

A firsthand experience with the “life-sustaining” agroecological and organic farms of Tuscia and the dishes created from the revival of local heirloom seeds.

Afternoon Session (3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) – Participatory Roundtable

The afternoon will be devoted to an open discussion among speakers, farmers, institutions, and citizens to gather ideas and concrete courses of action.

• Notable special contributions: His Excellency Vincenzo Paglia (EtaGrande Foundation) will speak via video link on the role of older adults in the revitalization of communities. Also expected is the report from the forum “Toward the City of Rome’s Food Plan,” prepared by the IFFSS Foundation, with the hoped-for participation of Rome’s Councilor for Agriculture and the Environment, Sabrina Alfonsi, and the President of the Food Council, Fabio Ciconte.
• Operational Focus Areas:
  • Part One: Land Management for Neurodegenerative Rehabilitation and Synergistic Rural Development with Prof. Giuseppe Altieri (Agroecologist, Agernova), accompanied by presentations on economic, financial, and trading aspects by Luigi Calabria and Francesco Pasquetti.
  • Part Two: Tools for Exchange Between Nature and the City, Promoting Organic Products and Underutilized Real Estate for Senior Housing and Co-housing (with nutritionist Carlo Beretta).

The event will conclude with a presentation by Prof. Giovanni Ferri (Full Professor of Political Economy at LUMSA and member of the Technical-Scientific Committee for the LEPs of the Prime Minister’s Office).