Eni in Basilicata

FEEM's mission is to be a centre of excellence aimed at  creating  opportunities  for the Basilicata Region, at promoting knowledge by carrying out research activities and high-level training programs. Some of the research subjects (related to energy) studied at  the other FEEM branches have for some time been developed in Basilicata. Work has started on analysing integrated models  for the Basilicata tourism industry and on research projects aimed at promoting energy efficiency and the development of renewables.
FEEM awards PhD grants for the Università degli Studi della Basilicata(Unibas)  supporting graduate student research projects. FEEM has also launched a program of high-level training courses at its Viggiano branch, which have attracted students from all over Italy, while the Bioinformatics course saw the participation of lecturers from the Milano Bicocca Università degli Studi, Unibas, and the Braunschweigin University.
FEEM also organised a number of scientific dissemination initiatives,  both for citizens and for schools,  including an event organized in collaboration with the National Archaeological Museum of Potenza and promoted by the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali. Among the initiatives carried out in support of the territory, FEEM has organised a Summer school for training scientific staff and an Autumn school on the subject of "Giving value to the Val d'Agri Area", has participated  in  the organization of  a training course for tourist guides in Val Camastra and has collaborated with the Basilicata Region in planning structures for sustainable tourism.
FEEM has promoted initiatives aimed at overcoming the digital divide, including the setting  up of a technological centre in Viggiano, and has contributed to the development of school  tourism by bringing schools from Milan, Brindisi and Gela to the area, organising two learning weeks on energy themes. In the social sector, FEEM  has set up a laboratory to use technology as a vector for re-introducing disabled people into society, and has supported for two years the Val Camastra municipalities in the production of  a document outlining the public policy program: the Social Report.

Through the "Community Mission" project, set up in collaboration with FEEM and the AASTER consortium, Eni actively participates in the creation of independent and sustainable development programs in Basilicata. The Community Mission  launched  a pilot phase,  inaugurated in 2007 in the Val Camastra area, followed by a new series of activities launched in 2008 in the Val d'Agri area.
The most important players on the territory were consulted, including administrators, businessmen, tourist operators and  local associations, by means of around 100  interviews and a number of  public meetings. A series of projects and initiatives were launched characterized  by the  possibility to be  activated in the short term and, at the same time, to  be further developed over the long term.
In the tourism sector a number of pilot initiatives were implemented  including the maintenance and enhancement of tourist infrastructures and paths and the "Nature and Energy" naturalistic – cultural itinerary project , which included training for local tourist guides in collaboration with the Southern District, FEEM and the Calvello and Abriola municipalities.
 In this field, in November 2009, the Educational Centre "Energy and territory" has been inaugurated in Cacciatizze (Calvello Municipality). In the planning phase it was important  the setting up of "long networks" with development promoters, such as the Associazione Civita, for defining integrated tourism development strategies and sharing the "Calvello Model" through the organization of the event "  Forum Nazionale Sviluppo e Comuni Polvere "  held in  July 2008.

• 21 November 2009 -  Inauguration  in Cacciatizze of the  "Energia e Territorio" Educational Centre aimed at supporting and developing the demand for didactic tourism in the area. The event was part of the 7th annual Week of Business Culture, a national initiative promoted by the Italian Confederation of Industry which has been held every year since 2001 (Assolombarda takes part through Museimpresa) and involves the realisation of a number of events related to business: workshops, meetings, exhibitions, films and shows.
  The inauguration featured the presentation of the "World of Energy" competition for pupils of  the fourth and fifth years of primary schools from the municipalities of the Val Camastra and focused on the theme of "energy and territory", the presentation of a theatre show entitled "Earth: instructions for use" with the actor Davide Gorla and the opening of a photographic exhibition from Eni's historical archive entitled "Oil in Basilicata from the time of the pioneers to the present. 1949-2009."
  
• 17 -  19 September 2009 - "ValCamastra09". The initiative included  a number  of events  promoted by Eni and organized by the Calvello, Laurenzana, Anzi and Abriola municipalities,by  Ente Fiera Autonomo di Basilicata (Efab),  Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation, Consorzio A.A.STER and Editoriale Vita. The events were linked to the first edition of the trade fair featuring typical local food and craftwork products and highlighting the Basilicata environment and tourism, which took place on 19 and 20 September 2009 in Calvello. The events included a wide range of discussions and meetings on subjects considered to be fundamental for an independent, sustainable development in the Basilicata region and that have been promoted by Eni as part of the Missione di Comunità. During the three days presentations were held on some of the initiatives that have taken place in the area aimed at promoting and developing the local social-economic structure, from the production of the Val Camastra Bilancio Territoriale to the local tourism and agro-alimentary industries development.
•  28 May 2009 - In Potenza, Eni and the Università degli Studi della  Basilicata , in collaboration with the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation and Shell, organized the Biodiversità in Val d'Agri conference.  The conference, which took place in the Aula Magna of the University, was dedicated to the presentation of the scientific studies completed as part of the AgroBioDiversity project that was carried out by the Basilicata University on behalf of Eni, in partnership with Shell Italia and in collaboration with Fauna & Flora International and IUNC – The International Conservation Union. The aim of the study was to increase understanding and knowledge of the state of  biodiversity in the area and to evaluate the role of philanthropic activities – with specific reference to oil activities – in determining the territorial changes that have occurred in Val d'Agri and the surrounding areas.
• 11 - 12 July 2008 - Forum Nazionale Sviluppo e Comuni Polvere was held at Calvello and Abriola, where national and local institutions, economic global players, local businesses and many others attended the meeting to discuss sustainable development, revitalising the local economy and promoting social awareness. The Forum was also an important opportunity for describing the results achieved up to that time by the Community Mission.