Ciao Gino
psicologa e psicoterapeuta
A proposito Gino Strada scrive:
“scandalosamente belli”:
Perchè la bellezza diventa segno di rispetto verso persone profondamente segnate dalla guerra o dalla malattia e un luogo bello offre le condizioni essenziali per recuperare dignità nella sofferenza.”
Non teorizzano di architettura e prestigio, anche se tra i loro amici ci sono architetti e designer famosissimi, discutono di cosa serva alle persone e all’ambiente. Da sempre si interrogano sul tema delle fonti energetiche e dei rifiuti, anche li dove la priorità immediata sembra solo la sopravvivenza. Un esempio su tutti l’ospedale di Khartoum in Sudan, non solo centro di eccellenza cardiochirurgia ma architettura di avanguardia che si pone il problema dell’impatto positivo sulla qualità della vita delle comunità circostanti. Ascoltano le culture e i luoghi. Creano in questa direzione cultura. Cosa fa stare meglio le persone? Pazienti si, ma anche operatori. Ambienti tecnicamente all’avanguardia ma anche angoli e momenti dove ci si possa fermare il tempo di una tazza di te a fare due chiacchiere, a raccontarsi, a creare relazione.
E qui entra in gioco un’altra straordinaria questione, tutti gli interventi di Emergency, anche nei campi profughi, sono dotati di un giardino, un giardino vero, pensato e progettato, accudito.
E allora cosa c'entrano Gino Strada ed Emergency con la psicologia ambientale? Nulla e tutto. Non la teorizzano, non ne parlano, forse neanche sanno che esiste. La applicano. Partendo dall’unico dato certo: le persone e il loro ascolto. E allora:
Grazie del coraggio, del lavoro svolto e anche di questa straordinaria lezione
ENGLISH VERSION
BYE GINO
What does Gino Strada have to do with environmental psychology? At first glance, nothing. He was a surgeon. In 1994 he founded with his wife Teresa Sarti, a teacher, Emergency, “an independent and neutral Italian association to offer free and high-quality medical-surgical treatment for the victims of wars, landmines and poverty. Emergency promotes a culture of peace, solidarity and respect for human rights ".
The key is all in the two words "high quality".
The quality of operators, professionals of excellent level and experience have never been called into question, nor has been the dignity of their work — never have they been sent into trouble or paid inadequately. However, there was much debate about how the infrastructure should be, when truly no-one was doing so yet. With regards to this, Gino Strada writes:
"We want our hospitals to be beautiful too,
"scandalously beautiful":
Because beauty becomes a sign of respect for people deeply marked by war or by
disease and a beautiful place offers the essential conditions to recover dignity in suffering."
They do not theorize about architecture and prestige, even though some of their friends are prominent architects and designers — they discuss what the people and the environment need. They have long been pondering about energy sources and waste, even in those circumstances wherein the immediate priority seems to be the survival alone. An example of this is the hospital of Khartoum in Sudan, not only a center of excellence in cardiac surgery but one with top-notch architecture concerned with the impact on the quality of life of the surrounding communities. They listen to cultures and places. They create culture in this direction. What makes people feel better? The patients, yes, but also the operators. Technically advanced environments but also spots and moments where one can take a break for a cup of tea and a chat, to tell stories, to create a relationship.
"We equip each hospital with a garden, playgrounds for children and meeting places"
And
here another extraordinary facet comes into play: all of Emergency's
interventions, including in refugee camps, have a garden, a real garden,
conceived and designed, taken care of.
“Gardens have a special meaning because they restore beauty and dignity. They too are part of the idea of care that we have been pursuing for 25 years, because a green space in a place of care can instill serenity and peace right where war has destroyed part of your body and of your very life"
So, what do Gino Strada and Emergency have to do with environmental psychology? Nothing and everything. They don’t theorize it, they don't talk about it, maybe they don't even know it exists. They apply it. Starting from the only certain fact: people, and listening to people. Hence:
THANK YOU GINO
Thank you for the courage, for the work and also for this extraordinary lesson.