MEDICI HUMANISTIC VICARIATES
What is meant by a Medici Humanistic Vicariate
A Medici Humanistic Vicariate represents, within the internal order of the Grand Ducal Medici House of Tuscany, a territorial and cultural structure intended to foster the birth and development of a community inspired by the principles of Humanism and the Continuing Renaissance.
It may be regarded as a territorial and cultural structure entrusted with promoting and implementing the humanistic orientations of the Grand Ducal House, encouraging environmental protection, enhancement of the cultural heritage, responsible economic development and the well-being of the community.
Its function is internal, cultural, honorary and organisational in nature. It confers no public powers, territorial administrative functions, sovereign rights or competences belonging to the State, Regions, local authorities or other public authorities.
The Medici Humanistic District
The Vicariates project arises from the awareness that historic villages are not isolated realities. Each village belongs to a wider territory, formed over the centuries through a shared landscape, architectural heritage, productive traditions, agriculture, craftsmanship, civic institutions and human relationships.
The Manifesto of the Continuing Renaissance describes the Humanistic District as a living historical organism: the union of landscape, architecture, art, memory, economy and community. The villages are its most precious gems, but it is the entire District that constitutes the human and territorial heritage to be safeguarded and regenerated.
Within the internal Medici order, the boundaries of the Districts are identified by reference to the maps drawn in 1758 by Ferdinando Morozzi and preserved in the State Archives of Florence, in accordance with the General Regulations.
The Vicariate and the Continuing Renaissance
The Manifesto of the Continuing Renaissance →
The Manifesto of the Continuing Renaissance constitutes the cultural and moral foundation of the entire project. Its purpose is not to reconstruct the historical Renaissance, but to continue its method.
This means reconnecting culture and enterprise, history and innovation, investment and responsibility, private initiative and the common good, people and territory.
The Manifesto regards the Humanistic Districts as living laboratories in which historic villas, enterprises, sustainable energy, research, education, craftsmanship, agriculture, hospitality, art and community may cooperate within a single vision.
Representation of the Grand Ducal Medici House
The Vicariate constitutes a territorial point of reference for the Grand Ducal Medici House of Tuscany. It fosters relations with citizens, enterprises, owners, professionals, administrations, associations, cultural institutions and other parties capable of contributing to the development of the District.
The Vicariate promotes the ideals and humanistic orientations of the Grand Ducal House and helps ensure that projects and initiatives are guided by responsibility, beauty, sustainability and protection of the identity of places.
It exercises no public functions. Its authority derives from its capacity to know, connect, propose, accompany and serve.
Permanent knowledge of the territory
The Vicar’s first task is to know the District in depth. The General Regulations assign Vicars a stable and proactive survey function, rather than limiting them to waiting for spontaneous proposals.
Territorial knowledge concerns in particular Municipalities and Unions of Municipalities, enterprises, business associations, owners of villas and historic properties, agricultural businesses, tourism facilities, professionals, universities, foundations, cultural institutions, public calls for proposals, energy programmes, auctions and heritage enhancement operations.
The Vicar thus progressively builds a genuine territorial intelligence of the District, capable of recognising its needs, unused resources, potential, vocations, enterprises to be strengthened, properties to be recovered and projects requiring capital.
Protection of nature and the environment
One of the fundamental objectives of the Vicariate is to encourage the conservation of the natural environment and landscape. The Vicariate promotes sustainability, respect for ecosystems, responsible use of resources and the integration of economic development with territorial protection.
- renewable energy;
- Renewable Energy Communities;
- ESCOs;
- energy efficiency;
- storage and microgrids;
- sustainable agriculture;
- landscape protection and environmental regeneration.
Enhancement of the cultural heritage
The Vicariate contributes to the knowledge, protection and enhancement of local historical, artistic and architectural heritage. It may encourage cultural initiatives, exhibitions, university collaborations, educational activities, artistic programmes, the recovery of historic properties, patronage and international relations.
Heritage is not regarded merely as something to be preserved. It must be enabled once again to generate knowledge, life, relationships and new works.
The Medici Humanistic Community
The Vicariate works so that the District may progressively develop as a Medici Humanistic Community, in which the human person remains at the centre of development.
Education, knowledge, art, science, responsibility, social cooperation, enterprise and the environment must be able to enter into dialogue. Personal value acquires a higher dimension when part of an individual’s abilities, experience, relationships and resources is freely placed at the service of a shared purpose.
Search for enterprises, investments and opportunities
One of the most innovative functions of the Vicariate is the systematic search for opportunities within the District. These may concern historical heritage and regeneration, enterprises and equity interests, energy, ESCOs, Renewable Energy Communities, storage and microgrids, tourism, hospitality, agriculture, agri-food, craftsmanship, manufacturing, fashion, design, culture, formation, research, innovation, the environment, services and infrastructure.
The Vicar identifies the opportunity, identifies the promoter, verifies genuine willingness to meet investors, gathers initial information, completes the preliminary information sheet and submits the project to the competent Magistracy.
The Official Opportunities Bulletin
Public Investment Opportunity Index →
To transform territorial reports into organised and verifiable opportunities, the Official Investment Opportunities Bulletin of the Medici Diplomatic Mission has been established.
Every opportunity published in the system is classified through uniform elements such as code, category, geographical area, investment range, form of cooperation, maturity level, deadline and procedural status.
The Public Investment Opportunity Index contains only non-confidential information; identities, precise addresses, detailed documentation and investment terms remain protected and are accessible in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
Humanistic Investments
Humanistic Investment represents one of the principal forms through which the Continuing Renaissance may become concretely visible. It does not set economic return against cultural responsibility; instead, it seeks to reunite them.
An investment may generate profitability while at the same time restoring a historic property, creating employment, strengthening an enterprise, protecting the landscape, supporting craftsmanship and agriculture, developing sustainable energy, promoting culture and creating international relationships.
Guidelines for harmonious development
The Vicariate promotes development capable of respecting the historical continuity of the territory without preventing its evolution. Particular attention is devoted to architecture, landscape, historical memory, local production, quality of life, energy efficiency, new technologies, economic sustainability and beauty.
The role of the Medici Humanistic Vicar
The Vicar constitutes the project’s operational territorial presence. The Vicar identifies, documents and preliminarily qualifies properties, enterprises, projects and interlocutors; maintains local relations; completes information sheets; submits opportunities to the competent Magistracy; and assists with visits and subsequent territorial phases.
The Vicar does not directly sell opportunities, raise capital or carry out reserved professional activities without the relevant qualifications and necessary appointments.
The Vicar’s fundamental task is to transform territorial knowledge into relationships and opportunities.
Formation and suitability of Vicars
The office of Vicar constitutes an operational responsibility and requires specific qualifications. New appointments are reserved for Nobles of Florence and Medici Honorary Consuls who possess at least one of the suitability requirements established by the Regulations.
The preferred formative route is the International Executive Master’s Programme in Civic Humanism, Territorial Leadership and Humanistic Project Design, with a total duration of 180 hours. Successful completion of the first 96 hours constitutes one of the pathways to suitability.
An individual examination based upon the Official Master Handbook is also provided for, as is recognition of suitability by the Supreme Magistrate on the basis of proven personal, professional or aptitudinal qualifications.
Possession of suitability allows a candidate to be considered for appointment, but does not automatically determine conferment of the office or assignment of the District.
Relations with Medici Diplomatic Missions abroad
The project creates a permanent relationship between the Tuscan territorial network and the Medici Missions abroad. The Vicar works from the territory towards the world; the Ambassador works from the world towards the territory.
The Vicar identifies and qualifies properties, enterprises, projects and opportunities. The Ambassador seeks investors, entrepreneurs, patrons and qualified interlocutors in his or her own country. The Bulletin constitutes the point of encounter between these two networks.
Manifesto, Regulations and Bulletin: the three instruments of the system
Supreme Magistrate of the Medici Civic Order
At present, the Supreme Magistrate of the Medici Civic Order is active, composed of two Councillors and presided over by the Lieutenant of H.R.H. Grand Duke Ottaviano de’ Medici di Toscana, with seats in Spain, Italy and France.
H.E. Don Louis Francois di Nicea Gualtieri
Duke of Gualtieri
Don Francisco Acedo Fernandez
Count Galeano Doria
King of Arms of the Grand Duke of Tuscany in the Kingdom of Spain
The Supreme Magistrate constitutes the point of reference for the progressive development of the future network of Medici Humanistic Vicariates and Districts of Tuscany.