Live the Italian way — a manifesto.

I am Italian. And I’m quite tired.
Tired of over judging our way of living.
Tired of reading articles about young adults that have to leave our country to build a future.
Tired of mandolin, Berlusconi, mafia and table decks with red and white squares in the restaurants in Trastevere.
Tired of complaining instead of making the world a better place.

Living the Italian way means to avoid celebrating how Italy was.
Rather, focusing on how it is and how it can even more inspire a better way of living.

A diet full of vegetables and fruits. Small stores, coffee shops and restaurants instead of another Starbucks. Recognize that the beauty around us is a gift and that we have the responsibility to protect and promote it. Embracing emotions instead of just following procedures. Individuals instead of cogs.
It means giving recognition to all Italians who are building a new Italy each and every day, who committ to excellence with no compromises.
Italians who aren’t just great storytellers, but storymakers.

This is Nervi - 20 minutes from Genoa. People here are quite rude, they were used to be attacked by pirates.

Italians make me proud

Davide founded the most admired coworking space, Talent Garden.
Carlin ignited the biggest movement to preserve the world’s food heritage, Slow Food, starting from the small town of Bra in Piedmont.
Renato has been writing and singing songs for the last 50 years, fighting against prejudices and creating hope for the future.
Giuseppe was able to open Expo 2015 on schedule and created a boost to Milan, with a leverage that is still pumping.
Oscar innovated the way we see, sell and export Italian food with Eataly.
Simona disruptly re-launched a 25-years old tourism magazine making it cool, hip and useful.
Elena is quitting her job to launch her edible flowers business.
Nicola is trying hard to become a digital evangelist.
Ludovica opened her independent bookshop.
Sara started university in her 30s.
Stefano decided to become a busker to play his music every day.
Pietro became a bartender that everybody wants to learn from.
Daniela founded the AirBnb of commercial spaces.
Franco has been fighting for LGBT rights for over 30 years.
Pierpaolo just wrote a novel about coming out.
I have led an old amusement park to become the most beloved one in Italy, Leolandia.

It’s never too early to change the world.
It’s never too late to change the world.

What can we do to change the world the Italian way?

Where do Italian style, design and fashion come from? What is the connection between our Prosecco and beautiful sunsets? How do the sound of our language and the way we talk with our hands relate?

No secret recipe, I guess. But I know in my family I was taught to follow the rules, to pay taxes and apologize when I’m wrong. To follow my istincts and be creative the way I wanted to be. To become the best me. To discover every place with the eyes of a grateful explorer, with open-minded empathy.

Whenever I travel in the world, when I say I come from Italy, people welcome me even more.
They look me in the eyes as if I was incorporating it all: the breeze of the Amalfi Coast and the luxury of Ferrari; the mum with open arms on the doorstep and the art of Leonardo Da Vinci; the taste of a brick-oven pizza and the fountains of Rome.
I am not only Massimiliano. I am Italian.

My favorite town: Trarego, overlooking the Maggiore Lake. The ideal place to reflect and write.

If I’d say…

Love the Italian way
Eat the Italian way
Smile the Italian way
Sing the Italian way
Innovate the Italian way
Enjoy life the Italian way

Would it be so hard for you to know what I’m talking about? I guess not.

So I kind of committed to a new Italian way of doing things

I committed to admit I have a responsibility of how I represent my country.

I am responsible not only to change the way we communicate things, but for the way we do things. It’s not about brand image, it’s about the product. And we are the product of what we do.

I will no longer allow myself to complain towards the system.
I will change the system.

I won’t hide behind the stereotypes.
I will write a new page.

I won’t accept to work in a mediocre way
I will fight to be the best me.

And I will support others to committ in the same way.

Travel the Italian way

One year ago I wrote a travel guidebook.
I want people who go to Milan to discover the city with my eyes. I want them to make out on the best terrace and have a true risotto like I would.
Then I started a blog.
I write about independent bookstores that resist and innovate. I tell the stories of people who want to spread out their art and not send just another CV. I write it mostly in Italian, for Italians. To make sure we remember every day that it’s up to us to create and quality and to communicate it.

Though, it’s not enough, to change the world.

That’s why I’m writing this article on Medium. To stimulate myself, my Italian friends, and all people abroad who love our country to spread inspiration, to stop waiting for a divine help in order to committ and show up, to keep being even more their best selves.

Let’s make an Italian revolution. It’s up to us.

Massimiliano Freddi

Dreamer
Doer
Future shaper
Born and raised in Italy
Digital nomad
Scriptwriter
Coach
Theme park developer
Analogic UX pro

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