Nadia Fontana Lupi, Director OTR Mendrisiotto and Basso Ceresio explains how «the project linked to the Mendrisio Processions, conceived on the design and initiative of the UNESCO chairs of the University of Italian Switzerland and Genoa, testifies to the intense and passionate work carried out by Heinz Plenge over the last two years, in the area of Mendrisiotto. The photographs focus on the evocative most recent edition of the Processions, intimately capturing the involvement of the volunteers in the organization of this ancient tradition and the enthusiasm of those who, year after year, dedicate themselves with commitment as extras".
Plenge, in his life, took and archived over 1 million photographs taken while traveling across the different continents, dedicating particular attention to the themes of the universal values of the Heritage and the sustainability of tourism. He had never had the opportunity to see the Mendrisio Processions.
"The Regional Tourism Organization," adds Nadia Fontana Lupi, "supports the Holy Week Processions in Mendrisio, which, in addition to being a centuries-old Living Tradition, are included in the Representative List of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage in Switzerland. The collaboration developed over the years with the Swiss association World Heritage Experience Switzerland and the UNESCO Chair in Lugano , directed by Lorenzo Cantoni, which focuses on "Information and Communication Technologies for the Development and Promotion of Sustainable Tourism in World Heritage Sites," has made it possible to conduct photographic research on the Mendrisio Processions.
Heinz Plenge followed every moment of the preparations for the two fashion shows, with the aim of collecting documentation, testimonies and working hard to make the most of the lights and environments, the volunteers and their looks, as well as all the emotions that characterize the two events. By his own admission, this experience moved him a lot.
This digital booklet was created to allow many to share part of the great work done by Plenge and to be transported into the atmosphere of the Mendrisio Processions.
