‘An exhibition on man and mountain. So many have already been organised, often by famous personalities. So why is the Meeting presenting this theme as well? In order to discover the values, resources and certainties of man within the daily life in mountainous country, an often adverse and hostile environment. The exhibition aims to illustrate life on mountains in the Veneto region, looking for the link between the mountainous land and the people who decide to dwell there. What are the reasons and the feelings contained in this link with the environment? The first value to emerge is the recognition of the self, of one’s own history and tradition, as conditions received as gifts. From this stems respect for the equilibrium between man and land, exactly because this is not entirely in the hands of man. Whoever lives in the mountain is keen on the respect for the environment and conceives himself as a true custodian of a balanced relationship, in favour of a more dignified life. For instance, the cutting of trees is monitored, in order to keep enough wood supplies, and also so that flash floods would not alter the geo-morphological equilibrium, and so that the formation of avalanches is avoided. Man experiences and is aware of the need for regenerating his human and material resources. This awareness, as witnessed by many signs and traditions, finds its origin and reasons in the experience of the Christian faith and in the value of the community: these are intensely lived within the family and in the village, which are a real and true ‘home’ in the mountain. Practically, this awareness translates itself, for example, into forms of art or architectural features which enrich otherwise poor structures, still maintaining their functionality. But this is even more visible in the so-called “Rules”: they are centuries-old institutions whereby each inhabitant has the right to possess, jointly with the others, stretches of land and woods, according to the needs of his family. It is basically a real cultural heritage which, with the help of the new technologies, helps to improve the tenor of life, always respectful and aware of everybody’s condition as creatures. Through this exhibition the man from the past tells us that in order to reach the fullness of life, we should be in agreement, patient, respectful of nature, aware of the sense of gift and gratuitousness. What emerges is a message for modern man, who possesses other things but is aware that he is about to lose a past culture, and with it, the faith in the mountain. This awareness can become a resource, a search for a renewed identity. It is necessary however, that both technological proposals and the prospects of tourism, should be tackled in the awareness of the authentic values illuminating the path. In this way, nothing would be lost of the culture which enabled man to remain in the valleys with tenacity and laboriousness, overcoming very difficult environmental conditions.’