RI-Building the city to RI-Building people's identity
Appeal of psychologists for L'Aquila
The earthquake of 6 April 2009 it shocked the city of L'Aquila and a significant part of its province. In addition to the buildings, to homes, to churches and monuments, the earthquake damaged the identity of a large population. Without a home anymore, a large part of L'Aquila found hospitality in the tent cities, in hotels in the region and in other makeshift accommodations. Some of them are occupying the new housing complexes built for the occasion. The priority of finding a roof, a shelter, forced them to spread out over a very large territory, often losing the points of reference of everyday life consolidated over the years.
L'Aquila had a vital and densely inhabited historical centre, it was not just a tourist destination but a true hub of social and economic life, meeting place and emblem of a community which identified in this center a symbol of belonging. And historic centers have always been the heart of people's lives and the sign of historical and emotional continuity with their roots.
Dal 6 April 2009 the historic center of L'Aquila, as well as the other affected centers, it is armored and inaccessible for impeccable security reasons.
We, mental health professionals, psychologists, psychotherapists and researchers, we want to highlight how important and urgent it is to return as soon as possible to the affected populations the points of reference in which they can recognize themselves and their places; how relevant it is to take care of the reconstruction of the social and relational fabric that, along with what has been done so far, can help people safeguard their stability and integrity; how urgent it is to restore elements of continuity that allow people, beyond the serious fracture that their lives have suffered, to adapt to the new reality by recovering that sense of self whose unity has been deeply damaged.
We believe that an unavoidable step in the care of earthquake-stricken places is to ensure that as many spaces as possible are reopened in those historic centers and to allow people to return to bring their lives to those places., to meet again, to reclaim those pieces of history.
Neglecting these aspects can have, in the medium and long term, disastrous consequences on the psychological health of the affected populations, on the stability of communities and on hopes for reconstruction, with huge costs for the community.
Our appeal to the relevant authorities wants to draw attention to an aspect that is not at all secondary - even if immaterial - of the L'Aquila drama. What we ask them is to take charge from today, and in the shortest time possible, of a plan to secure as many spaces as possible in the historic centers with the prospect of allowing people to return to populate them and reconnect with the interrupted history of their community.
To join the appeal (if you are a psychologist, psychotherapist or researcher) send an email to psiperlaquila@gmail.com specifying your surname and name, Work affiliation, Site.
