News
Introducing: The Civita Institute CULTURAL EXCHANGE LIAISON Program
Furthering the mission of The Civita Institute to study and understand the contemporary relevance of the Italian hill towns, the Board of Directors has created the Cultural Exchange Liaison program. This kind of exchange is an opportunity to improve awareness and learning, understand common goals, create alliances, and develop friendships.
Cultural Exchange Liaisons have been identified in Civita di Bagnoregio, Lazio, and in Siena, Tuscany. Outreach to other Italian hill towns, such as Perugia, Assisi, and Todi are of interest as future Liaison opportunities. News of cultural interest from a Liaison’s locale and that is aligned with the mission of The Civita Institute will be shared in The Civita Institute’s newsletters, its website, and in social media approximately two times per year.
THE CIVITA INSTITUTE CULTURAL EXCHANGE LIAISONS
Giovanni Maria di Buduo, Civita di Bagnoregio, Lazio
Giovanni Maria is a geologist who has been researching and teaching about the unique geology of Civita di Bagnoregio for more than twenty years. As a former geologist of the Museum of Geology and Landslides in Civita, he developed many friendships in Civita di Bagnoregio and in Bagnoregio as well as a great affection for the town of Civita. He is a past Civita Institute Cultural Landscape of Civita di Bagnoregio Fellow, 2023, and a current Cultural Landscape of Civita di Bagnoregio Fellow, 2025, who is coordinating a team of three Italians providing expertise from the disciplines of geology, seismology, and engineering. His consulting services include applied and environmental geology, geomorphology, hydrogeology, geological and geomorphological surveying, including planning, management, and interpretation of geognostic investigations.
Michele Busillo, Siena, Tuscany
Michele is a licensed private tourist guide for Florence and Siena who works in English, Italian and Spanish. Growing up in a town in Southern Italy steeped in history and inspired by empathetic grandparents, he developed an early passion for art, heritage and storytelling. He earned degrees in Art History at the Universities of Salerno and Siena, graduating with a thesis on imperial iconography, and discovered the power of original artworks during a formative study trip to Florence. Volunteering as a cultural populariser for school groups sharpened his interactive guiding style, aimed at sparking curiosity rather than delivering dry lectures. Through an Erasmus year at the University of Salamanca he mastered Spanish; a study stay in Bristol refined his English. Interning at the Briganti Photo Library deepened his understanding of Tuscan conservation. Deciding to remain in the region he loves, Michele obtained guide licenses for Siena and Florence after exams on the territories. Today he lives in Siena, committed to offering visitors authentic, high quality experiences. Continuous study, travel and cultural exchange fuel his empathy and expertise. Convinced that passion and training make the difference, he invites travelers to discover the wonders of Tuscany.
ABOUT THE CIVITA INSTITUTE
The Civita Institute is an all-volunteer, member-supported 501.c.3 nonprofit corporation. 100% of all revenue raised supports the Mission of The Civita Institute to:
Inspire and foster an interdisciplinary understanding of the unique qualities of Italian hill towns that remain pertinent to our contemporary experience through the promotion of historic preservation, education and scholarly research, artistic creation, cultural exchange, and professional explorations.
To subscribe to our newsletters or become a member of The Civita Institute, click here: JOIN US