INVITATION

 

Dear Friends,

Cari Amici,

 

 

It is my immense pleasure to extend this invitation to join us in the timeless and enchanting city of Siena in Tuscany for our 27th Friends of the Countryside General Assembly.  Siena, renowned for its medieval streets, stunning architecture, and rich cultural heritage, will serve as an exquisite backdrop for our gathering.

 

The General Assembly will take place from Thursday May 30 to Sunday June 2, 2024

 

The GA promises to be a captivating gathering of Friends beginning with a Welcome Buffet Dinner at the hotel complex Borgo San Luigi, north of Siena on Thursday evening of May 30. The next day we will change the habitual order of events as we begin the day with a tour of Siena so as to avoid the heat of the afternoon. The General Assembly meeting will therefore begin after lunch at the Garden Hotel followed by the Conference based on the theme : “Climate Change: implications on the business models for landowners”. The Formal dinner that evening will be held in a surprise location in Siena.

 

The agricultural estates near Siena offer a panorama of flourishing vineyards and lush olive groves, which Friends will explore during the four Saturday Estate visits for discussions about management, family owning, business models, new trends and regenerative farming with some extra activities such as horses, truffle hunting and olive oil tasting  that all epitomise the essence of Italian agricultural heritage. That evening Friends will gather for the optional informal Italian buffet dinner back at Borgo San Luigi.

 

We are also organising a Pre-Tour for up to 40 participants from Sunday May 26 to Thursday May 30 that will begin with a night among the cultural splendours of Firenze before heading for 3 nights to the striking Torre a Cona estate nestled among the Florence hills. Niccolò Rossi di Montelera, son of FCS member Lorenzo, has organised a full programme of events, visits and discussions. From there we also will visit the Frescobaldi, Gondi and Antinori estates as well as others. The Pre-tour group will arrive in Siena in the afternoon of May 30.

 

To make the most of your stay in Tuscany, there will also be an option to stay on a couple more days for the “Stay Longer” tour for a smaller group and visit the splendid historic towns around Siena or else you could enjoy a Sunday lunch at Borgo San Luigi before heading back home.

 

I am honoured to be heading my first General Assembly as your FCS President in historic and scenic Tuscany and invite you to discover within this website the details regarding the event schedule and accommodation options.

 

Members of the Italian Board and many of our Italian FCS members have contributed to this compelling programme, and we thank them wholeheartedly.

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A presto!

 

Seger van Voorst tot Voorst

FCS President

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REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN- You may have received the invitation and registration forms per email

 for more info and registration: coordination@elo.org