Guido Venosta and AIRC – The Winning Idea: the Nationwide Spread of AIRC (the Regional Committees)

In conceiving the grand framework of the Association, Guido Venosta had the winning idea: to spread the activity and interest in the Association nationwide by establishing regional branches led by the most representative figures possible—individuals who, due to their social standing, income, cultural background, or career achievements, were especially well known to the public, particularly on a local level, though not exclusively.

In his book Dal profit al nonprofit, Venosta considers the establishment of the Regional Committees as decisive, “the keystone for an objectively outstanding consensus in terms of quantity (today [1997, editor’s note] AIRC members number over 1,700,000), loyalty, and dynamism. The Committees were—and still are—the essential ‘node’ of the Association’s life, the ‘interactive hub’ that enables a harmonious local presence in line with local mindsets, customs, and sensitivities, as well as providing precise and swift feedback on centrally planned initiatives, thereby allowing for targeted management of the Association’s true asset: the trust of the people, which is the adherence to its institutional purpose combined with the individual’s recognition within the community.” (VENOSTA, Dal profit al nonprofit, pp. 16–17).

A genuine nationwide presence of AIRC, therefore: in Venosta’s era, the work of the Committees—whether operating autonomously or as part of large national initiatives—accounted for roughly two-thirds of AIRC’s fundraising. Today, they remain the soul of the Association, rooted in the founding principles that Guido elaborated, and “the main link with the AIRC volunteers, an army of over 20,000 people who, on both national and local occasions, contribute their efforts free of charge within their own regions.” (AIRC, Chi siamo: i Comitati regionali).

Sources:
Albiate (MB), Villa San Valerio, Villa San Valerio Archives, Guido Venosta Archive, Unpublished Memoirs (1997–1998), pp. 39bis–40bis.

Bibliography:
G. VENOSTA, Dal profit al nonprofit. Storia di un’esperienza, Milan, 1997.
AIRC, Chi siamo: i Comitati regionali (https://www.airc.it/fondazione/chi-siamo/comitati-regionali).