Cutting-edge thought is being fostered in the unlikely setting of a medieval Italian village, writes Phil Becque.

The Pari Center for New Learning fosters an interdisciplinary approach linking science, the arts, ethics and spirituality.  Based in the medieval village of Pari, located some 25 km south of Siena in Tuscany, the Center is dedicated to the principle of 'the spirit of place'. 

The village is located on a hilltop with magnificent views of the surrounding heavily wooded areas filled with wild boar, deer and pheasants. Trout are fished in the rivers of the Farma, Merse and Ombrone. Olive groves and vineyards surround the village and most of the inhabitants grow their fruit and vegetables on the surrounding land. With its quietness and slow place of life it is an ideal place to learn and to think.

The heavily wooded countryside and the traditional farming methods of Pari's inhabitants serve as a reminder of the importance of ecological considerations in a world that has become increasingly obsessed with progress and consumerism.

The Center holds its meetings in a building at the top of the village, which has been built on the foundations of the medieval castle. But a quick visit to its online library shows that the Center is definitely not living in the past.

For more information about the Pari Center click here.