Yesterday I had my first meeting on Italia dei Valori’s island, on Second Life.
Many journalists and citizens took part and I replied to their questions. I’ve prepared a video that summarises the meeting and I invite you to have a look at it. Here is the introduction to my speech.

"Welcome to the island of Never Land, Italia dei Valori’s island. Thanks go to the journalists who are present and to the young people who are often meeting up in Never Land.

Some people think that Second Life is a virtual game for adults, or a place where you can express your opinions as at the cinema or on the TV. But it’s not like that. Second Life and the Internet in general is a place for direct communication, for direct democracy. I’m here in front of you with my avatar, my virtual other self. You see me and I see you. I’m talking to you and you can ask me questions. You have come from all parts of Italy and some have even come from abroad and some of you are sitting at home or in your offices.

In Never Land we have partly reproduced buildings from ancient Greece to give a symbolic sense of the agora, of the participation of citizens in public life.
The buildings have frescos on the inside of the walls, and before you leave the island I invite you to visit them.

On this island, there’ll be internal party meetings where people can gather without having to move from one place to another in Italy, we will hold public demonstrations, meetings with the Italian press and the foreign press, the inauguration of initiatives, and there will be areas for showing film clips, displaying informative material and gadgets like IdV T shirts.

For the last few months, visitors to Never Land, have been welcomed by avatars from the secretariats in Milan and Rome who welcome visitors and who hold informal meetings with young people from Italia dei Valori.

I would also like to remind you that all those who are heading up the IdV press office have an avatar and communicate with each other using Skype.

The Internet is a formidable tool for involving citizens in public affairs, to eliminate intermediaries, and to spread the word.

Never Land is an important step in reaching these objectives."