From the day when everything started - Maps of earthquake in central Italy

[ErmesT]

Moderator’s Note: Ermes is the creator of Progetto Re-Building, a project to collect and share photos of the towns destroyed by the 2016 earthquake in Central Italy. This post highlights the project’s progress in the past year as shown on the included My Map. Bravo, Ermes, Local Guides and friends.

Today is an Important day, a day to remember.

One year ago, early in the morning, a devastating earthquake was litterally erasing an important part of central Italy.

My second post here in Connect was just about this terrible event. Here in the words of @TraciC , followed by the comment of @Corrie

Traci and Corrie comments gave me the start, gave me the feeling that I wasn’t crazy, in keep on going with my project. Thanks for this, I will never forget it.

My very first post in Connect was about this subject, it was October 6, 2016.

Now, 389 days later, the idea is starting to have a form. Still in evolution, need more effort, need more contributions, but is already something that I can show you.

Why has it taken so long? For a simple reason: the priority, in a destroyed country, was not to give me photos.

The first priority was to have food, a place to stay, warm clothes, with a Winter season that was already coming.

So we moved, 6 local guides from different places of Italy, to meet in Norcia with @manulele81 , for the Local Guides Volunteer Day 2016, started in Italy by @LucioV

The event have been very important also for us. In that day, we built a friendship, we built a group of active Local Guides, that was working, that still working hard, to keep the attention of the word over that area.

And we were able to do it, to keep this situation all the time under the spotlight.

In 2017 we had three meetup in the area, (Norcia, Visso, Castelluccio) with a lot of attention from the media.

Some of us is now called “local hero”

Some of us has been mentioned during LocalGuidesSummit2017.

So, here is the first map. It is a child, but is growing up. Play with it, to see the photos of every place

Thanks to @AntonellaGr , that is working with me everyday for this project.

The Map will be shared in a few hours in all socials we are in, but the preview is for all of you.

Ermes

[LucioV]

Go Re-Cycle! And let’s help keep memory alive! (and keep working for Re-Build, of course!).

[manulele81]

You are simply the BEST #MOD! And of course the Local Guides that rember ALL peoples that meet over the time. Thanks for this post.

[ErmesT]

Thanks @manulele81

And @LucioV

You were driving this, much more than me.

A special thanks to @MariaBi

For the great support she gave to us

It is not so easy to keep it moving, for more than a year. Sometimes I was really discouraged, and your help was the real fuel to move it forward.

Ermes

[TraciC]

Wow, @ErmesT . It’s hard for me to believe it’s been a year already. In a year, so much has happened and I remember the devastating news, feeling so saddened by it and again reading your post here in Connect. To see something so beautiful come out of this terrible thing has been amazing!

[LucioV]

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@TraciC wrote:

Wow, @ErmesT . It’s hard for me to believe it’s been a year already. In a year, so much has happened and I remember the devastating news, feeling so saddened by it and again reading your post here in Connect. To see something so beautiful come out of this terrible thing has been amazing!

---

Yes! @ErmesT was a total newbie here! And we first discussed about the project Re-Building, he tried to explain what was and then I involved him in the first Volunteers Day, and finally we met in Norcia! A lot of things happened since that days!

[ErmesT]

Thanks @TraciC , I can confirm, a year is already passed.

One year with a project in my mind. A project that is evolved, taking different forms, moving like water. A year spent to learn, a year spent to talk with people, a year spent in trying to understand.

Many times, in this year, I was thinking about to throw this project away, many times I went back, thanks to the help of many friends, mostly Local Guides.

We have visited the earthquake area six times in 10 months, driving in total the same distance that there is from Italy to New York. We learned many things, not all positive. (I say we, because @AntonellaGr - my wife - is with me in this project all the time)

We learned that, after this kind of events, everyone’s feeling is to be alone.

We learned that, mostly, you only have to listen what they need to tell you.

We learned that they need to have somebody listening at their stories.

We learned that, even a destructive event, do not transform us in a better person

We learned that, if you want to receive something, you have to be the first to give something

We learned that, when you do something, someone will say that you are doing this for promoting yourselves

We are not heroes, even if the beautiful video that Google made about some of us say so (and we are proud of it)

This map is not a target to reach, this map is a step, a symbol of a step, a virtual place for everyone to remember, showing not how the area is now, but how it was before.

There is a long way in front of us, a lot to learn, a lot more to do. We will not stop, and I know that many friends are supporting us.

You were the first to welcome me for this project, you deserve the right to know were we are now.

I can’t tell you where I will be tomorrow, but for sure I will be somewhere on my way

Again, this is my symbol of hope. I took this photo in the middle of a ruined hospice but, looking at the flower, you can only see the beauty, not the ruins behind it

[KarenVChin]

@ErmesT , this is a wonderful project that will help so many in your community / country and globally too, emotionally, socially, and culturally to heal besides putting things on Google Maps.

It also shows the power of Google, Google Maps, and being a Local Guide can make a difference by simply taking photos and writing reviews and answering all those auto questions can make such an impact in a community and the people who live in it.

It also reminds me again the power of nature and how a simple shake, a drop of rain, a blast of wind, or a little fire can easily escalate to something catastrophic and destroy anything and everything in a blink of an eye and wipe out 1,000s of years of history, art, civilization just like that!

Many thanks for sharing your story and passion here on Connect to get us thinking how we can make impacts and differences in our own communities using Google products and its technologies for the greater good to help humanity in the long run.

Cheers,

Karen

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@ErmesT wrote:

Today is an Important day, a day to remember.

One year ago, early in the morning, a devastating earthquake was litterally erasing an important part of central Italy.

My second post here in Connect was just about this terrible event. Here in the words of @TraciC , followed by the comment of @Corrie

Traci and Corrie comments gave me the start, gave me the feeling that I wasn’t crazy, in keep on going with my projecy. Thanks for this, I will never forget it.

My very first post in Connect was about this subject, it was October 6, 2016.

Now, 389 days later, the idea is starting to have a form. Still in evolution, need more effort, need more contributions, but is already something that I can show you.

Why has it taken so long? For a simple reason: the priority, in a destroyed country, was not to give me photos.

The first priority was to have food, a place to stay, warm clothes, with a Winter season that was already coming.

So we moved, 6 local guides from different places of Italy, to meet in Norcia with @manulele81 , for the Local Guides Volunteer Day 2016, started in Italy by @LucioV

The event have been very important also for us. In that day, we built a friendship, we built a group of active Local Guides, that was working, that still working hard, to keep the attention of the word over that area.

And we were able to do it, to keep this situation all the time under the spotlight.

In 2017 we had three meetup in the area, (Norcia, Visso, Castelluccio) with a lot of attention from the media

Some of us is now called “local hero”

Some of us has been mentioned during LocalGuidesSummit2017.

So, here is the first map. It is a child, but is growing up. Play with it, to see the photos of every place

Thanks to @AntonellaGr , that is working with me everyday for this project.

The Map will be shared in a few hours in all socials we are in, but the preview is for all of you.

Ermes

---

[ErmesT]

Thanks @KarenVChin

For your words. Leaving in San Francisco, you know probably better than me what the power of nature is.

When at summit 2017, I learned the meaning of 1906, or the more recent 1989, at Loma Prieta. This year your country suffered for some of the most disruptive hurricanes that we can remember.

This post wants to suggest an attitude, an attention of the needs of the persons who are around us.

Thanks again

Ermes

[Corrie]

@ErmesT What an amazing project. Congratulations on your perseverance in bringing this to the people of Italy and the world.

[SoniaK]

What a wonderful project to work on @ErmesT . And I can’t believe it’s already been a year. I remember the day the earthquake happened. The whole world was so shocked by this massive natural disaster. I remember watching @LucioV 's video on Norcia. It felt so sad to see the historical city being ruined. Italy must be very proud to have people like you who voluntarily came forward to re build the city, to bring lives to those historical sites, to preserve the history of human civilization. All the best Ermes and Lucio and may other Italians, who are working hard behind this project.

I hope one day I can visit the places in person.

[ErmesT]

Thanks @Corrie , for your support. Not mentioned before but, thanks to @MariaBi . Grazie Maria, un abbraccio forte forte.

Thanks @SoniaK , for your words. I know what you mean, I know you will come, in the next future, and I will be your local Local Guide

Now, for the ones that want to know more, a short photostory

A few photos from the Local Guides Volunteer day 2016

March 10, 2017 - Private visit in Norcia - Meeting people

March 11, 2017 - Private visit in Castelsantangelo sul Nera - Meeting people

A photo “on the road”: Umbria’s full moon

See you tomorrow with the next part

Ermes

[YK1001]

Our land may be generous, give us more than we need. Our land may be not forgiving, give us more challenge than we want.

The Power of Nature always keep us humble. One moment, we lost most if not all that we cared most.

People need help. Land need help. Society need help.

Local Guides will always find ways to help. Because we care.

Thank you @ErmesT to bring this story to us. It reminds us that we can think big and make great impacts.

[ErmesT]

Thanks @YK1001 for your important words. You are right an we, first, we need help.

We care, and this is the base. No heroes, no big actions. Life is a step by step story, and the longest way is only a long sequence of small steps.

And a step, is something that everyone can do. A little, simple, single step. Then, one more …

Ermes

[DavidTito]

@ErmesT @LucioV I’m not fond of earthquakes we get them in New Zealand but even tho I’m not there at their at moment I understand the shaking feeling thanks for sharing @ErmesT

[NaYeM]

Wow, @NaYeM It’s hard for me to believe it’s been a year already. In a year, so much has happened and I remember the devastating news, feeling so saddened by it and again reading your post here in Connect. To see something so beautiful come out of this terrible thing has been amazing!

---

@TraciC wrote:

Wow, @ErmesT . It’s hard for me to believe it’s been a year already. In a year, so much has happened and I remember the devastating news, feeling so saddened by it and again reading your post here in Connect. To see something so beautiful come out of this terrible thing has been amazing!

---

[SalmaanN]

Hi @ErmesT …

Thanks for your effort on this project… A year is not a simple thing… You are inspiring many Local Guides like me… You have the support from Local Guides from all parts of the world… I am learning so much from you… Thanks again…

[OmarBD]

@ErmesT It’s very memorable subject.Thanks a lot! for your all of nice contribution.

[MariaBi]

Hi @ErmesT

Very proud and very happy - and so impressed - about how this amazing project went so far!

Ricambio il tuo ( e vostro) forte abbraccio!

[ErmesT]

Thanks to all of you for your kind words

@DavidTito

During one of our meetup in the area, we had a small earthquake too. Only a 3.1 Richter, for a few seconds. Not so strong, but enough to understand why there is people that, after one year, refuse to enter in all the buildings.

@SalmaanN

@OmarBD

Thanks a lot for your attention and your support, it is important for our group.

@MariaBi

L’abbraccio è voluto e dovuto. Sei stata una delle prime persone a capire e sostenere. Hope to meet you in person, soon

Ermes