The vision for an Ecovillage with a Retreat Centre and Sanctuary was born in 2022, when Pietro Leemann met with Swami Shri Rupa Madhava Maharaja (V.I. Streisand) in the sacred town of Vrindavan, India. Both had a long standing inspiration to establish a social and spiritual centre in the Swiss Alps where people from all backgrounds and faiths could come and rejuvenate their spirits. Their deep friendship led to the search for a suitable location in Pietro’s home region of Ticino. Local friends Arjuna and Isabella stepped up to help, and very soon a circle of companions and benefactors gathered around the project. Together with those responsible at the Fondazione Terra Vecchia Bordei, they developed a new perspective for the future, which is now becoming a reality with the Terra Vecchia Bordei Ecovillage and Sanctuary, which we like to call our “sanctuary of inner fulfilment.”

Two hundred years ago, the village of Raxa was abandoned as its inhabitants relocated to Rasa. Over time, the houses fell into ruin, and the area came to be known as Terra Vecchia. Seventy years ago, a similar fate befell Bordei. Young people moved to the cities, leaving the town inhabited only by the elderly, who eventually passed away. In the late 1960s, Jürg Zbinden, an ambitious and idealistic eighteen-year-old, visited the area and fell in love with the two remote villages. With a utopian vision, he dreamed of bringing them back to life. Miraculously, through his artistic and artisan skills and the support of numerous patrons, the villages began to flourish once more. Over the last fifty years, many successful social projects have emerged, and the rebirth of these villages has been a remarkable achievement. Now in his later years, Jürg Zbinden decided to pass on the leadership of the Foundation. By a fortunate coincidence, a group promoting a new vision for the project presented their ideas, which were enthusiastically embraced. The foundation is set to begin construction on the next phase in 2024, with activities scheduled to launch in the spring of 2025. Building on its rich history, the concept for the villages centers on creating an eco-village with a strong social and spiritual focus. It will be a space open to an evolving society, while also serving as a retreat for personal regeneration and a hub for learning essential life skills. The Fondazione Terra Vecchia – Bordei owns the sites, which include 35 hectares of arable land, five houses offering 30 beds in Raxa, and six houses with a restaurant and 40 beds in Bordei. Several promising development projects and prospects for the two villages are supported by patrons and other foundations. Those interested in contributing are welcome to contact us.

The newly established Fondazione Terra Vecchia Bordei has set the course for the future. What began with social energy will be filled with new life: the social project will become the Ecovillage & Sanctuary Terra Vecchia Bordei. The properties in Terra Vecchia and Bordei will be preserved and used as a base for new key experiences for children, young people and adults, regardless of their background and religious beliefs. These include a wide range of socio-cultural, cultural and inter-religious activities such as courses, seminars, retreats, school camps and training courses. A sanctuary for spirituality, culture and recreation is being created in Terra Vecchia. In Bordei, the Osteria Giardino invites you to enjoy vegetarian Alpine cuisine and vacations. The new purpose of the foundation is to preserve the buildings, hamlets and villages in Bordel and Terra Vecchia from imminent decay, to ensure their material and cultural unity and thus to create the basis for a new community. The properties owned by the foundation are used directly or indirectly for charitable purposes with the aim of maintaining the villages of Bordei and Terra Vecchia as open places for a variety of encounters and activities. They are therefore used in particular for socio-cultural activities such as the organization of courses, seminars, retreats, school camps or training.

The strategy for the Terra Vecchia Bordei Ecovillage & Sanctuary is to make Terra Vecchia and Bordei available to the community as open places for encounters, recreation, regeneration, socio-culture, inspiration and spirituality. The following main activities – aimed at individuals, groups and families in the spirit of an inclusive society – will help to revitalize the Centovalli at the foot of Monte Ghridone thanks to the Ecovillage & Sanctuary Terra Vecchia Bordei: Courses, seminars and retreats for yoga, mindfulness, natural cooking, natural medicine, painting, theater, music, traditional crafts in Bordei. Ecumenical community as a place of refuge for inspiration, reflection and regeneration in Terra Vecchia. In both places, camps for schools, training companies, youth associations with additional course offerings as required. Implementation of cultural and socio-cultural projects in both places. Terra Vecchia and Bordei as open places and beacons of sustainability in infrastructure, operations and everyday life. This includes the site’s own 21-hectare organic farm, the conversion to permaculture and an innovative cow project. From the building materials to the energy to the food, the principle of natural cycles is consistently applied.  The Osteria Giardino in Bordei is a place to meet, enjoy natural vegetarian food and reflect.  The non-profit character is defined both by the openness and the consideration of socio-economic aspects and the alleviation of vulnerability in the design of the business model.

Pietro Leemann, the president of the Fondazione Terra Vecchia Bordei, is a renowned Swiss chef and pioneer of upscale vegetarian cuisine. He is the founder and head chef of the Joia restaurant in Milan, which was the first vegetarian restaurant in Europe to be awarded a Michelin star in 1996. His cuisine combines high culinary art with a deep philosophy based on sustainability, mindfulness and respect for nature. Pietro was born in Locarno, Switzerland, in 1961 and began his career in traditional cuisine before specialising in vegetarian dishes. His travels to Asia, particularly India and Japan, have had a significant influence on his approach. He often incorporates elements of Asian philosophy and cookery into his dishes. Pietro is also the author of several books on nutrition, health and spirituality and an active advocate for a conscious and sustainable lifestyle. His work has been recognised worldwide and inspires many chefs to take vegetarian and vegan cuisine to a new level