Damanhur has its own constitution, its own currency, its own schools, and its own parliament. For 50 years, it has refined a model of governance that balances individual freedom with collective purpose.
Damanhur is organized as a federation of communities — what they call a "Federation of Communities." At the highest level, the Federation coordinates shared resources, external relations, and long-term planning. Below it, distinct communities (called nuclei) maintain their own character and governance while participating in the larger whole.
The spiritual governance of Damanhur operates through the School of Meditation — the oldest institution in the community, founded by Falco in 1975. The School sets the spiritual orientation of the community and guides its long-term development. Membership in the School of Meditation is voluntary but involves serious commitment to the practice and philosophy of Damanhur.
Long-standing community members who have demonstrated wisdom and commitment over decades serve on the Council of Sages — an advisory body rather than a governing one. The Council can be consulted on matters of particular complexity and provides historical memory and perspective to the community's decision-making processes.
Damanhur operates under a written constitution — a document that has been refined over five decades of community life. It is not a static text: the constitution has been amended multiple times as the community has learned from experience. Its fundamental principles, however, have remained consistent since 1976.
Since 1979, Damanhur has operated its own internal currency — the Credito. It is one of the longest-running community currencies in the world, predating the modern complementary currency movement by more than a decade.
The Credito is pegged to the Euro at 1:1. One Credito buys what one Euro buys — within Damanhur.
Citizens receive a portion of their community income in Credito, which they spend at community businesses — the food cooperative, the artisan workshops, the community restaurant, the Academy, the shops. Credito cannot be spent outside Damanhur — this keeps value circulating within the community economy rather than flowing outward.
Visitors cannot use Credito; all visitor transactions are in Euro. Community businesses can accept both, but internal community services accept Credito preferentially.
The Credito creates economic sovereignty: the community's internal economy is partially insulated from external financial pressures. During the global financial crisis of 2008, Damanhur's community members reported relatively little disruption to their daily lives — their Credito-denominated internal economy continued functioning normally.
The Italian government recognizes the Credito as a legitimate complementary currency and does not require it to be taxed as Euro income.
Damanhur's children are educated within the community's own school system — a model that integrates the national Italian curriculum (required by law) with the Damanhurian philosophical framework and the practical skills of community life.
The "school-family" model treats education as a community-wide responsibility, not just the work of specialist teachers. Community members with relevant skills and knowledge contribute to children's learning in their areas of expertise — the farmer teaches about the land, the artist teaches craft and perception, the linguist teaches language.
Core academic subjects are taught by qualified teachers to meet Italian national requirements. The combination results in children who meet standard academic benchmarks while also being deeply embedded in community life and the Damanhurian philosophical tradition.
For adult education and for visitors, the Academy of Damanhur offers courses in the Sacred Language, Selfica, synchronic line theory, meditation, and a wide range of spiritual practices. The Academy is open to both community members and the general public.
The Academy has developed partnerships with Italian universities and has been studied by researchers interested in models of adult continuing education that integrate spiritual and intellectual development. Courses range from single-day workshops to multi-year study programmes.
Academy courses →Damanhur is a direct democracy: all adult citizens vote on decisions affecting the community. But Damanhurian governance contains elements that no conventional democracy has — most notably, the remarkable King Game.
Major community decisions — budgets, new projects, changes to the constitution, acceptance of new citizens — are decided by vote of the full adult citizen body. Voting takes place at community meetings held regularly throughout the year, with provisions for proxy voting when citizens cannot attend.
The threshold for passage varies by the importance of the decision: ordinary operational decisions require a simple majority; constitutional amendments require a two-thirds supermajority. The distinction is clearly defined in the constitution.
Perhaps the most unusual element of Damanhurian governance — a ceremonial game that determines certain leadership positions. In the King Game, community members who have demonstrated particular qualities of leadership nominate themselves for the role of "King" — a temporary leadership position with specific powers.
The game itself is elaborate and public: it involves challenges, riddles, tests of knowledge, and community deliberation. The winner takes on the King role for a defined period, after which the game is played again. No King Game winner has ever held power indefinitely. The game is not mere ceremony: the King role carries real responsibility and real authority within its defined scope.
Falco described the King Game as a way of ensuring that leadership roles are sought through demonstrated excellence rather than accumulated political advantage — and that power is experienced as a responsibility to be earned repeatedly, not a position to be accumulated indefinitely.
"We invented the King Game because we noticed that in most communities, the same people end up leading — not because they are the best for each specific challenge, but because they have accumulated the most political capital. We wanted a system where you have to demonstrate excellence every time."
— Damanhurian governance documentationDamanhur is fully embedded in the Italian legal system and recognized by multiple Italian and international bodies. It is not a separatist or extra-legal community — it operates within Italian law while maintaining its own internal governance structures.
The legal entity through which Damanhur operates its public activities is DHORA impresa sociale s.r.l. — a social enterprise registered under Italian law. The business activities of Damanhur (visitor centre, accommodation, events, Academy) are conducted through this entity and are fully subject to Italian taxation and regulation.
The community's internal governance is recognized by Italian courts as a valid private arrangement — the constitution is treated as a contractual document binding on members who have agreed to it. Italian courts have repeatedly upheld Damanhur's legal right to operate as it does.
Damanhur holds consultative status with the United Nations and participates in international forums on alternative community models and sustainable living.
Damanhur is a founding member of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) and the Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) programme — a UN-recognized course in sustainable community design delivered at Damanhur for visiting international students each year.
Relations with the Piedmont regional government and Ivrea municipality are cooperative. Damanhur participates in local planning processes and contributes economically to the surrounding area through tourism and employment.
The full Damanhurian constitution is available for study. Community life can be experienced through the New Life programme. The governance model is discussed openly during day visits.
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