REVITALISING CITIES: STRATEGIES AND TOOLS TO COMBAT COMMERCIAL DESERTIFICATION AND PROMOTE THE LOCAL ECONOMY

Paolo Testa, Head of the Urban Planning and Urban Regeneration Sector, Confcommercio-Imprese for Italy

The meeting aims to explore the complex challenges and emerging opportunities in the field of urban regeneration and revitalization, focusing on those contexts – present both in the historical centers and in the peripheral neighborhoods of Italian cities – characterized by a growing commercial depopulation. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, national and local representatives of Confcommercio-Imprese for Italy and the municipal administrations will confront experts in city making, public policies and socio-economic changes. The causes of commercial desertification – such as the globalisation of consumption, demographic and residential dynamics and changes in lifestyles – will be investigated and the challenges these dynamics pose to the vitality of urban areas will be analysed. The conference aims to identify innovative strategies and operational tools to revitalize the local economic fabric, promoting proximity economy as a lever for the livability of urban areas, economic resilience and social cohesion. Case studies and ongoing trials will be presented, in Italy and abroad, with the aim of providing a concrete and replicable framework for action to revitalize urban centres, based on dialogue between the various local stakeholders and a shared vision for more vibrant and inclusive cities.

PROGRAM

14:30 opening work

Carlo Sangalli, President of Confcommercio-Imprese for Italy

Institutional greetings
Aldo Mario Cursano, President of Confcommercio Firenze and Arezzo
Michele Talia, INU President

“The role of local economic activities in urban areas”
Enrico Postacchini, member of the Board with responsibility for Commerce and Cities, Confcommercio-Imprese for Italy 

15:15 first session
Data and practices to counter commercial desertification

Moderate
Paolo Testa, Head of Urban Planning and Urban Regeneration, Confcommercio-Imprese for Italy

Speakers
Riccardo Grassi, Head of Research, SWG
Mariano Bella, Head of Studies, Confcommercio-Imprese for Italy
Davide Agazzi, local development and social innovation expert, FROM
Andrea Mariotto, expert in public policies for the territory, IUAV University of Venice

16:15 coffee break

16:45 Second session
Cities experiments to support proximity economies

Moderate
Paolo Testa, Head of Urban Planning and Urban Regeneration, Confcommercio-Imprese for Italy

Speakers
Claudio Franchini, Director, Confcommercio Parma
Chiara Vernizzi, Councillor for Urban Regeneration, Municipality of Parma
Tiziano Tempestini, director, Confcommercio Pistoia and Prato
Benedetta Squittieri, Councillor for innovation, circular economy, economic development and trade, Municipality of Prato

18:30 end of work