Workshop “”Creative Cities & Creative Industries Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Heritage in the Adriatic – Ionian Region”

The Workshop “”Creative Cities & Creative Industries Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Heritage in the Adriatic – Ionian Region”,   held in the framework of AI-NURECC Initiative and organized in collaboration with FAIC, took place on 12th of June, within the wider context of the XIII Annual Conference of UNESCO Creative Cities.

Meetings, workshops, seminars and assemblies  transformed Fabriano into a large  open-air laboratory about the theme of creativity.

The purpose of the workshop was to support the dialogue in the field of culture by promoting the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Adriatic-Ionian region as well as  to promote capitalisation on existing project ideas, identifying issues of common interest and sharing excellence and best practises.

After the institutional greetings, Cinzia De Marzo, Lawyer, specialized in European Union Law & international sustainable tourism presented the  EU policy on cultural and creative industries linked with sustainable cultural tourism, stressing out the UN Agenda 2030  Sdgs and the Eusair strategy with focus on the 4 thematic pillars. Moreover Mrs Cinzia presented the EU funding opportunities in the frame work of cultural and creative industries, detailed information can be find in her presentation (attached).

The session was  moderated by Giovanni Manzotti, Economic Development Department of Marche Region Chamber of Commerce, Forum AIC member who provided interesting insights regarding the cultural and creative industries  in the AI Area.

During the second session dedicated to “Case studies – Cultural and Creative Spaces and Cities”  we had the chance to analyze and discuss different best practices expected to contribute to the future planning of relevant policies and sectors both in the Adriatic and Ionian region and the wider region.

The pannel saw the  participation of Mr. Manfredi Mangano, rapresentative of Fabriano Unesco Creative City, who presented  the path taken by the city of Fabriano in the race for the UNESCO recognition, the challenges faced in order  to become part of this international network as well as the satisfactions of a cooperation at multiple levels where institutions, stakeholders, civil society have been closely involved in order to make this real.

Significant was the presentation of Roberto Cioppi, Vice mayor of Urbino Municipality UNESCO world heritage site since 1998 who shared  Urbinos experience in terms of  new technologies and historical territorial enhacement trough urban regeneration processes.

Nevertheless  when we speak about Urban regeneration and creative cities  we can not forget the Municipality of Bologna, UNESCO Creative City and the project  INCREDIBOL! (Bologna’s Creative Innovation). Livio Talozzi, from Fablab Bo presented the  project started in 2010 with the aim to promote creative and cultural activities in the Emilia-Romagna region, coordinated by the Municipality of Bologna and supported by the Emilia-Romagna Region in conjunction with public and private players . The ICC sector plays a more and more important role in the aerea, not only in terms of economic development and job creation, but also in terms of social innovation, urban rehabilitation and life quality improvement. Emilia-Romagna Region acknowledged its importance by including this development strategy within the broader ‘smart specialization strategy’ 2014-2020, known as “S3”, underscoring its partially still unleashed potential and launching new policies and supporting action. Mr. Talozzi presented also the best practice FabLab Bo winner of the call of Incredibol Initiative.