20 delegates from 12 cities and 2 regions participated in the Cities Forum in Torino as part of the IURC Latin American delegation, taking place on March 16th and 17th, 2023. The Cities Forum brought together key urban stakeholders at European, ational, regional, and local levels who are committed to a green and just future of cities, and was organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG Regio).
The event began with a selection of relevant site visits, which was a great opportunity for participants to be immerse in Torino’s impressive experience of urban transformation and some of its best practices on social innovation, community engagement, and urban regeneration. Sites visited included the former Lingotto Fiat factory, a landmark of the industrial reconversion of the city, the abandoned farmstead Cascina Roccafranca transformed into a Casa del Quartiere (neighbourhood house), and the Arsenale della Pace, one of Torino’s main military arsenals in the XIX century, which underwent extensive urban regeneration after the 1980s, amongst others.
The Cities Forum also showcased high-level sessions and panels on a variety of topics, which included talks about the relevance of the European Green Deal, the official launch of the European Urban Initiative, a workshop on the New European Bauhaus, to mention only a few. The event ended with the session “Coming out of the European Box: international cooperation to inspire sustainable urban transformation”, hosted by Sandra Marin (IURC Central Coordination Service Team Leader, IURC), which allowed members of IURC to present good practices that have been inspired by, or improved with the international cooperation programme. Overall, the event was a great success, as it allowed the delegation to be inspired in their commitment towards building green and just cities, and to network with a great number of relevant actors.
On March 15th, IURC-LA delegation also had the opportunity to visit the Torino Urban Lab and to receive an inspiring presentation by Giuletta Fascino (Cultural development manager at the Torino Urban Lab), who shared some insights about the city’s transformation from a grey industrial centre to an innovative cultural and green hub. She presented the work realised by the Urban Lab to promote closer relationships and collaboration with the local community, by designing communication and information materials and activities that open up a dialogue to shape the city of tomorrow.
You can find interviews of participants, highlights of the Cities Forum, and more in the following video.
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