After two years of pandemic, meetings and online visits, once again Reggio Emilia welcomed PROSPERA partners for a Thematic event. The Thematic Workshop aimed at deepening the issues and challenges of peri-urban areas and sharing action plans with which to promote the construction of integrated policies and measures focused on peri-urban areas and the economic opportunities that can arise from them.
During the four day visit, Italian hosts and representatives from Aristoteli (GR), Ghent (BE); Varberg (SWE) and Debrecen (HU) enjoyed some really interesting activities.
On the 29th of March, the Technopole of Reggio Emilia hosted the international event of the project, bringing together professionals of urban planning, economic and rural development of the 5 partner cities to discuss the first results of the path developed with PROSPERA and the actions that each territory is putting in place to promote sustainable development of peri-urban areas. Philippe Lemanceau, Vice-President of Dijon Metropole presented the Global Food Policy of Dijon. Cristina Sossan from Food Policy Office of the City of Milan presented The Milan Food Policy and the links among urban and periurban areas.
Partners also visited the Reggio Emilia Innovation Park, the International Center Loris Malaguzzi, the Good Practices of the city, Greenway “Vasca di Corbelli” and Urban Forestation Plan and met agricultural companies in the peri-urban.
In the evening, attendees had the opportunity to cook together and learn the recipe for making Tortelli, the traditional pasta dish of Emilia Romagna.
On the 30th of March, participants discussed the Rural Village Development Strategy, Edible Park and Urban Planning Tool during the Transfer Sessions. During the afternoon session, PROSPERA partners presented their draft Local Action Plans and got feedback from each other.
On the 31st of March, a project management meeting was held covering the following topics: project management meeting, financial meeting and communication activities.
Overall, the Thematic event in Reggio Emilia was a great opportunity for partners to meet again and get to know each other deepening the lessons learnt during the online field visits.
“The thematic workshop in Reggio Emilia was a great combination of inspirational exchange with the other partners and fun! Very happy to see everyone again face to face. The opportunity to talk with everyone in between the formal meeting moments really adds to the learning. It was also an added value to see Reggio Emilia’s good practices in real life. Nothing can replace seeing it with your own eyes and being able to informally ask all your questions. Getting to know each other better in person makes it easier to contact each other and ask questions afterwards.” A PROSPERA partner
