Naples, 18 April 2026 – Moving beyond short-term numerical logic and returning to a policy based on proximity, cohesion, and a long-term vision. This is the message launched by Daniele Sinibaldi, President of ANCI Lazio and Mayor of Rieti, who spoke today in Naples during the ANCI Giovani National Assembly, within the panel “LIVING CHANGE: innovative policies for more liveable and sustainable cities”.
In his speech, Sinibaldi shared the practical experience gained in a complex territory such as the seismic crater area, highlighting how major crises – from the pandemic to the earthquake – have profoundly impacted how new generations experience the territory and envision the future. “Problems do not have administrative borders,” he declared. "Anyone who has experienced emergencies like Covid or an earthquake knows that the most profound changes are those that affect communities, especially young people.".
From these difficulties, however, according to Sinibaldi, a fundamental resource also emerges: the ability of new generations to generate innovative visions and answers. “In the most fragile areas, values such as cohesion and a sense of community are rediscovered. ”Restanza' [remaining] and resilience are not slogans, but represent the concrete choice of those who decide to invest in their territory without giving up modernity.".
A central part of his speech concerned the need to rethink public policy: “Today everything revolves around numbers, but the numbers of the present are not enough. We must create conditions that generate results over time, with structural solutions capable of repopulating and regenerating the territories.”.
This direction is informed by Rieti's experience as a partner city for L'Aquila, Italian Capital of Culture 2026, an example of interregional collaboration that transcends administrative boundaries and promotes a shared vision for the central Apennines. “Culture – understood as a tool for studying and refounding spaces – can represent a concrete response to the depopulation of inland areas.”.
Sinibaldi therefore concluded with an appeal to institutions: “It is time to build wide-ranging policies, capable of responding to territories that share fragility and opportunities. Administrative borders often limit solutions: we must have the courage to overcome them.”.
Angelo Mattoccia, Regional Coordinator of the ANCI Lazio Youth Council and Mayor of Pofi, also spoke on the sidelines of the Assembly: “The National Assembly of ANCI Giovani, held in Naples on 17 and 18 April, represented a crucial moment for discussion, in-depth analysis, and the exchange of good practices. Every year, this event provides fertile ground for building new ideas and strengthening the network of administrators. Although there are still few young administrators under 35 in Italy, the assembly becomes a fundamental tool each time for strengthening our community. I thank the many administrators from Lazio who participated in large numbers at the assembly, contributing with their enthusiasm to this path of growth.”