The inaugural event of the European project took place yesterday at the “E. Toto” Municipal Auditorium in Campoli Appennino. MOVES – Mountain Voices for Engaged and Sustainable Democracy, promoted by ANCI Lazio as part of the CERV program.
The initiative represented a first moment of public discussion dedicated to the challenges and opportunities of mountain areas, with the aim of strengthening civic participation and dialogue between citizens and local institutions.
The opening of the proceedings was opened by Luca Masi, Secretary General of ANCI Lazio, who illustrated the objectives of the project and the role of the Association in its implementation. Following this, the institutional greetings of the Mayor of Campoli Appennino opened the day.
The MOVES project, implemented in partnership with European organizations, aims to counter democratic disengagement and promote more inclusive participation in the interior and mountain areas, which are often characterized by depopulation, difficulties in accessing services, and exclusion of certain segments of the population.
During the event, the project initiative was presented in detail, followed by a central moment of active involvement of the participants through an interactive digital survey in real time, which allowed collecting opinions, critical issues and perceived needs in the mountain regions.
The participatory activities highlighted some key issues, including difficulties in accessing essential services – particularly healthcare and infrastructure –, employment opportunities and prospects for young people, the issue of quality of life and combating depopulation, as well as the role of civic participation and representation in local contexts.
The forum saw the participation of citizens, local administrators, representatives of the associative world and young people, fostering a direct and structured discussion on the main challenges facing mountain communities.
Subsequently, the research “Local ecosystems between tradition and transformation”, carried out by the Chamber of Commerce of Frosinone-Latina and the University of Cassino and the Southern Lazio, was presented, which provided an additional contribution of analysis on the development of the inner areas.
The day concluded with an open discussion about the results of the questionnaire, which will serve as the basis for the next stages of the project.
The event represented the starting point of a broader process that will lead to the co-designing of concrete solutions, developed together with citizens, institutions and local stakeholders, with the aim of strengthening participatory governance and supporting the development of mountain areas.
