This morning ANCI Lazio took part in the conference “Small villages, big opportunities”, hosted at Palazzo Mocci in Castel San Pietro Romano. This was an important occasion for discussion dedicated to the future of Italy's inland areas and the development of small municipalities in the Monti Prenestini region. The Director General of ANCI Lazio participated in the initiative, Federico Palla, a testament to the Association's commitment to supporting shared growth paths and the valorisation of territories.
The meeting was an opportunity to delve into the results and prospects of the “Small & Smart Villages Governance” project, developed in collaboration with the Roma Tre University and Sapienza University of Rome, with the aim of promoting new governance models, innovation, and sustainable development for small villages.
During the work, the need to strengthen the capacity of small municipalities to network, share expertise, and build common strategies to address the challenges of depopulation, digital transition, environmental sustainability, and the enhancement of cultural and landscape heritage emerged strongly. In this process, local authorities play a central role, acting as protagonists of territorial policies capable of generating new opportunities for citizens, businesses, and communities.
ANCI Lazio's participation confirms the Association's commitment to supporting local Municipalities in processes of administrative innovation and local development, fostering dialogue between institutions, universities, and local realities. The engagement with the world of research is indeed a strategic element for transforming ideas and best practices into concrete tools to support local administrations.
The initiative is part of a wider plan to enhance the Prenestini Mountains and their villages, a heritage of history, identity and resources that, through shared governance and a long-term vision, can become an engine for sustainable development for the entire area.