Senior Policy Officer, Unione della Romagna Faentina (Italy)

Romagna Faentina is an association of six Municipalities located in the south-east area of Emilia-Romagna region, in Italy. Its peculiarity lays in the fact that the Association acts on behalf of its member from which it was transferred with all staff and competences, Urban Security policy included. For its population size – 90.000 inhabitants – is considered a small local authority in a scattered area, nevertheless it plays an important role in keeping the cohesion of local communities.

As any other Urban Authority Romagna Faentina needs financial resources to implement its policies, so since its establishment it developed a strategy to select relevant funding opportunities. The presentation will focus on the experience carried out in monitoring and applying for EU funding in the field of Urban Security which is one of the most relevant policies in the local agenda.

 

 

Do you have any specific hopes or predictions for the future of urban security? (What will urban security look like in 30 years? What will be the main opportunities and risks?)

Security will be a key challenge for urban authorities: cohesive communities are more resilient to unexpected event (such as pandemics or natural disasters).

An integrated approach to Urban Security policy can help local authorities in tackling the sense of exclusion, urban decay and isolation and other forthcoming challenges.

Complexity is growing and the challenge is to manage it through a combined action both in the set of policies to deliver and in the cooperation between different institutional level  following the subsidiarity principle.

 

 

Why do you think it is so important to involve citizens in urban security practice?

Citizens involvement in urban security practice is at the core of a better perception of security: active citizenship and participation foster the sense of inclusion and have positive effect on the quality of life of communities and in the faith in institutions.