Turin, Italy, February 2020 – The partners in the TO-Nite European project led by the city of Turin (IT) on improving the city’s quality of life and access to urban spaces, in particular at night, took part in the project’s kick-off meeting, on 14 February in Turin.
Besides Efus, represented by Tatiana Morales, project manager, the meeting gathered several representatives of the Turin City Council, the University of Turin, Turin’s polytechnic school, and the European Union’s Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) programme*. It was co-organised by the Turin City Council and the project partners Torino Wireless Foundation (Italy), Experientia Limited Liability Company (Italy), SocialFare (Italy), Engineering, Espereal Technologies (Italy) and the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI according to the Italian acronym).
> Understanding the evolution of demand on nighttime public spaces
Selected in the framework of a specific “Call for Proposal” on the topic of “urban security and related innovative solutions” as part of the UIA programme, TO-Nite (September 2019 – August 2022) seeks to develop solutions that will help local authorities and citizens to understand the evolving demands on public spaces at night. The project will examine two neighbourhoods in Turin with different characteristics in terms of population density and occupation of public spaces at night. Even though they are quite different, residents of both neighbourhoods experience feelings of insecurity.
Efus will accompany and support the city of Turin by ensuring the transferability of its actions in Italy, France and other European countries.
> Citizen participation
One of the main takeaways of this first meeting is a common desire to involve local residents, notably through street art performances and concerts. The project will also seek to associate civil society organisations that are active in the two concerned neighbourhoods, such as cultural, sports and youth clubs and associations.
“We have decided to support the TO-Nite project not only because of its expected results but also because of its innovative approach to urban security and social cohesion, which is based on the participation of local communities,” said the representative of the EU’s UIA programme, Pier Paolo Saraceno.
For his part, the project coordinator at the Turin City Council, Fabrizio Barbiero, said: “TO-Nite’s added value is that it is focused on local communities with an approach based on social innovation and urban renewal to tackle security issues.”
* Marco Pironti, Councillor at the Turin City Council in charge of Innovation and European Funds; Marco Giusta, Councillor in charge of Suburbs and Common Good; Alberto Unia, Councillor in charge of the Environment, Urban Renewal and Urban Furniture; Stefano Geuna, Dean of the University of Turin; Andrea Bocco, Manager at Turin’s Polytechnic School; Pier Paolo Saraceno, Project Officer, Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) programme.
