The tour that began yesterday in Rome will involve six Italian municipalities with public and private agencies, third sector organisations and citizens on local co-design challenges to drive the post-pandemic recovery of the social and productive systems through sustainable and inclusive growth.
The initiative is promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale and Facebook Italia as part of Programme Vagone FMD. Da 01 a 100 developed for Binario F. The Roma Capitale Department for Economic Development and Labour is launching the first Civic Challenge to retailers, entrepreneurs, craftsmen and third sector operators to debate and identify strategies and tools to relaunch “Made in Rome” and “Made in Italy” abroad.
We need a strategy to promote “Made in Rome” products and services that will involve local stakeholders across a range of sectors to adopt a more integrated and systemic approach. Moreover, there also is the need for an e-commerce platform that will represent the identity of local products and services through storytelling actions that will emphasise local production, also in terms of sustainability and critical consumption in a globally competitive city.
The worktable on restaurants and tourist services pointed out the importance of public space, from urban parks to museums, as spaces for interaction and connection not only between tourists, but also Roman citizens, who during the pandemic rediscovered the importance of micro-relations and nearby services. All participants requested that the behaviour experimented over the past months, especially the adaptation and open innovation of public agencies and companies, characterize the future approach of the administration and all involved actors. In terms of digital transformation, proposals have been made to guarantee capillary connectivity through an integrated app allowing access to all services provided by the city from a smartphone.
These are the results that have emerged from the first civic challenge launched by Roma Capitale and, in particular, the Department for Economic Development and Labour as part of the Roma Smart City Plan.
In the two challenges dedicated to the “food and craftsmanship industries” and “restaurant and tourist services,” local actors debated the strategies and tools that could combine the brand of Rome with e-commerce models to promote and export high-quality products and services.
“I am proud that the Civic Challenge started from Rome. Thanks to the Smart City Plan, the Rome Council is working to make the city more efficient, global, inclusive, sustainable, green, attractive, competitive and inclusive. We are developing long-term projects in fundamental sectors for the future of the city and the model that we have always used to conceived them has been cooperative to profoundly mirror the spirit of the challenge promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale and Facebook Italia.
The debate with local actors and the proposals that have emerged provide a significant stimulus to promote “Made in Rome” products and services that will drive the post-pandemic economic recovery and transform Rome into the Capital of Digital Development,” declares Andrea Coia, Rome Councillor for Economic Development and Labour.
“Kicking off with the “Made in Rome” Challenge also has a symbolic value. It represents the search for a new route for the recovery of the entire country. We like to think of the Rome of the future as an inclusive city of knowledge and imagine that every product made in Rome will be fully accessible to everyone,” adds Mirta Michilli, Director General of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale.
The City of Rome inaugurates a civic participation initiative that will involve 6 Italian municipalities in 6 urban challenges in 2021. The initiative, promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale and Facebook Italia as part of Programme Vagone FMD. Da 01 a 100 and developed for Binario F, aims to place local relations back at the centre and propose new grassroots models for digital transformation and sustainable growth.
The challenges launched by the local administration will be met by public and private agencies, enterprises, third sector organisations and all citizens. Everyone is invited to participate in the identification of priorities, needs, innovative ideas and civic participation. A final paper will document the main proposals advanced at the local level to develop a collective vision for national recovery.
“Binario F was created to provide help to Italian organisations and cultivate the digital skills that have become fundamental for market competitiveness,” explains Angelo Mazzetti, Institutional Affairs, Facebook Italia. “We are very happy about this new project with the Fondazione Mondo Digitale. We hope that it will provide a meeting place for local administrations and others, and not only to develop new strategies for local recovery thanks to digital tools.”
