Conference at the Senate: “Borghi di Calabria in Ascolto” launches a

Conference at the Senate: “Borghi di Calabria in Ascolto”

On April 1, 2026, the Sala Zuccari in Palazzo Giustiniani hosted the national conference “Borghi di Calabria in Ascolto – Dialogues for a New Territorial Agenda”, organized by the association Borghi da Ri..Vivere at the initiative of Senator Clotilde Minasi. The meeting focused on the needs and proposals of 26 Calabrian villages to develop practical local development pathways.

Mayors, institutional representatives, journalists, regional stakeholders and delegates from the G.A.L. of the Serre Calabresi attended. Journalist Mariangela Petruzzelli moderated the sessions, framing the main themes and facilitating dialogue between local communities and national institutions.

Main goals and topics

• Physical and digital connections: infrastructure, mobility and digital networks to link villages and wider territories.
• Youth and new economies: policies for employment opportunities, digital skills and local training initiatives.
• Proximity welfare and institutional networks: local services, territorial healthcare and support for vulnerable communities.
• Local development and territorial cohesion: strategies for repopulation, return tourism and quality of life.
• Permanent consultative tables: establishing ongoing forums for coordination between local administrations and the central government.

The conference referenced the Action Manifesto signed on September 27, 2025 in Squillace, which outlines commitments on welfare, culture, digitalization and return tourism. The Senate meeting aimed to translate that manifesto into practical actions, setting up working groups and legislative proposals.

Planned actions and outlook

Among the proposals is a bill to encourage fiscal and residency transfers to villages with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, targeted at retirees and workers willing to relocate. The event also highlighted the importance of promoting return migration from expatriate communities and developing measures such as south smart working, local masterclasses and targeted international circuits.

The conference reaffirmed the intention to create a stable dialogue between Calabrian villages and national institutions, with the aim of turning strategies and manifestos into operational interventions that make historic centers livable and attractive.

Participation and representation

Delegates from 26 Calabrian municipalities attended, including Altilia, Aiello Calabro, Civita, Morano Calabro, Squillace and Stalettì, together with representatives of the G.A.L. of the Serre Calabresi. The initiative seeks to strengthen collaboration and involve local communities in national planning.

The overarching goal is to convert heritage protection into tangible opportunities for sustainable development, repopulation and improved quality of life in small historic centers.