On September 19 and 20, Green Growth Generation (GGG) organized two key events in Turin, funded by ACRA and Otto per Mille Soka Gakkai within the broader context of the FARCLIMATE Project. The gatherings, held under the ‘Sfide Ambientali’ initiative, focused on environmental sustainability and community participation, aiming to redefine the relationship between urban spaces and nature.
19 September: ‘Verde Urbano: coltivare inclusione e biodiversità / Urban Green: Cultivating Inclusion and Biodiversity’
The first event, ‘Verde Urbano: Coltivare Inclusione e Biodiversità’, held at St’Orto Urbano and San Pietro in Vincoli, focused around the critical importance of urban green spaces and biodiversity. Journalist and author Fabio Balocco, whose book “Verde Clandestino” inspired the gathering, called for a reimagining of urban spaces as environments where nature can flourish alongside human activity.
His words were echoed by representatives of BeeLab and L’Autostrada delle Api – realities involved in studying and protecting pollinator insects – and the local advocacy groups Salviamo gli Alberi di Corso Belgio and Salviamo la Pellerina, who stressed the importance of protecting Turin’s urban green spaces, for all residents’ health and well-being.
Artist Giacomo Castana and San Pietro’s artistic director, Andrea Panero, further highlighted the role of community in cultural and environmental regeneration.
20 September: ‘Visioni Urbane e Torino: Storie di Rigenerazione e Sostenibilità / Urban Visions and Turin: Stories of Regeneration and Sustainability’
The second event, ‘Visioni Urbane e Torino: Storie di Rigenerazione e Sostenibilità’, at Cecchi Point, showcased two short films produced by the Ruta Summer Film School, illustrating stories of urban transformation and resilience. Works such as ‘Mario’ and ‘Verdeacciaio’ explore themes of nature’s healing power and the interaction between industrial spaces and nature. Finally, ‘Ascoltando la corrente’, offered the audience an intense look at the relationship between Turin and the river Po, putting an emphasis on the need of protecting river ecosystems in the face of climate change.
Moving forward
The two evenings offered valuable and complementary insights: on the one hand, the need to protect and regenerate urban green spaces through active community participation. On the other hand, the importance of cultivating new cultural narratives about the relationship between nature and the city. Filmmaker Luciano Papangelo translated these perspectives in two short films, capturing an intimate and authentic look at life inside the St’Orto, shining a light to the people who animate it.
These events build on the July launch of the FARCLIMATE project, which focused on urban agriculture as a key to sustainable city living. Expanding this vision, Green Growth Generation plans to continue consolidating its case study work in Turin, fostering collaboration with local groups to create a model for sustainable urban regeneration that can inspire other cities.
Discover more at https://greengrowthgeneration.com/.