CLIC participation at 35th Breakfast@Sustainability’s on Cultural and Natural Heritage for regional Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3)

On 17 November 2020, ICLEI Europe hosted the 35th Breakfast at Sustainability’s, focusing on Cultural & Natural Heritage for regional Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3). The online event was organised in the context of RURITAGE, a Horizon2020 project that turns rural areas into laboratories to demonstrate Cultural & Natural Heritage as an engine of regeneration. The event brought together representatives of EU institutions, cultural experts, regional officers and rural stakeholders, to discuss the unexplored potential of combining Smart Specialisation with Cultural & Natural Heritage. As Europe’s regions are revising their RIS3 for the new programming period (2021-2027), and as the European Commission is setting ambitious goals for a green recovery, it was a timely moment to revisit how investment in Research & Innovation for Cultural & Natural Heritage can contribute to building a sustainable future for all.

The invited speakers were:

  • Laurent de Mercey, European Commission, Unity Smart and Sustainable Growth (DG REGIO)
  • Maciej Hofman, Policy Officer, Culture – Cultural and creative sectors (DG EAC)
  • Alessandro Rainoldi, Head of Unit, Territorial Development, Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
  • Prof. Fusco Girard, Associate Professor at IRISS – Institute for Research on Innovation and Services for Development (Italy)
  • Prof. Simona Tondelli, Full Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Bologna, Project Coordinator of RURITAGE
  • Gumersindo Bueno Benito, General Director for Cultural Heritage, Region of Castilla y León (Spain)
  • Gabriela Macoveiu, Director of the Communication, Innovation and External Cooperation Department at North-East Regional Development Agency (Romania).

Prof. Luigi Fusco Girard, commented on how Smart Specialisation of Heritage can be integrated with Cultural Strategies. Moreover, he gave some examples of research and innovation projects valorising CNH, from his experience in Italy. In particular, he referred to the Sanità District in the periphery of Naples which was characterised by growing inequalities and social issues.

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