After the URBACT kickoff meeting in Paris, the 2Nite project started with the first Study Visit in Torino, hosted by the lead partner, the City of Torino, from November 27th to 29th, 2024.
The 19 participants gathered in Torino from all the partner cities: Riga, Cluj-Napoca, Sant Boi de Llobregat and Quadrilatero Urbano (representing four municipalities) to introduce the partners to the project and explore which best practices and experiences could be implemented in their cities of origin.
What happened
After a round of presentations, where the participants had the chance to meet each other, the Torino team introduced the URBACT Network Journey and the structure of the 2Nite project to ensure everyone was on the same page.
The focus then shifted to the ToNite project (2019–2023), funded under the fourth call of the UIA program on Urban Security. The project aimed at developing multidisciplinary solutions to manage public spaces and improve the safety perception of residents at nighttime along the Dora River in two specific neighborhoods.
The presentation focused on the project's goals and the results, allowing a better understanding of the context and the solutions implemented through the activities carried out during the three years of the project.
« ...we are eager to learn the methodology used in Turin and how to promote the engagement»
On the second day of the Study Visit, the group delved deeper into the administrative and financial aspects of the project and received an overview of the upcoming communication activities to be carried out within the URBACT framework.
The work then focused on local-level activities, starting with the stakeholder map and identifying which elements of the ToNite project could be transferred.
In the afternoon, the Torino group guided a tour to some of the urban spaces refurbished and fuor projects funded by the ToNite call for proposals. It was an opportunity for the partners to see firsthand the concrete actions that were implemented in the urban context.
Specifically, the group visited:
- Off Topic: A community hub working on issues of urban regeneration and community engagement through urban art
- Viale Ottavio Mai: An urban regeneration intervention of a 4.500 square meters area next to the University Campus
- Salotto di Miranda: A participatory space co-designed with the local community to promote social and communal activities
- Cecchi Point: A socio-educational project with street education interventions, focused on engaging youth through a combination of education and culture
- Giardino Pellegrino: A public garden co-designed with the residents and returned to the community as a space for shared events and activities
- Portineria di Comunità Porta Palazzo: A model of a proximity service, a hub for connection and an ecosystem for integrated services
The site visit continued at Torino Urban Lab, an association affiliated with the City of Torino that narrates the transformation of the city and its metropolitan area, and included a visit to the City Hall.
« It was nice to see together the people who need services and those who provide them. »
After a short debrief of the first two days and sharing some impressions about the site visit and the work done so far, the last day focused on what each city partner could bring home for further development. The session focused on the transferability study and the network roadmap. Each city partner discussed the project goals and the selected target area in order to understand the desired impact of the project in each city.
« I liked the social aspect of the ToNite project and I think we can bring it to our city. »