Naples, shared social regeneration starts in Piazza Garibaldi

Redeveloping Piazza Garibaldi in Naples, an important railway junction, gateway and heart of the city, but with serious and historical problems of decay and public order. To redevelop it, a wide-ranging partnership has been set in motion, with the City of Naples at the forefront, flanked by forty voluntary associations and foundations, as well as Neapolitan industrialists and two banks, with a budget of one million. Thus began the project 'La bella piazza: co-management actions for the public spaces of Piazza Garibaldi', the first example in Italy of public and private co-management of an important piece of the city to be recovered.

The physical and building renovation of Piazza Garibaldi took place a few years ago, but it was not enough to make it a safe, inclusive, decent place. The new project instead focuses on civic and social recovery, setting itself two general aims. The first is to transform the North Area of Piazza Garibaldi, Naples' 'calling card', into a nice, welcoming and inclusive place. The second aim is to codify a public-private management model that in time can be replicated in other areas of the city and in Italy.

The intervention is concentrated in the northern area of the square, the one in which there is a 'Cavea', an amphitheatre, which the municipality will make available to the associations in exchange, not for money, but for services they will offer. Cleaning, landscaping, maintenance in a broad sense will be ensured. As well as social services and a cultural offer. The maintenance and care of play and sports areas will be ensured. There will be a support service for the homeless and open-air workshops with socio-educational activities. A tourist enhancement of the square is also planned: info points, intercultural walks and Migrantour, an urban game design intervention. Two of the eight kiosks already present but never used will be opened and will be used as small shops, and one in particular will be a sort of 'social' concierge. The first of the eight kiosks in the square has in fact been allocated to the staff of the Dedalus Cooperative for social and civic activities. Gradually the others will open, starting with that of the Municipal Police.

With the signing of the agreement, lasting four years, renewable for another four, between the City of Naples and private individuals, the operation, for which an investment of approximately one million euros is planned, has begun. The project, the brainchild of the Est(ra)Moenia association, has built a broad and original alliance of social cooperatives and associations (Cooperativa sociale Dedalus, Associazione IF-Imparare Fare ETS, Associazione Aste & Nodi, Casba Società Cooperativa Sociale, Associazione Officine Gomitoli, Associazione Ethnos Club, Associazione A Voce Alta, Associazione Senegalesi Napoli, Comitato Orgoglio Vasto) and other economic and entrepreneurial actors investing in the Piazza Garibaldi area (Caracciolo Hospitality Group, Accademia della Moda, Accor Hospitality Italia, Farmacia De Biasi, I Sapori di Parthenope, Cima, Moccia Irme, Vincar, Studio Keller). Alliance that has found the support and involvement of the Department of Architecture and Department of Social Sciences of the University Federico II of Naples, Forum Disuguaglianze Diversità, Cgil Campania and Naples, with the adhesion of Teatro Mercadante - Teatro Stabile di Napoli, Teatro Bellini of Naples, the Museum of Modern Art, MAD Entertaiment, National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Academy of Fine Arts of Naples, Department of Architecture and Industrial Design of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. "La bella piazza" is a project supported by Fondazione Con il Sud and co-financed by Fondazione Azimut, Fondazione Peppino Vismara, Fondazione Rut, Intesa Sanpaolo, Unicredit, CHG - Caracciolo Hospitality Group, Accademia della Moda, Accor Hospitality Italia, Farmacia De Biasi, I Sapori di Parthenope, Cima, Moccia Irme, Est(ra)Moenia, Vincar, Studio Keller.

The mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi: 'We are launching a unique experiment in Italy, creating a model to be replicated'. For the Prefect of Naples, Michele Di Bari: 'For some months now, we have been guarding the territory with a very special surveillance service. For the Foundations, it is now established that regeneration must start from the social sphere and that the Third Sector's interventions are also stimuli for a healthy economy. The president of Naples' industrialists, Costanzo Jannotti Pecci, speaks of a model to be extended and asks the municipality for the involvement of businesses in Bagnoli and the eastern area as well.