Knowledge Exchange Between Authorities, Population, and Universities in Accumoli
On April 11, more than sixty people attended a meeting between the population of Accumoli, the relevant authorities, political leaders, and several universities. The focus of the meeting was the exchange of knowledge on the use of innovative and inclusive strategies for resilience to natural disasters, incorporating expertise from various fields such as cultural heritage, health, and infrastructure..
April 20th, 2024
The Study Day was organized by Essex University and Anglia Ruskin University (Cambridge). Professors and students from India's CEPT University, University of Massachusetts, University of Southern California, University of Baltimore, North Carolina State University, Istanbul University (İstanbul Üniversitesi), Sapienza University of Rome, and the University for Continuing Education Krems participated. Led by Professor Paola Di Giuseppantonio Di Franco, a stimulating discussion took place between the research institutions and local bodies.
The Roles
The Chairman of Radici Accumolesi, Renzo Colucci, opened the meeting by emphasizing the importance of universities to the region. He also expressed the desire for the Latium Region and the Reconstruction Office to meet with the population to explain the status of public reconstruction before final decisions are made on the urban planning of Accumoli's historic center, especially considering that the municipal administration will be renewed in two months with the upcoming elections.
The Mayor of Accumoli, Franca D’Angeli, spoke about the administration's activities concerning public infrastructure, including a settlement for production activities that could boost employment and curb depopulation. Adriano Piscitelli, President of Proloco, discussed the role of associations after the earthquake, highlighting the numerous activities undertaken to alleviate the population's discomfort, improve the area's visibility, and urge the relevant authorities to streamline procedures and thus accelerate reconstruction.
The proceedings continued with the reading of the report by Councilor Gabriella Del Marro, who was unable to attend. The report detailed the state of healthcare before and after the earthquake, as well as the status of the new hospital and the new services it will be equipped with. The hospital is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 and to open in 2025.
Professor Christian Hanus, Scientific Director of the Research Lab Sustainable Cultural Heritage Construction at the University for Continuing Education Krems and Director of the Accumoli Reconstruction School, who is currently conducting a study on the area's development with a group of professors and doctoral students from the Faculty of Architecture of the Roman University La Sapienza, explained the projects already realized and those yet to be carried out. He emphasized the need to consider the area's economic reality and to continue fostering cooperative relationships with associations, which are partners in numerous projects.
Daniele Colitti, Chairman of the Sherpa Cooperative, explained the importance of the "Accumoli and its Roots" project, co-financed by the Latium Region, for the area. He displayed interviews with some residents of Accumoli conducted as part of the previous project "Accumoli 2030 for Ethical and Sustainable Agriculture," also carried out in collaboration with Radici Accumolesi and other community associations. In addition to the interviews, a map of the municipality was created, graphically depicting the memory sites proposed by the population. Annamaria Di Placido, representative of the L'Aquilone Association, explained the "Emotional Mapping" project that the association, together with the population, is beginning to develop.
Marco Polvani, representative of Actionaid Italy, highlighted the numerous projects carried out immediately after the earthquake in the affected area. He proposed drawing the government's attention to the urgent need for a delegated law to equip Italy with a reconstruction code valid for all emergencies. In the end, many attendees asked questions to the speakers, leading to a very interesting debate.
Contact for Inquiries
Univ.-Prof. Dipl. Arch. ETH Dr. Christian Hanus, FEng.
Scientific Director
Research Lab Sustainable Cultural Heritage
University for Continuing Education Krems
Phone: +43 2732 893-2654
Email: christian.hanus@donau-uni.ac.at