Communication and participation process. Events as natural based solution. Siena Meeting, 9 october 2020 / Mariapiera Forgione

1. EVENTS AND CULTURAL
ACTIVITIES AS NBS
MARIAPIERA FORGIONE | Siena Municipality | urbinat@comune.siena.it, mariapiera@anansecommunication.com
HEALTHY CORRIDORS AS DRIVERS OF SOCIAL HOUSING
NEIGHBOURHOODS FOR THE CO- CREATION OF SOCIAL,
ENVIRONMENTAL AND MARKETABLE NBS
Porto,
Portugal
This project has received funding from the European Union's
Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant
agreement No 776783
Project number 776783 | www.urbinat.eu | contact@urbinat.eu | @URBi_NAT

2. Can we consider communication a success factor in
participation process?
DEFINITELY YES!
Because it creates the conditions for it.
It spreads the culture of participation as a
methodology for public decision-making
It constantly informs citizens and stakeholders
It generates consensus around an idea of community
and territory
Creates a shared and recognizable system of values.
COMMUNICATION AS A SUCCESS FACTOR
FOR PARTICIPATION PROCESSES

3. COMMUNICATION CAN BE A
DECISIVE RESOURCE TO
INCREASE THE QUALITY OF
INCLUSIVE PROCESSES AND TO
PROMOTE SUCCESS
The type of communication to be used
in participatory processes must aim at
the direct involvement of people and the
communication must not be "a
marketing operation": it must be
understood that there is work in
progress and that in this situation, not
yet defined, citizens are also involved as
significant interlocutors of the
administration.
Direct involvement increases the sense
of belonging to the project and also the
sense of trust that people build around
the experience.

4. 1. A strategy of involvement focuses on emotionality, that increase
interest and protagonism, a sense of belonging to the operation
and mobilisation of civic sense.
2. The scouting of stakeholders, identifying those who may have
interest and motivation to collaborate with the administration and
the analysis of their relationship networks
4. The paper must not be written before, so there must be a stake in
which all those who are involved have effective capacity for voice
and expression of opinion
5. Maximum openness and transparency
6. The communication strategy must focus not only on emotionality
and sense of belonging, but also on timely information and the
ability to report the results obtained and the impacts.
KEY ELEMENTS FOR GOOD COMMUNICATION
TO SUPPORT PARTICIPATION

5. INTEGRATED
COMMUNICATION APPROACH
All aspects of marketing communication (advertising, public relations,
direct marketing, and social media, …), tactics, methods, channels,
media, and activities, all work together as a unified force.
It is a process designed to ensure that all messaging and
communications strategies are consistent across all channels and are
centered on the citizen.
Talking about participation
process, it is even more
important to use an
integrated communication
approach.
It’s an approach to creating a
unified and seamless
“experience” for citizens to
interact with project.

6. IN AN INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION
APPROACH HOW IMPORTANT IS THE
ORGANISATION OF EVENTS?
Organisation of events represent an
important communication lever because
it plays on an element of co-presence
(physical or virtual) and on a strong
emotional component, that are key
elements of a communication oriented to
participation.

7. When the focus
shifts from the
product to the
process,
the organisation’s
attention shifts
from "what to do"
to "how" and
"why".

8. CAN EVENT’S ORGANISATION BE
CONSIDERED A NATURAL BASED SOLUTION?
The organization of an event can be a nature based
solution(NBS), but it is necessary to identify some feature:
1. there are no final scenarios already defined
2. the process is more important than the product
3. it is necessary to interact with the territory and the “green
resources” that we find there
4. Its able to activate relations between citizens and
organisations that already exist in that area

9. OUR CHALLENGE:
PROTOTIPIZE “URBINAT EVENT” AS NBS
Our challenge is to create a specific
methodology to define when an
event can be an NBS.

10. EXAMPLES OF EVENTS AND
ACTIVITIES AS TOOL OF
REGENERATION PROCESS

11. FONTI D’OVILE
La Fonte d'Ovile is an
historical water basin of
Siena, located just
outside the Porta a
Ovile.
The spring dates back
to 1262 and is
characterised by a
double ogival arch that
leads to the large basin,
used for watering and
as a lavatory.

12. From ancient fountains to wash clothes…
…to outdoor gym!

13. THE “GREENERY
THEATER” IN SAN
MINIATO
Recovery of the
wooded area in the
San Miniato district
and the creation of
paths, installations and
an open-air theatre. A
project that, in synergy
with the Urban
Gardens, has linked the
many associations that
operate in this area for
its enhancement and
use.

14. SIENA’ WALLS
The walls of Siena, among
the UNESCO World Heritage
Sites, are the object of an
important initiative
implemented by the
citizens, supported by the
Municipality of Siena, aimed
at the recovery of the
monument. An important
form of cooperation to
protect this heritage and to
involve citizens

15. Porto,
Portugal
This project has received funding from the European Union's
Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant
agreement No 776783
MARIAPIERA
FORGIONE
Siena Municipality
urbinat@comune.siena.it