The GGG events of 19-20 September: two evenings to nurture the future
The evenings of 19 and 20 September represented two fundamental moments in the recent history of Green Growth Generation and also, we hope, to reflect on the very future of the city of Turin. Organised by GGG within the ‘Sfide Ambientali’ (Environmental Challenges) call – funded by ACRA and Otto per Mille Soka Gakkai – these events brought together experts, activists and citizens to explore the need for a new approach to the human-nature cohabitation in modern cities.
Two different, yet complementary events, showed how environmental sustainability and active participation can be at the core of a new urban vision.
19 September: ‘Urban Green: cultivating inclusion and biodiversity’
The first meeting took place in the spaces of the St’Orto Urbano and San Pietro in Vincoli: a sold-out event, thanks to the presence of distinguished guests who enlivened the evening. Among the protagonists was journalist and author Fabio Balocco, whose book ‘Verde Clandestino’ inspired the creation of the meeting. Balocco highlighted the urgency to rethink our relationship with nature: “Cities should not just be spaces for human beings, but places where nature can not only survive, but thrive, integrating itself with our daily activities”.
This message found a powerful echo in the interventions of BeeLab and L’Autostrada delle Api. Supported by research from the University of Turin’s laboratory, Manuel Roppo Valente and Giulia Russo reiterated the essentiality of pollinating insects for the balance of ecosystems, at a time when their habitats are increasingly threatened by urban sprawl and the intensive use of pesticides.
“Without pollinators, the entire life cycle would be compromised,’ Valente stressed, ‘it is crucial to act now to preserve biodiversity”. Because every action counts, and in urban settings too, we can make a difference to safeguard these species.
Giving a ‘territorial’ dimension to the meeting were the committees Salviamo gli alberi di Corso Belgio and Salviamo la Pellerina. “There are many critical issues linked to the Turin City Council’s urban plans” said their respective spokesmen Roberto Accornero and Roberta Contratto, launching a heartfelt appeal for the protection of the city’s great green lungs: “these environments are not only crucial for the preservation of biodiversity, but also for our well-being and health”.
The emotional contribution of the evening came from Giacomo Castana, artist and researcher, who shared with the audience his journey through the project ‘Botanica per tutti’ and the more recent ‘La musica delle piante’. Through his story, Castana invited us to rediscover the deep connection between man and plants, to realise how the vegetable world is an integral part of our existence.
Andrea Panero, artistic director of San Pietro in Vincoli, then spoke: “as with the protection of greenery, cultural regeneration cannot be separated from the active participation of the community”, he commented, referring to the transformations taking place in the Aurora district.
Andrea Viali, spokesperson for the St’Orto Urbano, finally recounted the birth of this space, inviting everyone to discover similar places that “await us on our doorstep, if only we open our eyes”.
20 September: ‘Urban Visions and Turin: stories of regeneration and sustainability'
The following day, at the Cecchi Point – Casa del Quartiere in Aurora, the focus shifted to urban regeneration and environmental sustainability through the language of cinema. The evening was enhanced by the screening of three selected short films, narrating stories of transformation and resilience.
We were able to listen to the voices of the Ruta Summer Film School, a creative laboratory born in Turin in 2021 that promotes sustainable film production. A unique film school whose aim is to inspire creative young people to make works of true environmental and social awareness .
Like ‘Mario’, fifteen minutes that tell the story of a man able to transform a corner of disused materials and abandoned plants into a small garden of serenity. “A message about the transformative and healing power of nature” as Caterina Nonis, co-author of the short film, told us.
‘Verdeacciaio’, by Camilla Morino and Eugenio Goria, took the public to a post-industrial park in Turin, where concrete and steel intertwine with trees and nature. The images and voices of the people living in this space, between a game of basketball and a tango dance, show the beauty of a place capable of uniting past and future, offering an optimistic vision of harmony between nature and the city.
Finally, ‘Ascoltando la corrente’, part of the Ciak! Sì, parteciPO! project, made us (re)discover a special and too often ignored place: the river Po.
“The short film aims to highlight how climate change is making the relationship between the river and the city increasingly uncertain”, explained the members of the production, reminding the audience that the protection of river ecosystems is also crucial to counteract flooding and inundation, phenomena more and more frequent.
A green and shared future
The two evenings offered valuable and complementary food for thought: on the one hand, the need to protect and regenerate urban green spaces through active community participation. On the other, the importance of cultivating new cultural narratives that focus on the relationship between nature and the city.
We asked filmmaker Luciano Papangelo to translate these two perspectives into a visual narrative. The result is two short films: the first offers an intimate and authentic look at life inside the St’Orto, highlighting the people who animate it. Their testimonies invite us to reflect on the value of shared urban spaces, and how they can become catalysts for social and environmental transformation. (Watch the full video).
The second short film, ‘Uno spazio sospeso’, is a more artistic and poetic reflection on the link between the human being and the environment that surrounds him: “the St’Orto Urbano is the result of nature’s desire to reclaim its own space in a city suffocated by asphalt and cement, but it is also the fruit of the commitment and passion of a community. Here, human relationships intertwine like tree branches, growing, strengthening”.
The images and narration take us on an inner journey, in which nature, poised and threatened, emerges as a vital element, capable of regenerating not only physical spaces, but also our collective consciousness. (Watch the full video).
As the short films screened at the Cecchi Point and the words of the guests at St’Orto Urbano tell us, inclusion, biodiversity and urban regeneration are challenges to be faced with creativity and responsibility, with a view to long-term sustainability.
Special thanks go to the Cooperativa Sociale Raggio and Piola Al Cecchi for the refreshments prepared. Two unique realities on the Turin scene, which promote the employment of people with fragility and/or disadvantages. Thanks to ACRA and Otto per Mille Soka Gakkai for funding this meeting, part of the ‘Sfide Ambientali’ (Environmental Challenges) call.
Finally, a heartfelt thanks to GreenGrowers Gabriella, Alessandro, Luca, Valentina, Adele, Barbara, Elisabetta and Davide for their precious and unparalleled work over the last few months.
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By
Alessandro Bertozzi
