Sfide: youths and adults co-design the future space in Mazara del Vallo with architect Marco Terranova

On January 15, 2025, Mazara del Vallo hosted an important day of meetings as part of the Child Municipality Policy program. Led by community architect Marco Terranova and organized by the Fondazione Comunitaria di Agrigento e Trapani within the Sfide – Generazioni in Crescita project, the initiative took place at the Civic-Urban Innovation Laboratory. It engaged students from the Don Gaspare Morello Artistic High School and representatives of the local Third Sector with the aim of exploring and co-creating youth-friendly spaces and policies.

The Sfide project, supported by the European Union under the Next Generation EU program and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), seeks to combat educational poverty and reduce school dropout rates through an integrated approach that combines formal and non-formal education.

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A day of unleashed imagination

The meetings unfolded in two separate sessions, involving 30 students from Don Gaspare Morello Artistic High School in the morning and representatives of the local Third Sector in the afternoon. While the activities were tailored to suit the needs of these two age groups, they shared a common approach focused on interaction and co-creation.

Youth and well-being

With the students, Marco Terranova initiated a participatory dialogue, asking them to define key concepts such as well-being, home, street, safety, and nature, using a word or verb that was then added to a collective chart. Divided into groups, the young participants creatively transformed the space using makeshift materials, drawing inspiration from three words selected from the chart. They then developed projects to envision a "Mazara I Dream Of."

The proposals ranged from creating public green areas and outdoor meeting spaces to revitalizing the waterfront with events, performances, and music. They also imagined spaces for recreation and co-creation within their school, where they could paint, draw, and socialize. Additionally, there was a strong emphasis on inclusion, particularly in addressing discrimination related to race, gender, and sexual orientation. Open discussions allowed each group to contribute to and enhance others' projects, creating a shared and integrated vision of a more welcoming and dynamic city.

The Perspective of Adults: Safety and Recreational Spaces

In the afternoon, representatives of the Third Sector participated in a similar activity, offering their perspectives and ideas. Among the suggestions was the need to reorganize the Casbah, making it a safe and child-friendly area with games and recreational activities promoting physical movement. Another proposal involved creating a distributed library and installing cube-shaped structures in the main square containing materials for street games, encouraging creative activities and social interaction outdoors.

The Sfide Project

The* Sfide** project is funded by the European Union through the Next Generation EU program - PNRR M5C3 - Investment 1.3, which includes structured socio-educational interventions to combat educational poverty in Southern Italy, supported by the third sector. The project is led by Casa della Comunità Speranza (CCS), with support from partners such as Fondazione Comunitaria di Agrigento e Trapani, AVSI, Solidarietà ed Azione, Euroform, Zaffiria, I.C. “Borsellino-Ajello”, Cooperativa Sociale Alma, and I.C. “Grassa”*.

** Want to Follow the Sfide Project Activities?**

Visit the project's website and follow us on social media to stay up to date. For participation or more information, contact Alessia Gambino at a.gambino@fcagrigentotrapani.it.