Conference «Decentramento e partecipazione a Torino» (2026)
Date of the event:
The conference «Decentramento e partecipazione a Torino. Cinquant'anni di storia, uno sguardo al futuro» ("Decentralisation and participation in Turin. Fifty years of history, a look to the future") takes place on Wednesday 4 November 2026 in the Sala Carpanini of Palazzo Civico (Turin City Hall), in Turin. The event is organized by the Department for the Care of the City and Decentralisation, in collaboration with the Associazione Consiglieri Emeriti della Città di Torino, and marks the fiftieth anniversary of the start of the process that led to the city's administrative decentralisation [1][2].
Theme and structure of the day
The meeting retraces the events that, in the 1970s, led to the creation of the Comitati di Quartiere (neighbourhood committees) and the building of a model of participation and representation designed to bring the administration closer to local areas. Alongside this historical reconstruction, there is a reflection on the evolution of decentralisation models, on the current role of the districts (Circoscrizioni) and on possible prospects for developing their function as local proximity bodies [1][2].
Proceedings open at 9am with institutional greetings from the president of the City Council Maria Grazia Grippo, the president of the Associazione Consiglieri Emeriti Elide Tisi and the councillor (assessore) for the Care of the City and Decentralisation Francesco Tresso [1][2].
From the 1976 resolution to the districts
The first session is devoted to the historical reconstruction of the process that led to the creation of the districts (Circoscrizioni), starting from the City Council resolution of 16 October 1976, which launched the political and regulatory process for establishing 23 Consigli di Quartiere (neighbourhood councils). These were formally set up in 1978 and transformed in 1980 into today's Consigli di Circoscrizione (district councils), elected by residents. Speakers include Marcello Vindigni, councillor for Decentralisation and signatory of the 1976 resolution, and Sergio Scamuzzi, professor of Sociology at the University of Turin, together with accounts from Piero Ramasso, former councillor of the Aurora district and president of Circoscrizione 7, and Maria Ghisaura, the first woman to chair a Consiglio di Quartiere [1][2].
The present and comparison with other cities
The second panel examines the functioning of the districts and the tools for strengthening citizen involvement, presenting the findings of a technical working group on the evolving scenarios of city decentralisation. Speakers include deputy mayor for Participation Michela Favaro, the City's secretary general Annalisa Puopolo, the head of the Decentralisation Division Umberto Magnoni and the coordinators of the district presidents, Francesca Troise and Alberto Re [1][2].
The conference closes at 12 noon with a round table comparing the experiences of the cities of Turin, Genoa and Milan, with the participation of councillors for Decentralisation Davide Patrone and Gaia Romani, who discuss organisational models, administrative processes and prospects for the development of decentralisation with councillor Francesco Tresso [1][2].
Related articles: Districts of Turin
Sources
- TorinoOggi — 3 November 2026
- TorinoClick — 3 November 2026