Terre di Aquinum - Local development hub and regeneration of villages

Terre di Aquinum is a project for the regeneration of historic villages promoted by the municipalities of Castrocielo and Colle San Magno, in the province of Frosinone. By leveraging cultural and rural heritage as strategic assets, the project aims to to foster a positive and long-lasting impact on local communities, transforming villages into dynamic ecosystems, capable of attracting talent and generating new economic opportunities.

The project is funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU programme.

The project’s activities are centred around the local development hub (hub per lo sviluppo del territorio) – a permanent facility available to the community, offering guidance and direct support services to encourage local networking and promote collaborative planning for the development of the villages.

Within the project, Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini is responsible for the implementation of five main areas of activity:

• mapping needs and opportunities: analysis of the territorial and sectoral context aimed at identifying emerging needs, critical issues, and opportunities for development, innovation, and collaboration among stakeholders;
• calls for partners and new entrepreneurial ventures: design and management of calls targeting strategic partners, startups, innovative companies, and new ecosystem actors, with the aim of fostering collaboration, experimentation, and the growth of high-impact initiatives;
• mentoring programme: development and coordination of mentoring and support pathways for selected participants through specialist support activities, capacity building, and the enhancement of entrepreneurial and project management skills;
• Living Lab co-design: facilitation of collaborative and participatory processes for the definition, testing, and implementation of Living Lab activities, involving stakeholders, local communities, businesses, and territorial organisations;
• hub management and community engagement: operational coordination of the HUB and implementation of territorial engagement activities, networking initiatives, community involvement actions, and the organization of events, workshops, and collaborative initiatives.

In addition to these activities, FGB is also responsible for coordinating the Scientific and Technical Committee, ensuring alignment among partners, monitoring project activities, and providing strategic and methodological support to the overall project.