Meeting with Juan Antonio Pedreño, Torino Social Impact, and the Municipality of Turin

As part of the journey “Reggio Emilia towards a social impact economy,” the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, together with Fondazione E35 and the Open Labs of the Chiostri di San Pietro, organizes a series of events open to social economy ecosystem actors to engage with regional, national, and European entities on the topic.

During this meeting on February 27, we will learn about the experience developed by Torino Social Impact and the Municipality of Turin concerning ecosystems for entrepreneurship and socially impactful investments.

Juan Antonio Pedreño, an expert in social economy and cooperation, will speak. Currently serving as the president of Social Economy Europe, CEPES (Spanish Confederation of Social Economy), UCOMUR (Worker Cooperatives of the Region of Murcia), and UCOERM (Educational Cooperatives of the Region of Murcia).

The aim of this meeting is to facilitate an exchange of experiences and knowledge to delve into relevant aspects for the territory and its challenges.

Torino Social Impact now operates in collaboration with an increasing number of territories and entities at the national and European levels, contributing to an ongoing discussion on the establishment of local ecosystems for the impact economy. In Italy, active dialogues are taking place with various entities: in addition to Milan, Genoa, Trento, there are now engagements with Bologna and Reggio Emilia, as well as some areas in the central and southern regions.

Program:

Parco Innovazione, Reggio Emilia

11:00 – Welcome and reception – Tecnopolo Reggio Emilia (Piazzale Europa, 1)
11:10 – Visit to Parco Innovazione The Reggiane Innovation Park is a European hub for services, born from the regeneration of the historic “Officine Meccaniche Reggiane,” built in 1904. Once an emblematic workplace of modernity and a driving force behind Italy’s industrial growth in the 20th century, it is now a technological-scientific-humanistic hub that brings together university and research centers, businesses, and public administration in a uniquely fascinating location.

La Polveriera, Reggio Emilia

12:00 – Transfer and visit to La Polveriera spaces.
La Polveriera is a regenerated space for meeting and aggregation hosting various services and activities for the neighborhood and the city. It was created with the support of the Oscar Romero Consortium and some social cooperatives, along with businesses, associations, and local entities. The buildings house various services: a day center, a residential center, and a socio-occupational center for people with disabilities, offices, job placement agencies dealing with the employment of vulnerable individuals, services for asylum seekers and migrants, workshops, and a bar-restaurant. The Oscar Romero Consortium is the first social consortium in Reggio Emilia, supporting the growth and development of associated cooperatives (currently 12) and engaging with local social fabric actors, acting as a connector and cultural reference for an open citizenship. It operates as a tool for human promotion and a fairer economy.
12:45 – Lunch at La Polveriera.

Chiostri di San Pietro (Via Emilia San Pietro 44c)

The Chiostri di San Pietro are the most extraordinary monumental complex in Reggio Emilia, one of the most suggestive of the Italian Renaissance. It is an ancient monastery used in various ways over the centuries, recently restored and returned to the community as a culturally relevant international center. Through the restoration of the Chiostri, co-financed by the ERDF, an Open Laboratory for the experimentation of collaborative economy and social and technological innovation has been created. More information here.

14:30 – Welcome and reception for local stakeholders
14:40 – Welcome and introduction to the afternoon
15:00 – Daniele Marchi, Councilor for Budget and Welfare, Municipality of Reggio Emilia
15:00 – Juan Antonio Pedreño, President of Social Economy Europe
15:40 – Networking café
16:10 – Torino Social Impact and the Municipality of Turin
17:10 – Closing of the afternoon: summary of emerging themes, upcoming meetings, and greetings

Confirm your presence by February 23 by emailing: sara.magnani@comune.re.it and silvia.gabrielli@e-35.it