Belluno Event

Designing Tomorrow’s Europe: Social Cohesion, Demographic Challenges, and the Right to Stay

Belluno Event: Mayor Oscar De Pellegrin, ELISAN President Maria Jose Rico Llorca, Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, Veneto Regional Minister Paola Roma, Austrian Delegates, and SACRED Project Drive European Debate on Social Cohesion

Belluno Invites European Experts to Explore Territorial Cohesion, Demographic Change, and Social Innovation

Following the announcement at the ELISAN General Assembly 2026 in Valencia, the Mayor of Belluno, Oscar De Pellegrin, is inviting European institutions, policymakers, experts, and social action stakeholders to an upcoming international event in Belluno.

Organised in the framework of ELISAN (European Local Inclusion and Social Action Network), in collaboration with ENSA (European Network of Social Authorities) and the Inclusive Cities for Sustainable Families Alliance, the event centers on a participatory workshop addressing:

• Territorial cohesion & accessibility

• Demographic challenges & the "right to stay"

• Empowerment and social inclusion of persons with disabilities

Spotlight on the House of Abilities

A key focus will be the House of Abilities, the Municipality of Belluno’s flagship project designed as a living lab for social and territorial innovation. Through interactive exchanges and best-practice sharing, participants will analyze the Belluno model and explore its transferability to other European regions.

Set in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites, Belluno provides a unique backdrop to demonstrate how accessibility, skills development, and community participation can transform mountain and rural territories into resilient, attractive communities.

Event Overview

• Date: Thursday, 24 September 2026

• Location: Council Chamber (Sala del Consiglio), Piazza Duomo 2, Belluno, Italy

• Format: Plenary Sessions, Keynote Addresses, Collaborative Workshop, and Streaming Contributions

Program

9.00	Registration
9.30	Introductory Remarks Oscar De Pellegrin, Mayor of Belluno María José Rico Llorca, President of ELISAN, Director General of IVASS (Valencia), Coordinator of the ENSA Working Group on Disability for the European Network of Social Authorities
10.00	Keynote Address: Paola Roma, Regional Minister of the Veneto Region and Vice President of ELISAN: “Inhabiting the Future: Housing Policies, Demographic Transformation, and Territorial Cohesion to Guarantee the Right to Stay.”
10. 20	Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms “Europe Facing the Demographic Challenge” – Video Message
10.30	Key note Address:; Oscar De Pellegrin, Mayor of  Belluno “ The House of Abilities”
11.00	Coffee break
11.30 -  13.00	Collaborative workshop
	European Experiences and Territorial Dialogue Moderation  and coordination Veneto Region Martina Rattinger: International Affairs ELISAN, Director EU representation office Carinthia Christian Ragger: Austrian Parliament, Secretary General of ELISAN (European Local Inclusion and Social Action Network) Mag. Hannes Amesbauer, BA: Regional Minister (Landesrat), State of Styria (Austria) Emanuele Monti: Regional Councilor, Lombardy Region (Online) Leonardo La Rocca: Regional Executive, Lombardy Region, Skiability Project, tbc Ivan Scaratti: Director General, E. Germani Foundation Anthony Polychronakis: City of Rotterdam, SACRED Project Coordinator, ENSA Network Coordinator for the Elderly Working Group / Sara Ceron EnEA/ Elena Curtopassi: ELISAN Network, Committee on Inclusive Territories, Environment and Health, Conference of INGOs, Council of Europe. Erasmus+ Exchanges with the SACRED Project (Sharing And Caring for at-Risk Elderly with Dementia or Disabilities)
13.00- 15.00	Networking lunch
15.00	Opening of the Afternoon Session José Alejandro Vázquez, Director of International Relations, IFFD (Via Live Stream) “Sustainable Development and Agenda 2030: The Venice Declaration, Contributions to the Best Practice Platform, and World Cities Day 2026”
15.10	Building Inclusion: ULSS 1 Dolomiti – The Social-Health Model and Integrated Care Topic: The challenge of mountain healthcare and synergy with ATS (Social Territorial Alliances) in the social sector. University of Padua – Laura Dal Corso, Associated Professor Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education, and Applied Psychology (FISPPA): “Evaluating Rigor, Returning Value to the Community: Action Research and Its Pragmatic Validity” Regional Paralympic Committee – Davide Giorgi President, “The Role of the Paralympic Committee in Territorial Welfare for People with Disabilities” Municipality of Belluno – The role of Local Authorities in social regeneration CSA Conegliano - Massimiliano Mazzer, “Territorial initiatives for youth policies and inclusion” Miltos Sakellariou, Coordinator of the ENSEL Social and Emotional Learning Network, Cyclades, Greece (via live stream)
16.45-  17.00	Conclusions and next steps -  Municipality of Belluno