What can we take away from the Trento experience regarding local development?
By: Tatiana Forero, Territorial Leader of Citizen Participation
The experience in Trento shows us the value of collectively remembering the history and the process that has led a community to be where it is, in order to collectively build bridges between the social and the productive.
The narratives of those who shared their diverse experiences of cooperativism and development with us during the visit had one constant: their origin. The stories were always rooted in social memory; the social and economic purpose that Trento embodies today emerged after the war, in a context of human suffering, famine, and mass migrations, which the region's inhabitants managed to overcome through collaboration as their guiding principle.
The community, its focus on the local and its ability to transform its particularities into opportunities for collective well-being, are elements of Trento that are worth remembering.
This synergy between citizens and volunteer initiatives redefines how a community can unite for a collective goal. Trento is not only flourishing as a center of innovation and cooperation, but also as a center of solidarity and civic engagement.
Weaving Transformation from the Local Level
Trento is an example of solidarity and civic commitment; its cooperative movement, its volunteer model, and its university are just some examples of what this Italian corner has to show the world.
The autonomous province of Trento and the Trentino region, located in northern Italy bordering Austria and Switzerland, has risen above its mountainous topography and limited resources, overcoming adversity left by the scars of historical conflicts such as the world wars—situations that could have left this region forgotten. Despite occupying only 2% of the Italian map, Trento boasts one of the highest qualities of life in the country, with an unemployment rate of 3.1%, 5.1% below the national average.
Summer School “Community and Local Development”
A collaboration between EAFIT University , the OECD and the Center for International Cooperation, made possible the 13th edition of the Summer School “Community and Local Development” in this city.
We participate in this program to exchange knowledge with development organizations, international cooperation (such as the OECD and ECLAC) and representatives of the public, private and civil society sectors from other countries.
These are our main takeaways:
1. “To grow society according to a shared ethic”
Trento is renowned for its cooperative model, which in the region is understood as "growing society according to a shared ethic." In Trento, cooperativism occurs when production and society are organized collectively, guided by principles of shared ownership and values such as reciprocity, solidarity, and democracy.
We spoke with the Trentino Federation of Cooperation, the OECD Centre for Local Development, political analysts, and others, and visited cooperatives operating in various industries. We found that collaboration among cooperative members is profitable for them and contributes to the region's local development. The members actively participate in the businesses or services they are part of, significantly strengthening local connections. Cooperatives allow members to establish links with the territory, its natural environment, and its history, fostering a strong sense of local ownership.
In Mezzacorona, a wine cooperative in the region located on the edge of the majestic mountains where, since 1904, generations of families have worked sustainably with nature, cultivating vineyards and collaborating in all phases of production and sale.
2. All sectors pointing in the same direction
In addition to the productive approach connected to the social, the need arose to promote local development from academia, research and citizen participation.
The University of Trento is highly focused on public innovation, social innovation and technology, constantly working with cooperatives, consortia and the public sector to generate an impact that contributes to the well-being of the local community.
University of Trento, Department of Sociology and Social Research (first department of the University)
3. Volunteering as a commitment to citizen participation
Trento won the Volunteer Capital Award 2024!
The region has managed to enhance citizen participation through volunteering .
Through citizen consultations, the local government has discovered the primary needs and interests of the citizens, and from there, has managed to involve them with public affairs from a sense of social responsibility.
One in five of the city's inhabitants is involved in voluntary activities for the common good; the voluntary network is rich and varied, with around 660 organizations dedicated to causes ranging from social welfare to activities aimed at youth.
These lessons are valuable and effective because they place the context, processes, and history of the territory at the center. They serve as benchmarks to enrich our experiences in local development without losing sight of our own characteristics, achievements, and potential.