Press Conference – Real Urban Green Project

Press Release in Rome

Official launch of the Monte Ciocci Park pilot intervention in Rome

On April 2, 2026, at 3:30 PM, the official presentation of the Real Urban Green pilot intervention in the Monte Ciocci area will take place at Villa Altieri (Viale Manzoni 47, Rome).

This press conference is addressed to journalists, media outlets, and online and print editorial teams, and marks an important milestone in the development of an innovative model for regenerative urban green co-design.

A new model for participatory and resilient cities

Co-funded by the Interreg Euro-MED Programme, the Real Urban Green project represents a highly innovative pilot initiative that positions Rome at the center of a European laboratory for civic participation and ecological transition.

The project promotes a regenerative approach to urban green management through:

• Nature-based Solutions (NbS)
• Community Organising practices
• Citizen Science tools

What makes this initiative unique is its bottom-up approach, actively involving citizens as co-creators of urban transformation processes.

Monte Ciocci: a living laboratory in Rome

In Rome, the Monte Ciocci Park becomes the core of this experimentation. The pilot intervention focuses on:

• Urban climate adaptation strategies (including “sponge city” approaches)
• Mitigation of heatwaves
• Improvement of urban quality of life

A key feature of the intervention is the extension of the Monte Ciocci Community Urban Garden, supported by the creation of a biolake system designed to:

• collect rainwater
• store and recover water resources
• reuse water to sustain urban agriculture

Located at one of the highest points in Rome, this intervention represents a concrete example of integrated green and blue infrastructure.

A European network of innovation

Real Urban Green is implemented across several countries, including Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Greece, and Spain, fostering a shared learning environment and collaborative innovation among cities.

This transnational dimension strengthens the project’s ambition to develop replicable solutions for more inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient urban environments.

Speakers

The event will feature contributions from:

• Sabrina Alfonsi, Councillor for Agriculture, Environment and Waste Cycle, Rome Capital
• Marco Della Porta, President of Municipality Roma XIV
• Fabio Bellini, President of Risorse per Roma S.p.A.
• Claudio Bordi, Head of European Projects Unit, Risorse per Roma S.p.A.

Moderator:

• Giammarco Palmieri, President of the IV Capitoline Commission on Environment

A shared vision for the future of cities

“A European model for greener, more participatory and resilient cities. Real Urban Green fully aligns with EU policies for ecological transition, while advancing them by integrating environmental innovation with participatory democracy. The Monte Ciocci intervention is a concrete and replicable example of how green and blue infrastructure, civic engagement and participatory monitoring can come together to address climate challenges and enhance urban biodiversity.”
— Sabrina Alfonsi