The aim of the event was to provide participants with good practices and possible solutions that can contribute to the achievement of the EU’s climate protection objectives, which embody the objectives of the HINGE project, in relation to the health of citizens, and to the reduction of air pollution from public and private transport.

After a welcome introduction by the Tuscany Region Transport Councilor and by a representative from EUKI Programme,  a number of speakers from Tuscany Region, national and university research centre, NGO and ICT firms, illustrated multiform experiences and reviewed standing topics relating to the use of bicycle for work and leisure, linking it/competing with other transport modalities in urban centres as well as in rural areas.

Following the presentations and discussions, the representatives of Brasov County, Livorno Province and Vas County briefly presented a Memorandum of Understanding for an initial 5-year period of strategic cooperation between the three partners that will be finalised in the very near future.

In the afternoon, two thematic working tables were held, coordinated by mobility expert facilitators, in which about 25 local public-private stakeholders and project partners participated.

During the working session, participants developed a discussion around the following topics: hubs and other connections between bicycles and other modes of transport; parking and storage; cycling at work and study places; transport/transfer of bicycles on buses, trains and other means; ICT (MaaS, apps, route planner). The objective of the workshop session was to identify useful guidelines for provincial planning.

On the second day of the European event, the partners and stakeholders took part in a study tour in Bolgheri/Bibbona area on a bike-rider train wagon graciously provided by the national railways corporation, during which they were able to experience riding on a newly opened bike trail interlinked with the Tyrrhenian Bike Trail.

Under the moderation of the school representative Romano Stella (third from right), speakers and topics were:

Pino Firrarello (mayor of Bronte and senator in Rome, third from left): Words of welcome.

Prof. Alessandro Scuderi (Uni Catania, Dept. Economics, second from left): Findings from the survey of local farmers, e.g. the higher biodiversity of small farms and their prospects in the planned biosphere reserve “Terre della Biosfera”.

Stefanie Hermsen (MHS, first from right): Experiences and good practice examples relevant for Sicily from the German biosphere reserve Rhön.

Prof. Paolo Guarnaccia (Uni Catania, Dept. Agriculture, Food and Environment, second from right): Global situation of food security in relation to soil degradation and, referring to our current project “Humus per la Biosfera”, the necessity of humus build-up, both for fertility and for climate protection.

The students and farmers continue to participate in the EUKI project “Humus per la Biosfera”, as well as the University of Catania and four of its students led by Prof. Paolo Guarnaccia.