Call for abstracts

1. The impact of the Faro Convention in different legal systems: comparative perspectives

Among the uses of Comparative Law is the one of providing knowledge of attempted legal experiments, successful experiences and opportunities for improvement. In other occasions, the search for harmonization propitiates a common denominator to evaluate the success of legal institutions. This panel intends to bring together legal experiments, legislative frameworks and other legal devices that have been implemented to make the Faro Convention effective where it was ratified. The results obtained, the challenges encountered and the best practices adopted to promote a participatory and inclusive approach to cultural heritage will be examined through a comparative perspective. Its aim is to stimulate a critical reflection about:
a. the Convention’s effective capacity to influence national legislations as well as local policies and the solutions adopted in different legal systems;
b. the Convention’s capacity of enhancing the role of communities in heritage management and promoting culture-based sustainable development;
c. the possibility to reconcile cultural heritage with climate change challenges and sustainable development.

2. New approaches to manage in an integrated and sustainable way the urban landscape considering private and public legal instruments

The integrated and sustainable management of the urban landscape represents a complex challenge that requires the harmonization of public and private interests. This integration must balance economic development, environmental protection and the quality of urban life, making the best use of innovative and participatory legal instruments. The panel aims to reflect on approaches for integrated urban landscape management, paying particular attention to the complementary role of private and public legal instruments. The aim is to explore how these instruments can be used in a coordinated way to respond to contemporary challenges related to the protection of cultural heritage and green spaces, environmental sustainability and urban development. In particular, and for illustrative purposes only, reflections about the following aspects are proposed:
a. challenges in balancing economic development and cultural and environmental heritage protection with quality of life in urban landscape;
b. models and policies for the protection and enhancement of urban landscape, involving both public authorities and private actors;
c. comparison of public and private legal instruments to be integrated to ensure effective urban landscape management;
d. criteria and policies for defining whether a urban landscape management approach is truly sustainable;
e. mechanisms to incentivize private stakeholders to invest in sustainable urban projects involving cultural heritage and greenery and to support public interest objectives;
f. analysis of experiences from cities that already have implemented innovative and sustainable approaches to urban landscape management considering cultural heritage and greenery.

3. The Faro Convention and participatory administrative models of cultural heritage management

The Faro Convention introduced an innovative approach to cultural heritage management, centered on the value of heritage communities and the promotion of heritage as a key resource for social cohesion and sustainable development. This approach represents a paradigm shift in relation to the traditional administrative approach, as it places the active participation of citizens and communities at the centre of decision-making, overcoming the one-way protection model operated by the State. The notion of “participation” outlined by the Faro Convention extends far beyond the boundaries of procedural participation regulated by the general law on administrative procedure, requiring a substantial, continuous and dialogical involvement of communities in the management, enhancement and enjoyment of cultural heritage. Yet, it is precisely in administrative law that one can find the regulatory, legal and procedural tools suitable for translating the principles of the Convention into action, albeit with some reinterpretations and adaptations. The contributions aim to:
a. analyze the legal institutions best suited to support participatory and inclusive governance models in the management of cultural heritage, with particular reference to the regulation of public assets and participatory planning;
b. analyze doctrinal and jurisprudential elaborations that configure cultural heritage as a public good, emphasizing its shared nature and its link with the fundamental rights of individuals and communities;
c. investigate the opportunity of overcoming the traditional proprietary approach in favor of models that consider cultural heritage as an asset entrusted to the care and participatory management of communities;
d. the potential of participation tools provided by administrative law, such as public consultations, collaboration agreements and conventions with third sector organizations, projecting them into the broader context of urban and territorial planning activities and related tools that allow for the active involvement of communities in the definition of public policies concerning the protection and enhancement of heritage.

4. Urban planning and environmental science: mechanisms and policies to create climate-adapted models of management of cultural heritage

The panel aims to reflect on urban planning, focusing on the mechanisms and policies needed to develop models for managing cultural heritage and green areas in Europe adapted to mitigate effects of climate change. The objective is to explore how to integrate innovative and sustainable approaches to urban planning, valorizing cultural heritage and enhancing the environmental resilience of cities.
Below are some hints:
a. urban planning strategies re-thought to reduce the impacts of climate change while preserving and enhancing the historical and cultural value of urban landscapes;
b. analysis of data and experiences to face main risks from extreme climatic events;
c. design and management of public and private green spaces to act as a climate buffer, improve quality of life and strengthen the link between community and cultural heritage;
d. role played by technological innovations, scientific research and European regulations in facilitating the transition to climate resilient models.

5. Fiscal policies and cultural heritage: the role of tax law in promoting sustainable protection and enhancement

The enhancement of cultural heritage increasingly relies on the support of effective fiscal policies. Tax law can play a key role in encouraging private investment, supporting public-private partnerships and fostering community participation. This panel aims to reflect on how tax instruments – such as incentives, deductions and exemptions – can be employed to support sustainable and inclusive models of heritage management. It also seeks to explore how fiscal policies can be integrated with urban planning and environmental goals, contributing to a broader strategy of culture-based sustainable development.

The panels aim to provide a space for dialogue to share good practices, concrete experiences and new perspectives, promoting solutions that combine the enhancement of cultural heritage with greenery and urban development. By fostering an interdisciplinary approach, the panels encourage dialogue across different fields—such as law, architecture, urban planning, environmental studies and cultural management—to develop integrated and sustainable strategies.

Prof. Davide GIANTI, Associate Professor of Comparative Law (University of Turin);
Prof. Maura MATTALIA, Associate Professor of Administrative Law (University of Turin);
Prof. Dario Elia TOSI, Associate Professor of Public Comparative Law (University of Turin);
Prof. Egidio DANSERO, Full Professor of Political and Economic Geography (University of Turin);
Prof. Pier Giuseppe MONATERI, Full Professor of Comparative Law (University of Turin);
Prof. Fabrizio CASSELLA, Full professor of Public Comparative Law (University of Turin);
Prof. Carlo TOSCO, Full Professor of History of Architecture (Polytechnic University of Turin);
Prof. Stefano FERRARIS, Full Professor of Agricultural Hydraulics and Watershed Management (University of Turin);
Prof. Angioletta VOGHERA, Full Professor of Urban Planning (Polytechnic University of Turin);
Prof. Claudia CASSATELLA, Associate Professor of Urban Planning (Polytechnic University of Turin);
Prof. Stefano RONCO, Assistant Professor in Taxation and Public Finance (University of Turin).

University of Turin (UNITO)
Department of Law
Politecnico di Torino (POLITO)
Inter University Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST)

The conference will take place at the Cultural Heritage site Parco del Valentino castle in Turin, October 27th and 28th, 2025. Participants will join roundtables and panels divided according to the main themes.