1

ECN ‘98ECN ‘98

Mapping CNs initiatives around European Union

Fiorella De CindioUniversity of Milano, Italy

A.I.Re.C. - Lombardia

Barcelona, July 9, 1998

2

CNs in ItalyCNs in Italy

A comprehensive and reliable picture does not exist

Telecities, Digital Cities, Community Networks (Reti Civiche), Servizio Telematico Pubblico, City Web

3

A survey by Censis, Assinform, RUR“Digital Cities in Italy”, Report 1997

More Local PA active on the Internet in Sicilia than in Lombardia

As many Digital Cities in Calabria as in Lombardia

CNs in ItalyCNs in Italy

4

Question: actors involved by promoters of on-line services and their role

> 50% ISP and computer industry

92.1% citizens are not involved

Question: actors whose role is considered crucial for the development of local on-line services

7.3% citizens

CNs in ItalyCNs in Italy

5

Disregarding pure City Webs

CNs conceived as a public service provided to the city, with poor attention to interactivity (Censis)

Modena, Siena: - certification

- payments

- access to public acts and public databases

CNs in Italy: a qualitative picture CNs in Italy: a qualitative picture through paradigmatic casesthrough paradigmatic cases

6

Disregarding pure City Webs

CNs as a common field to enhance communication and cooperation among the various components of the local community: citizens, no profit associations, private sector, Public Administration.

Milano and Lombardia

CNs in Italy: a qualitative picture CNs in Italy: a qualitative picture through paradigmatic casesthrough paradigmatic cases

7

Disregarding pure City Webs

Between the two

Bologna: - citizens can submit questions/proposal

- discussion of projects in newsgroups

CNs in Italy: a qualitative picture CNs in Italy: a qualitative picture through paradigmatic casesthrough paradigmatic cases

10

The Lombardia “approach” The Lombardia “approach” (A.I.Re.C.)(A.I.Re.C.)

An integration of

City Web

On line services

Active citizens participation

Rousseau, Du Contrat social“Les maisons font la ville,“Les maisons font la ville,

mais les citoyens font la cité”mais les citoyens font la cité”

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There are differences

promoters

different problems of sustenability and survival

technologies (standard Web Site - pure BBS)

Share a vision

CNs in LombardiaCNs in Lombardia

Municipalities/Local PA

Universities, Citizens Associations

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CNs in AIREC: the vision 1CNs in AIREC: the vision 1

The Community as a resource for itself

The CNs as a resource for the community

to sustain, enhance and support

with a public (civic) network (rete pubblica)

the redesign of the res pubblica

through the involvment of all the community

in a new kind of citizenship/democracy

13

CN as a virtual town: the vision 2CN as a virtual town: the vision 2

That: interleaves the real town supports it to communicate and cooperate extends it offering new spaces for debating enhances it through better on-line services opens it to the future

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CNs in AIREC: the vision 3CNs in AIREC: the vision 3

CNs need the support of the PA but

even more the creativity of citizens

which cannot be conceived as users

which cannot be conceived as clients

but

that are owner of sovereignity