On the occasion of the “Venice’s horizon – extended networks” congress, Fondazione Venezia has once again addresses the role of the city in relation to its geographic position as well as the economical and cultural relations established with the rest of Italy, the Mediterranean area, Europe and its eastern countries in particular. Key moment of the congress was the presentation of the research “Venice and the northern Adriatic Sea. Risks and opportunities involved in relational dynamics”. The study presented territorial borders in their ability to shape the city’s short and long-term socioeconomic relationships according to the following main points:
 Urban evolution. In the last ten years the city had to face what the study calls a “motionless shift”. Compared to the situation registered in the year 2000, the city witnessed an unusual evolution of its demographical processes now characterized by immigration, population ageing and the exploitation of revenues coming from a favourable position;
 City’s geo-economic frontiers. The acceleration of territorial re-composition, economic fabric evolution and new opportunities offered by the city’s strategic position;
 the position of Venice, its role as frontier for other ports in the Euro-Mediterranean area and Eastern Europe, its lead role as an exchange plaza especially in the light of the growing importance the town has gained in recent years as a result of goods import-export activity.
 The role of Venice as “amusement park”;
 The value of long and short distance relationality: Venice and Alps-Adriatic area, the Balkans and the Mediterranean Sea.

The presented data showed that, with the exception of a few experiences in certain fields, Venice didn’t comply with a specific plan able to differentiate the city’s situation in comparison to the rest of the North-eastern region of Italy. “Venice’s horizon – extended networks” was the first of a series of debates organized by Fondazione Venezia for the “Encounters for Venice” program.

The project is meant as a response to the growing demand of agency, governance and facilities coming from metropolitan and regional partners, asking for support for their territorial platforms (economic, cultural and logistic) to cope with international competitors.

The second “Venice’s horizon” meeting will be held on June 26 and it will address more directly the issue of metropolitan networks (services, infrastructures and utilities), the “Passante” and the development of the city airport.

After the summer the attention will be focused on “research and development in the metropolitan area and the North-East” in order to measure the territory’s potential in this field and suggest a series of insights on the strategy to turn Venice into an advanced centre for technological innovation. Last meeting of the series, “The territorial space” is scheduled to take place at the end of 2009 and it will see the participation of the metropolitan area’s representatives together with delegates from the Region, the three Provinces, Universities, Commerce Chambers, Scientific Parks and Business associations.