L’Aquila is hosting the national conference “From Private Cultural Heritage to Regional Development – Prospects and Opportunities for Young People,” an initiative promoted by the City of L’Aquila andthe Association of Italian Historic Homes (ADSI) as part of the official program for L’Aquila, Italian Capital of Culture 2026. The conference is organized in collaboration with the ADSI National Youth Assembly, which will bring over one hundred young owners and entrepreneurs involved in private cultural heritage to the city.

The initiative aims to provide a forum for substantive discussion on the role of cultural heritage—both public and private—as a driver of regional development, value creation, and job opportunities, with a particular focus on younger generations. The event is organized into four thematic panels, each featuring an equal dialogue among public decision-makers, businesses, professionals, researchers, and cultural practitioners, with most participants being young leaders in their respective fields.

Speakers and planned presentations will include representatives from local and national public institutions, as well as national figures from the business world, cultural consulting, and research. The panels will focus on practical applications: experiences, tools, and replicable models, with an emphasis on the impact in terms of employment, training, and the attractiveness of local areas.

PROGRAM
3:00 p.m. – Official greetings
3:15 p.m. – Opening remarks by
. Maria Pace Odescalchi – National President of the Association of Italian Historic Homes (ADSI)
3:30 p.m. – New Public-Private Partnerships
Moderated by Carlo Ferdinando de Nardis – National Coordinator of ADSI Youth
Pierluigi Biondi – Mayor of L’Aquila
Alberto Magni – President of Arte Generali
Giovanni Ciarrocca – President of ADSI Abruzzo and National Vice President of ADSI
Leonardo Bizzarri – Administrative Director, Teatro Stabile d’Abruzzo
4:30 p.m. – Coffee break
5:00 p.m. – Enhancing the Value of Local Areas
Moderated by Luigi de Benedetto – Curator and consultant in collection management
Antonella Macchiaverna – Corporate Image and Institutional Initiatives – Italian Banking Association
Daniele Kihlgren – Entrepreneur – Sextantio Albergo Diffuso
Flaminia Iacobucci – Formules – Strategic Consulting for Cultural Projects
Dario Beccarini – Art historian specializing in private collections and generational transfers
6:00 p.m. – Telling the Story of Our Heritage
Moderated by Ilde Forgione – Digital Communications Expert
Alessia Di Giovacchino – Communications Director, L’Aquila, Italian Capital of Culture 2026
Stefano Solarino – Founder and Creative Director – The Teachers
Ludovica Sannazzaro – The Castle Diary
Francesco Cozza Caposavi – Instructor at SSML Teseo – Entrepreneur in the tourism and culture sector

FREE ADMISSION
LIVE STREAM on www.youtube.com