As part of the memorandum of understanding signed on 24 October 2025 between Alghero and Bacău, on the weekend of 30–31 May 2026 a delegation from the Municipality of Alghero — led by City Council President Mimmo Pirisi and composed of Alessandro Alciator, Director of the Quality of Life and Family Policies Department, and Mauro Ledda, Head of the Family Policies Office of the Municipality of Alghero — spent two intense days in the city of Bacău, hosted by the administration of this important Romanian municipality, which gave the Alghero representatives a warm and attentive welcome.
Institutional exchanges with the Mayor confirmed the shared desire to translate the agreement into concrete actions:
- a mobility and exchange project involving teenagers from Alghero and Bacău through sport, allowing them to get to know one another better and to experience friendship among peers, for a Europe of solidarity and peace;
- a working group to develop an effective model of family-friendly tourism policies;
- a discussion on family support measures to be developed within the framework of Network Family in Italia.
On the urban front, Bacău’s representatives presented several ongoing projects: a cultural strategy involving theatre, painting, and photography to attract residents and retain young people, and the renovation of an entire building in the city centre where everyone — residents and visitors alike — wishing to express their art will find a “home” at their disposal.
The visit to the city’s many points of interest (schools, public parks, co-working centres, and business incubators), including the Sports Citadel, gave the delegation a tangible example of the significant work Bacău is doing to make the city increasingly modern and efficient.
On the morning of 31 May, the most eagerly awaited institutional moment took place in the hall of the Orizont Hub, attended by representatives of the two municipalities, the regional government of Bacău, and Romanian family associations. Below are some excerpts from their remarks:
Mimmo Pirisi, President of the Alghero City Council
“The visit to Bacău confirmed the solidity of the process initiated with the signing of the memorandum of understanding. We found a full convergence of intent on key issues such as family policies, cultural promotion, and youth mobility. In the coming months, we will work to translate these objectives into shared projects. The presence of a Romanian community in Alghero — over 600 people — well integrated into the city and closely linked to the local Orthodox Church, represents for us a natural bond and a resource for strengthening ties between our communities.”
Lucian-Daniel Stanciu-Viziteu, Mayor of Bacău
“The meeting with the delegation from the Municipality of Alghero represented a significant moment in the process of institutional cooperation between our two cities. The Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2025 now has a concrete prospect of implementation, in the interest of the communities we represent. We believe that investing in families is investing in the future of our community.”
Andreea Negru, Prefect of Bacău County
“We will continue to build a family-friendly city through our European partnership with Network Family in Italia and with the City of Alghero. Despite the economic challenges we face, we remain committed to completing the investments and initiatives that improve the quality of life for families in Bacău.”
Irina Granzulea, President of the Romanian Large Families Association (ASFANU), Member of the Board of the European Confederation of Large Families (ELFAC)
“Demographic decline is one of the most important challenges facing Europe and Romania today. Families should be seen as a strategic investment in the future of our communities. Sustainable development depends not only on infrastructure and economic growth, but also on our ability to attract, support, and retain families through public policies and partnerships that respond to today’s demographic challenges. Communities that invest in families are, in fact, investing in their own future
Mihaela Mosora, Vice-President of the Romanian Large Families Association (ASFANU), Professor of Economics, PhD at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies
“Demographic data remind us that the future of our communities depends on the families who live in them today. The effects of demographic decline are already visible: fewer children in schools and kindergartens, a shrinking workforce, and growing pressure on social support systems. In the Municipality of Bacău, large families and children account for 6.6% of the population, and their number has grown by 15% in recent years. As a vital demographic engine for the community, large families play an essential role in shaping Bacău’s future and deserve policies that recognise and support their contribution.”
Mauro Ledda, National Coordinator of Network Family in Italia, Head of the Family Policies Office of the Municipality of Alghero, and member of the Technical Board of Network Family in Europe
“For Alghero, this experience holds great value. It stems from our Municipality’s membership in Network Family in Europe and from our participation in the European project “Better Future Festival”, led by ELFAC. Our city hosts the national headquarters of Network Family in Italia, the network bringing together almost 300 municipalities engaged in family policies, and it was the first municipality outside the Autonomous Province of Trento to obtain the Family-Friendly Municipality certification. It is a path Alghero has been pursuing since 2016 through its Family Policies Office, entrusted, under the principle of subsidiarity, to the National Association of Large Families. It is precisely subsidiarity in action that is the secret behind the effectiveness of the many initiatives we are putting in place for family well-being. We return home with the conviction that this partnership between Alghero and Bacău will give new impetus to a project whose main aim is to implement increasingly effective actions for the well-being of families. Because where Families are well, Society is well and the economy grows.”
The visit concluded with a reaffirmation of mutual esteem and friendship, and with the intention of continuing the collaboration with growing motivation and shared commitment.
