By Luciano Malfer, Research and Family Development Manager, Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)
Introduction
The major demographic, digital and environmental transitions are profoundly changing the factors that determine the competitiveness of territories. Increasingly, attractiveness depends not only on infrastructure or economic incentives, but also on the ability to provide quality of life, services, job opportunities, social relationships and well-being throughout people’s lives. In this context, a new development paradigm is emerging, one that places people at the centre as the most important strategic resource of communities.
The People Strategy is based on the awareness that, in territories facing low birth rates, population ageing and growing competition for human capital, attracting and retaining people, families, young people and skilled workers has become a strategic priority. This perspective is also shared by European institutions, which highlight how demographic change is increasing labour and skills shortages, with significant effects on competitiveness and the sustainability of services. In this context, the ability of territories to attract, develop and retain human capital becomes a key factor for resilience and growth. Family policies, housing, community welfare, education, employment and innovation are therefore integrated components of a territorial ecosystem focused on attractiveness, where technology is also expected to play a role in supporting people and territorial development.
The Alghero Experience
The experience of Alghero represents a significant example of how People Strategy, Family Strategy, innovation and territorial development can be integrated. Over the years, the city has gradually built a model focused on attractiveness and family well-being, becoming a reference point for Sardinia and supporting the spread of good practices across other territories on the island. One of the most innovative aspects is the application of the principle of family subsidiarity through the delegation of the Family Policies Office to a local family association. This approach strengthens the active role of families, promotes civic participation and helps develop policies that are closer to the real needs of the community. Membership in the national network of Family-Friendly Municipalities and in the European Network of Family-Friendly Municipalities promoted by the European Large Families Confederation reinforces the European dimension of the Alghero experience, consolidating its role as a regional laboratory for social and family innovation.
The following three interviews present the experience developed by the Municipality of Alghero in the fields of territorial attractiveness, people’s well-being and innovation. The interview with Raimondo Cacciotto outlines the strategic vision guiding the city’s development and highlights the role of people-centred policies within territorial planning. The interview with Maria Grazia Salaris explores family policies, subsidiarity and the initiatives promoted to support families and the local community. The interview with Enrico Daga examines the relationship between innovation, territorial development, talent attraction and the competitiveness of the local system.
Interview with Mayor Raimondo Cacciotto
Mayor Cacciotto, Alghero is now considered one of the most significant experiences in the field of family policies. Why should a city invest in families in a structured way, and what is the relationship between family policies and territorial development?
Investing in family policies is not only a matter of welfare; it is also a strategic choice for territorial development. Families contribute to the vitality of communities, strengthen social capital, support the demand for services and play a key role in maintaining the demographic balance of a territory. Investing in families therefore means investing in the conditions that make a city more attractive, inclusive and able to generate long-term well-being.
At a time marked by low birth rates, population ageing and growing competition between territories to attract people and talent, family policies have become a strategic priority. Services, work-life balance, educational opportunities and quality of life are all factors that directly influence where people choose to live and a territory’s ability to build its future.
Alghero’s family policy has continued through three different municipal administrations and is now part of national and European networks. What value do you see in this continuity, and how does it contribute to the city’s attractiveness strategy?
Continuity is one of the most important strengths of the Alghero experience. When a public policy is maintained and further developed by different administrations, it shows that it has become part of the community’s shared vision and a stable element of territorial planning. This makes it possible to work with a long-term perspective, avoid fragmented interventions and strengthen the credibility of the actions undertaken.
At the same time, participation in national and European networks and the exchange of experiences with other territories help to continuously improve existing tools and develop new initiatives. In this way, family policies become closely linked to territorial attractiveness, quality of life and the ability to attract and retain people, families and human capital, helping to strengthen Alghero’s position at regional, national and European level.
Interview with Councillor Maria Grazia Salaris
Councillor Maria Grazia Salaris, responsible for the well-being of people, families and the community. One of the most innovative aspects of Alghero’s experience is the recognition of family policies as a shared responsibility across the entire municipal administration. What are the reasons behind this choice, and what is the value of a dedicated governance structure for family policies?
Family policies cannot be seen as the sole responsibility of the social sector because they affect many aspects of people’s lives, including education, employment, mobility, culture, sport, the quality of public spaces and access to services. The family is a cross-cutting element that influences all areas of public administration and therefore requires an integrated approach involving all municipal departments. From this perspective, the Family Strategy is one of the tools used to implement a broader People Strategy, placing people, families and quality of life at the centre of territorial development.
Today, a city’s attractiveness increasingly depends on its ability to provide services, opportunities and favourable conditions for living, working and building a life project. For this reason, Alghero has gradually developed a dedicated governance model and a stable organisational structure, moving beyond occasional and fragmented initiatives. This represents a real shift in approach: from sector-based policies to an integrated vision that connects people’s well-being, territorial development and attractiveness. A dedicated structure helps ensure administrative continuity, long-term planning, monitoring of actions and coordination among different municipal departments, strengthening the municipality’s leadership role in building a welcoming and future-oriented community.
Councillor Salaris, the Alghero model is also characterised by a strong application of the principle of subsidiarity through the direct involvement of families and family associations. How does this collaboration help improve public policies and the ability to respond to the real needs of the community?
Subsidiarity is one of the key strengths of our experience. Directly involving families and their associations helps bring public policies closer to people’s real needs by combining the expertise of the administration with the direct knowledge that families have of the challenges and needs that arise throughout family life. In this way, the Family Strategy becomes not only a policy tool but also a practical mechanism for listening and participation, supporting a People Strategy that is built together with the community.
This approach has been put into practice through the involvement of the Large Families Association in the management of the Family Policies Office. This innovative choice has strengthened the dialogue between institutions and the community, improving the ability to identify emerging needs and develop more effective responses. At the same time, the active participation of families helps strengthen social capital, mutual trust and a shared sense of responsibility. It is a methodological approach that values cooperation between public institutions and civil society, while increasing the territory’s capacity to remain attractive, inclusive and resilient in the long term.
Interview with Councillor Enrico Bachisio Daga
Councillor Enrico Bachisio Daga, responsible for Strategic Planning and Budget, Public Assets and Property, Sports Facilities and Human Resources Management. How do family policies contribute to the competitiveness and territorial attractiveness of Alghero?
Family policies are an indirect but strategic driver of economic development. A territory that provides high-quality educational services, effective work-life balance measures and a strong community network creates favourable conditions for people to stay and for new talent to be attracted. In this sense, family policies generate not only social benefits but also contribute to the territory’s ability to retain human capital and support the local economy.
Today, a city’s competitiveness is no longer measured only by infrastructure, taxation or the availability of industrial and business areas. Factors such as quality of life, access to services, social cohesion and family well-being are becoming increasingly important. For this reason, family policies should be considered an integral part of territorial development strategies and one of the key elements that strengthen Alghero’s attractiveness for residents, businesses and investors.
Councillor Daga, the Inno Bay project and the framework agreement signed between the Municipality of Alghero and Fondazione Bruno Kessler introduce a vision that connects research, innovation and People Strategy. What contribution can this initiative make to the future and competitiveness of the territory?
The framework agreement signed with Fondazione Bruno Kessler represents a strategic choice that goes beyond the traditional collaboration between a local authority and a research organisation. Through this agreement, Alghero has decided to address the major demographic, digital and environmental transitions by placing knowledge, innovation and, above all, people at the centre. Within this framework, the Inno Bay project aims to create an ecosystem in north-western Sardinia that integrates scientific research, technology transfer, economic development and quality of life.
The connection with the People Strategy is direct. The competitiveness of territories depends less and less on infrastructure alone and increasingly on their ability to attract, retain and develop people, families, young people, talent and skills. Inno Bay and the collaboration with FBK make it possible to develop analytical tools, governance models and innovative projects that place human capital at the heart of development. From this perspective, research, innovation, family policies and territorial attractiveness become interconnected elements of a single strategy aimed at strengthening Alghero’s capacity to create opportunities, improve well-being and promote sustainable long-term development.
