If we think about the challenges that humanity is facing and will probably have to face in the future, some key words describe well the scenario that we will be experiencing: volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity (the so-called VUCA world).
Unlike the past, when history moved on fairly defined tracks, today we face a series of challenges that prevent reliable predictions. Therefore, what matters is not only trying to predict the challenges (absolutely necessary activity, think of climate change, demographic ageing, pandemics and migrations, new technologies and artificial intelligence, etc.) but being ready for any eventuality, that is, strengthening our ability to cope with unexpected events through greater resilience, awareness and ability to adapt. We must do this not only on an individual level, but as a community capable of deciding in a shared and inclusive way.
Of all the challenges, this is probably the most difficult: finding new ways to deal with changes and complexities, "recontextualising" man in his contact with nature and the planet, experimenting with new organizational and communication approaches, above all finding in solidarity and resilience, awareness and sharing, sustainability, the key to understanding the world.
Human action, as Hannah Arendt said in her "Vita Activa", is the ability to start something new, an innovation which, for better or for worse, determines everyone's responsibility to understand, to act, to give one's response within a plurality, that is, by putting into practice being together and learning to "become human".
WHO Healthy Cities Project Co-ordinator in Udine (Italy), with more than 15 years’ experience in local public administration within the Municipality of Udine and in prevention and health promotion policies and programmes within the Integrated Health Promotion Office in the City of Udine. She attended the Advanced School for Prevention & Health Promotion (Integrated School - University of Piemonte Orientale Avogadro, Torino & University Bocconi, Milano & University Cattolica, Milano), Summer School of Social Determinants of Health (UCL-University College London), Master in Business Management and in Political Sciences (University of Udine).
She is a member of the Advisory Committee of the World Health Organisation Healthy Cities European Network and collaborates with various national and international networks (Age-Friendly Cities, Dementia-Friendly Cities, Covenant on Demographic Change, WHO Healthy Ageing Task Force, WHO Regions for Health Network, Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, Italian Healthy Cities Network, Health City Institute, etc.). She has been involved in several projects co-founded by EU (Lifelong Learning Programmes, URBACT, Central Europe, Italia-Croatia Interreg, CCM National Prevention Programme).
At the local level she co-ordinates and manages the prevention and health promotion programmes (healthy lifestyles, dental screening, healthy & active ageing, sustainable mobility, healthy eating, food waste reduction, dementia prevention, sexual health & risky behaviours prevention, healthy and sustainable environments, etc.), by collaborating with many different stakeholders - public, private, educational institutions, businesses, voluntary associations, NGOs – and conducting research with the University of Udine on the above mentioned themes, especially focusing on health, psychosocial well-being, active ageing, mind-body medicine interventions, preventative and protective approaches towards the decline of cognitive, affective and social functioning.