1 00:00:00,070 --> 00:00:01,990 So thank you for the introductions. 2 00:00:01,990 --> 00:00:07,990 We are really happy to be here and to to share a little bit about our experience in Leko 3 00:00:07,991 --> 00:00:09,109 and Como. 4 00:00:09,110 --> 00:00:15,029 And we entitled this presentation Restorative Statis as a tool for enhancing 5 00:00:15,030 --> 00:00:17,750 democracy in dark times. 6 00:00:17,751 --> 00:00:23,269 I think Evo did quite a bit of a good introduction with the democratic table. 7 00:00:23,271 --> 00:00:28,870 So so to say that this is not only a theory, but it's work on the 8 00:00:28,871 --> 00:00:29,870 ground. 9 00:00:29,940 --> 00:00:35,859 And we will explore a little bit why and how restorative cities can contribute 10 00:00:35,860 --> 00:00:38,899 to democracy and why dark time. 11 00:00:38,900 --> 00:00:44,740 I think everyone can say dark times was the title of a European forum 12 00:00:44,740 --> 00:00:49,380 conference, uh, twenty twenty-four, if I'm not wrong, in Estonia. 13 00:00:49,381 --> 00:00:52,820 It was restorative justice in dark times. 14 00:00:52,820 --> 00:00:58,500 Uh, but I think dark times because democracy is living currently quite a dark time 15 00:00:58,500 --> 00:00:59,259 everywhere. 16 00:00:59,260 --> 00:01:04,930 In the in the world, not only um in the in the US or but also in 17 00:01:04,931 --> 00:01:05,939 Europe as well. 18 00:01:08,450 --> 00:01:13,569 Well, uh, first of all, a little bit about why restorative cities. 19 00:01:13,570 --> 00:01:18,930 I think we heard a lot today in the morning session about what a restorative city 20 00:01:18,931 --> 00:01:19,969 is. 21 00:01:19,971 --> 00:01:22,450 Um, but why is this important? 22 00:01:22,451 --> 00:01:26,209 Why should we work on restorative cities? 23 00:01:26,210 --> 00:01:31,409 Um, first of all, because cities are a place where people live together. 24 00:01:31,411 --> 00:01:35,700 And people live together with different interests, with different needs. 25 00:01:36,349 --> 00:01:39,230 With different identities and visions. 26 00:01:39,231 --> 00:01:42,319 And when these clash, they create conflict. 27 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:48,859 Um, there are opposing interests, needs, identities which generate 28 00:01:48,861 --> 00:01:54,540 tensions, fractures, and we heard uh in the morning sessions about uh lots of 29 00:01:54,541 --> 00:01:58,909 topics creating fractures and tensions and polarization. 30 00:01:59,659 --> 00:02:04,780 And the third, uh, because we need somehow to deal with these conflicts. 31 00:02:04,781 --> 00:02:10,620 We can take different routes, different paths, we will say, to deal with them. 32 00:02:10,621 --> 00:02:15,819 Um, restorative cities choose the uh restorative justice 33 00:02:15,820 --> 00:02:16,699 way. 34 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:22,539 So a path that deals with conflicts through restorative processes, through 35 00:02:22,540 --> 00:02:25,740 restorative practices to restore relations. 36 00:02:25,741 --> 00:02:29,150 And this is quite important also for democracy. 37 00:02:29,710 --> 00:02:34,879 Uh, and not only for democracy, but for the good living together. 38 00:02:36,659 --> 00:02:40,740 It was not mentioned in the urban agenda partnership on security in 39 00:02:40,741 --> 00:02:42,419 public spaces on the of the 40 00:02:42,420 --> 00:02:43,939 European Commission. 41 00:02:43,941 --> 00:02:47,539 Restorative cities were not there, but a lot of concepts that were 42 00:02:47,540 --> 00:02:49,860 mentioned this morning and that we work 43 00:02:49,861 --> 00:02:53,060 on are in that definition. 44 00:02:53,061 --> 00:02:58,900 So the urban agenda, that is a document drafted by the European Commission guiding 45 00:02:58,901 --> 00:03:04,580 urban policies on security in public spaces in all the European Union 46 00:03:04,581 --> 00:03:05,580 countries. 47 00:03:05,719 --> 00:03:11,319 Says that strong cohesion is an is an important aspect in preventing 48 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,319 polarization as well as violence and crime. 49 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:20,840 It is also an important aspect of good life and means that people live in trustful 50 00:03:20,841 --> 00:03:21,840 surroundings. 51 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:28,000 Where mutual understanding and inclusive participation are high, 52 00:03:28,001 --> 00:03:34,000 where the social and political structures provide equal opportunities and where 53 00:03:34,001 --> 00:03:36,319 people feel safe and secure. 54 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:42,159 And it is precisely at the local level that these factors for cohesion, 55 00:03:42,161 --> 00:03:47,599 democracy, and dialogue must be strengthened, while the risk factors of 56 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,729 division must be kept as low as possible and even reduced. 57 00:03:52,050 --> 00:03:58,050 And this morning, through uh the work that uh Bristol did, through the work uh 58 00:03:58,051 --> 00:04:02,580 that North East Dublin did, Leven, we heard a lot about uh 59 00:04:03,810 --> 00:04:06,849 Understanding, mutual understanding. 60 00:04:06,850 --> 00:04:09,300 We heard a lot about participation. 61 00:04:09,870 --> 00:04:14,879 Participation in uh community life, in social life, in decision making. 62 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:20,240 And we heard a lot about the feelings of feeling safe and 63 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:24,930 secure, but also about being able to have a dialogue. 64 00:04:25,500 --> 00:04:26,740 Not to discuss. 65 00:04:27,129 --> 00:04:30,689 But to have a dialogue, which are different things, as Evo mentioned. 66 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:36,639 So even though restorative cities were not there, restorative cities have a lot to say 67 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:42,079 in building this kind of social cohesion because they foster 68 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:47,600 just, trustful, respectful, responsible and interpersonal 69 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:48,639 relationships. 70 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:53,120 And these all contribute to this higher level of social cohesion. 71 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:58,639 Of course, it's not only about restorative cities, and we'll see more that restorative 72 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:00,449 cities are only one piece. 73 00:05:00,660 --> 00:05:01,610 of the puzzle. 74 00:05:01,610 --> 00:05:05,689 Then we have many pieces with whom we are in dialogue. 75 00:05:05,690 --> 00:05:07,100 In Europe we also have um 76 00:05:07,740 --> 00:05:09,379 Peaceful cities. 77 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:15,759 Um, we have um ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch children, cities uh fair 78 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:20,160 for children, for age people, for LGBTQ. 79 00:05:20,161 --> 00:05:26,079 So we have many movements uh that can work together towards this goal, 80 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,170 and the restorative city is one of these movements. 81 00:05:30,350 --> 00:05:34,269 But how this uh interact with democracy? 82 00:05:34,270 --> 00:05:37,069 Well, as I said, I think we we we we we we we we we we we all assist 83 00:05:37,070 --> 00:05:40,189 to the fact that uh nowadays um 84 00:05:40,190 --> 00:05:44,750 democracy uh is under continuous strain. 85 00:05:44,750 --> 00:05:49,230 We have we see different tendencies, and um I recommend uh I I'm 86 00:05:49,230 --> 00:05:50,430 not sure it's out there 87 00:05:50,430 --> 00:05:55,949 already, but if you subscribe to the fundamental rights agencies, they did uh last 88 00:05:55,950 --> 00:05:59,759 year uh big research on human rights trends. 89 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:05,399 A foresight uh exercise to see how human rights will evolve in the next thirty years. 90 00:06:06,110 --> 00:06:11,600 And one of the most significant trends was um democracy backsliding. 91 00:06:12,100 --> 00:06:18,019 Democracy backsliding uh due to polarization, due to um 92 00:06:18,020 --> 00:06:21,990 normalization of dehumanization narratives. 93 00:06:22,579 --> 00:06:28,500 Exploitation of public resentment and anger by illiberal movements, 94 00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:34,500 by extremist movements, declining institutional trust, shrinking civic 95 00:06:34,500 --> 00:06:38,709 space, and persistent participation inequalities. 96 00:06:41,170 --> 00:06:46,689 And to all this, I think in the morning session, we can reflect on how the 97 00:06:46,690 --> 00:06:52,449 restorative initiatives can move away these risk factors, or at least 98 00:06:52,450 --> 00:06:58,370 mitigate them, not completely uh make them disappear, but they mitigate them through 99 00:06:58,370 --> 00:06:59,370 putting 100 00:06:59,389 --> 00:07:05,149 Citizens at the center to recognize this that people are more 101 00:07:05,150 --> 00:07:10,990 likely to make positive changes when things are done with them and not 102 00:07:10,990 --> 00:07:14,509 for them, uh, and not to them. 103 00:07:14,510 --> 00:07:19,949 And this is what Wacall and McCall said already quite a lot of years ago. 104 00:07:19,950 --> 00:07:25,550 And this is also uh a basic principle that participatory democracy and 105 00:07:25,550 --> 00:07:28,480 participatory processes is uh 106 00:07:29,279 --> 00:07:30,610 is built on. 107 00:07:31,759 --> 00:07:36,639 However, what restorative cities can bring to 108 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:42,639 this, how can they contribute to this to mitigating risk factors? 109 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:46,160 First of all, treating conflict as an opportunity. 110 00:07:46,161 --> 00:07:51,519 So a lot of people this morning talked about this, seeing conflict as an 111 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:57,199 opportunity, as a resource for recognition, for learning, and collective problem 112 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:01,009 solving, fostering empathy and mutual accountability shift. 113 00:08:01,420 --> 00:08:04,620 governance and I will not go because we we we we we we we we we we we spoke a lot this 114 00:08:04,620 --> 00:08:07,339 morning about participation participation 115 00:08:07,340 --> 00:08:13,259 participation and I would add true participation because I think this 116 00:08:13,260 --> 00:08:19,180 is where restorative cities and restorative con practices contribute most 117 00:08:19,180 --> 00:08:21,949 because we have a lot of participatory processes in Europe 118 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:24,720 Lots of literature on this. 119 00:08:24,721 --> 00:08:28,370 We have less, much less true participation. 120 00:08:29,420 --> 00:08:35,259 Uh, human rights based democracy, because restorative cities are grounded in 121 00:08:35,260 --> 00:08:41,259 restorative justice values, as Ivo said, and these also are grounded in 122 00:08:41,260 --> 00:08:46,940 respect for human dignity, participation, responsibility, repair, 123 00:08:46,941 --> 00:08:52,620 and uh restorative cities help to bring these rights and these 124 00:08:52,620 --> 00:08:55,259 values into concrete actions. 125 00:08:55,260 --> 00:08:58,190 And Bruna will uh tell you more about how can this 126 00:08:58,769 --> 00:09:04,529 Be translated from very big abstract concepts into um concrete practices. 127 00:09:04,530 --> 00:09:06,769 And most of all, building democratic skills. 128 00:09:06,770 --> 00:09:12,370 I think Ivo spoke a lot about it, and also Emma, and these are uh skills on which 129 00:09:12,370 --> 00:09:13,970 democracy relies on. 130 00:09:13,971 --> 00:09:18,769 Being able to listen to the other without judging, first of all. 131 00:09:18,770 --> 00:09:24,210 Uh, being able to have a constructive dialogue, just be open to the other 132 00:09:24,211 --> 00:09:28,179 opinions, be open to listen to people you would never listen to. 133 00:09:28,379 --> 00:09:33,659 to or to listen to opinions that you strongly disagree to. 134 00:09:33,660 --> 00:09:38,139 Inclusive facilitation, negotiation, collaborative problem solving, 135 00:09:38,140 --> 00:09:39,580 they are all skills on 136 00:09:39,581 --> 00:09:42,539 which our democratic society rely on. 137 00:09:42,540 --> 00:09:46,299 And there are all skills that this morning you have heard are put in 138 00:09:46,300 --> 00:09:47,820 practice through restorative 139 00:09:47,821 --> 00:09:48,860 practices. 140 00:09:48,860 --> 00:09:54,779 But when we get to us to uh Leko and Como, uh just a very little 141 00:09:54,780 --> 00:09:57,389 bit int int int int int int int int int introduction about the context. 142 00:09:57,509 --> 00:10:00,429 So we are here. 143 00:10:01,250 --> 00:10:05,570 Okay, I'm able to show you because the picture is not very good. 144 00:10:05,571 --> 00:10:10,850 And we are in the Lombardy region, as Balin said, uh very close to the 145 00:10:10,850 --> 00:10:12,370 Alps. 146 00:10:12,370 --> 00:10:14,769 Two different branches of the same lake. 147 00:10:14,770 --> 00:10:20,450 So we are uh looking to each other from different parts of the same lake. 148 00:10:20,451 --> 00:10:24,450 Some some very brief introduction about the context. 149 00:10:24,451 --> 00:10:27,809 Both cities are based on a service based economy. 150 00:10:27,810 --> 00:10:29,299 They all have a very dense 151 00:10:30,110 --> 00:10:35,710 civil society uh we have very um so to say we had very 152 00:10:35,711 --> 00:10:41,629 different political um movements some uh lecco had a very long 153 00:10:41,630 --> 00:10:47,149 uh left center left coalition but como had more movements center left 154 00:10:47,150 --> 00:10:53,070 right civic list so we have very different political landscape to say not a fixed 155 00:10:53,071 --> 00:10:58,720 one and now uh bruna will say but leco is again right from center left to center 156 00:10:59,389 --> 00:10:59,870 Right. 157 00:10:59,870 --> 00:11:05,309 So we are the two cities are moving through different kinds of political ideologies. 158 00:11:05,310 --> 00:11:07,789 I think this is quite important. 159 00:11:07,790 --> 00:11:13,629 Um, in the LECO, there is a very long standing experience of co design and co 160 00:11:13,630 --> 00:11:19,549 production, so working together, communities, civic society, citizens and institutions 161 00:11:19,550 --> 00:11:22,909 to design public policies, especially in the social area. 162 00:11:22,910 --> 00:11:26,029 So this is quite important as well. 163 00:11:26,030 --> 00:11:28,639 Uh in common, this is less. 164 00:11:28,950 --> 00:11:34,149 Um traditional, but in Italy generally we have a tradition of participatory 165 00:11:34,150 --> 00:11:39,830 processes, more or less true, but still they are they are there. 166 00:11:39,831 --> 00:11:44,149 Uh, nevertheless, there are established collaborations between civil society, 167 00:11:44,150 --> 00:11:45,750 judicial institutions, and the 168 00:11:45,750 --> 00:11:48,789 district level body responsible for social policy. 169 00:11:48,790 --> 00:11:54,710 So we are in a context where institutions and civic society are used to work 170 00:11:54,711 --> 00:11:55,710 together. 171 00:11:56,129 --> 00:12:01,809 Um, however, we also have a lot of risk factors because beneath uh 172 00:12:01,810 --> 00:12:07,570 prosperity in both cities we see precarious employment conditions, 173 00:12:07,571 --> 00:12:12,610 falling income, and widening inequalities, and this creates a lot of 174 00:12:12,610 --> 00:12:18,419 tensions, polarization, loneliness, and uh the I would say also 175 00:12:19,980 --> 00:12:23,500 The catch to the the the enemy between the poor people. 176 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:26,539 So the other poor people is your enemy. 177 00:12:26,540 --> 00:12:29,500 So lots lots of ideas around this. 178 00:12:29,500 --> 00:12:35,179 So po poor po po po poor citizens against the poor uh immigrants and so 179 00:12:35,180 --> 00:12:40,269 and po po poor immigrants against the new arrived immigrants, and we could go on. 180 00:12:41,460 --> 00:12:47,379 Um and this uh basically creates a fracture in the social pact 181 00:12:47,380 --> 00:12:48,820 that keeps us together. 182 00:12:48,821 --> 00:12:54,740 Como on the other hand is has a lot of migration because it is at the border with Switzerland 183 00:12:54,740 --> 00:13:00,100 and it is a crossroad for all migrants that would like to reach northern 184 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:05,779 Europe, not to stay in Italy, but use Como as a route for for 185 00:13:05,780 --> 00:13:08,820 going to the northern northern Europe. 186 00:13:08,821 --> 00:13:09,830 And this also creates a lot of 187 00:13:10,370 --> 00:13:16,289 Tensions, social tensions and polarization, a lot of explotation of public anger 188 00:13:16,290 --> 00:13:18,899 about how to deal with uh migration. 189 00:13:19,889 --> 00:13:25,330 Uh, and in this context, we wondered why restorative cities. 190 00:13:25,331 --> 00:13:30,450 Well, I think we could take three paths on how we deal with all these tensions and 191 00:13:30,451 --> 00:13:32,610 polarization, indifference. 192 00:13:32,610 --> 00:13:36,529 Everyone is doing its own business, and that's all. 193 00:13:36,530 --> 00:13:39,409 Politicians do the rest, institutions do the rest, 194 00:13:39,410 --> 00:13:41,220 and we only mind ourselves. 195 00:13:42,059 --> 00:13:44,379 Resentful retribution. 196 00:13:44,380 --> 00:13:48,059 This is based on the punitive concepts we talked about. 197 00:13:48,060 --> 00:13:53,899 So we go for those that uh did the wrong and we confined them and 198 00:13:53,900 --> 00:13:55,899 we punish them, and that's it. 199 00:13:55,900 --> 00:14:01,659 And these are quite uh quite used, I would say, but some part of society. 200 00:14:01,660 --> 00:14:03,820 And then we have the restoration. 201 00:14:03,821 --> 00:14:08,139 Restoration well we call the especially Bruna, where we we we we we we we we 202 00:14:08,140 --> 00:14:09,740 we we we see every crack there 203 00:14:09,740 --> 00:14:11,070 is an opening for a light. 204 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:16,360 and renewal meaning that conflict is an opportunity for learning and mutual 205 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:17,720 understanding. 206 00:14:17,721 --> 00:14:23,639 And I would say that it was mostly this part that developed in 207 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:29,559 different ways, but I will leave the the LECO part to Bruna only to say 208 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:35,000 that the LECO restorative city movement started in2012, 209 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:39,769 building on this need for restoration of a part of the community. 210 00:14:40,250 --> 00:14:46,090 And uh Como started in two thousand seventeen transferring the model from 211 00:14:46,091 --> 00:14:47,100 Leko. 212 00:14:47,730 --> 00:14:53,570 Uh and it was built around the the need for another way to 213 00:14:53,571 --> 00:14:59,570 deal with conflicts, because there was a very um one of the neighborhoods 214 00:14:59,571 --> 00:15:05,490 had a lot of conflicts around migration and support given to newly arrived migrants, and 215 00:15:05,490 --> 00:15:09,250 throughout the years they tried different methods to do it with that 216 00:15:09,250 --> 00:15:11,330 kind of conflict and nothing worked. 217 00:15:11,331 --> 00:15:15,649 So what they were asking was, is is there another way to do it? 218 00:15:15,650 --> 00:15:17,059 Are we doing something wrong? 219 00:15:17,220 --> 00:15:22,700 That is not working because we have generations change, but we have the same conflicts. 220 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:30,110 Uh, just a very quick for us, what means a restorative city. 221 00:15:30,110 --> 00:15:34,590 Well, we are not talking about a label, uh, we are not talking 222 00:15:34,591 --> 00:15:40,429 about somebody a warning a quality uh mark that we 223 00:15:40,430 --> 00:15:45,149 are a restorative city, uh, but we are talking about a process, 224 00:15:45,150 --> 00:15:46,350 about building a 225 00:15:46,350 --> 00:15:50,029 process towards a certain vision of the community. 226 00:15:50,030 --> 00:15:54,240 So this is a continuous citizen centered journey. 227 00:15:54,649 --> 00:16:00,409 That aims to embed the principles and values and practices of restorative justice in every 228 00:16:00,410 --> 00:16:05,929 uh social setting where conflict and harm can arise, with the goal of uh 229 00:16:05,930 --> 00:16:11,049 fostering just, trustful, respectful, and responsible relationship, as I said before. 230 00:16:11,050 --> 00:16:16,970 And we don't have the presumptions to say that rest restorative justice is there everywhere, 231 00:16:16,971 --> 00:16:22,169 will ever be there everywhere, and that conflicts will ever disappear. 232 00:16:22,170 --> 00:16:23,899 We just uh want to continue. 233 00:16:24,059 --> 00:16:30,049 contaminate as much as much as possible as many people as possible as many organizations 234 00:16:30,050 --> 00:16:35,570 not only private but as Evo said public and private organizations and as many 235 00:16:35,571 --> 00:16:41,330 policies as possible because this is a bottom up process but at a certain 236 00:16:41,331 --> 00:16:46,610 level it has to be mainstreamed in policies to become a more wider 237 00:16:46,610 --> 00:16:48,049 movement. 238 00:16:48,050 --> 00:16:51,730 And with this I will pass the floor to Bruna. 239 00:16:51,730 --> 00:16:53,299 Good morning good afternoon. 240 00:16:53,860 --> 00:16:55,299 More or less. 241 00:16:55,300 --> 00:16:58,659 And please be patient with my English. 242 00:16:58,660 --> 00:17:04,180 I proceed to talk about restorativity city and about their possible contribution to the 243 00:17:04,181 --> 00:17:05,180 democracy. 244 00:17:05,338 --> 00:17:11,088 I tell you about Lekco and about our journey of Linominato towards 245 00:17:11,089 --> 00:17:16,098 becoming a restorative city, starting with the story of Tecla. 246 00:17:16,700 --> 00:17:21,980 Tecla is one of the invisible cities of Italo 247 00:17:21,980 --> 00:17:22,940 Calvino. 248 00:17:22,941 --> 00:17:25,150 It is in Italian literature. 249 00:17:26,210 --> 00:17:32,019 And uh Tekla is a city always under construction. 250 00:17:32,759 --> 00:17:38,750 And when visitors ask the inhabitants of Tecla why they continue to build, 251 00:17:38,750 --> 00:17:40,720 they answer, so. 252 00:17:41,339 --> 00:17:45,309 That its destruction may not begin. 253 00:17:46,269 --> 00:17:50,230 And when they ask them to show the plan of the city. 254 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,279 This is a cliff anger. 255 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:59,119 We cl we we we we we we cut the last three um lines of the story because 256 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:02,609 Christina will reveal you at the end of the presentation. 257 00:18:03,630 --> 00:18:09,390 This image is very meaningful to us because we also see a restorative 258 00:18:09,391 --> 00:18:13,039 city as a city always under construction. 259 00:18:13,890 --> 00:18:19,490 People are constantly building, destroying, repairing, and 260 00:18:19,490 --> 00:18:20,490 rebuilding. 261 00:18:20,829 --> 00:18:24,880 It is a useful image image, perhaps also for democracy. 262 00:18:25,529 --> 00:18:28,369 A restorative city is not a finished model. 263 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:34,960 And what matters is not only the final result, but the relationships that are built 264 00:18:34,961 --> 00:18:35,960 along the way. 265 00:18:36,349 --> 00:18:42,190 In this sense, democracy is not only a system of institutions, it is 266 00:18:42,191 --> 00:18:45,279 also a daily practice of relationships. 267 00:18:46,650 --> 00:18:51,009 This idea has guided our work in LECCO since twenty twelve. 268 00:18:51,710 --> 00:18:53,549 Creating linnominato. 269 00:18:53,550 --> 00:18:56,960 Linn nominato is restorative justice intermediary body. 270 00:18:57,519 --> 00:19:03,200 We call the we call denominator an intermediary body, restorative intermediary body, a 271 00:19:03,201 --> 00:19:09,200 working group through which we are building LECCO as a restorative city, together with 272 00:19:09,201 --> 00:19:14,880 its citizens and local communities, developing a permanent 273 00:19:14,881 --> 00:19:19,809 participatory community building process, bottom up. 274 00:19:20,339 --> 00:19:24,470 Informal and open to voluntary participation. 275 00:19:25,210 --> 00:19:30,480 Its aim is to disseminate restorative values and practices and to 276 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:36,480 involve citizens in dealing with conflict, crime, arm, and 277 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:37,480 social problems. 278 00:19:38,130 --> 00:19:43,569 So, Linominato is not simply a service for people, it is a 279 00:19:43,570 --> 00:19:45,539 space with people. 280 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:50,849 Where they can meet, listen, discuss, and participate. 281 00:19:51,710 --> 00:19:54,710 Lin nominato is rooted in the community. 282 00:19:55,359 --> 00:20:01,279 Citizens, NGOs, social workers, and local institutions 283 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:05,970 work together in a shared and non hierarchical space. 284 00:20:06,940 --> 00:20:12,940 The idea is not simply to provide help to citizens, because citizens 285 00:20:12,941 --> 00:20:18,299 can also become active participants and co producers of 286 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:19,789 restorative processes. 287 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:26,240 The process is circular from the city to the intermediary body, and from the 288 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,369 intermediary body back to the city. 289 00:20:28,859 --> 00:20:33,950 The starting point are usually people's conflicts, harms. 290 00:20:34,529 --> 00:20:36,099 Pains and needs. 291 00:20:36,799 --> 00:20:42,640 The aim is to work through resentment and, when possible, restore relations 292 00:20:42,641 --> 00:20:43,640 relationships. 293 00:20:44,670 --> 00:20:49,109 This brings us to the connection between restorative justice and democracy. 294 00:20:49,819 --> 00:20:52,859 The work of Lin Nominato is based on the core model. 295 00:20:52,860 --> 00:20:55,819 Do you remember Federica Maggio spoke about it? 296 00:20:55,820 --> 00:20:58,109 The community of restorative relationship. 297 00:20:58,619 --> 00:21:04,190 It promotes a a a a a a a a a a a a culture based on reciprocity, responsibility, and well being. 298 00:21:04,569 --> 00:21:09,119 It also creates opportunities for continuous bottom up 299 00:21:09,120 --> 00:21:10,720 participation. 300 00:21:10,721 --> 00:21:15,890 Citizens can work together on local problems, such as polarization. 301 00:21:16,299 --> 00:21:18,829 Distrust and social disconnection. 302 00:21:19,650 --> 00:21:21,140 Sharing power. 303 00:21:21,410 --> 00:21:25,779 And taking part as co producers of restorative practices. 304 00:21:26,380 --> 00:21:32,380 that can contribute to democratic resilience by strengthening human agency, 305 00:21:32,381 --> 00:21:35,309 hope, and the capacity to act together. 306 00:21:36,380 --> 00:21:39,819 I'm going to describe some concrete examples. 307 00:21:39,820 --> 00:21:42,220 Someone speak about the Covid time. 308 00:21:42,221 --> 00:21:43,099 Do you remember? 309 00:21:43,100 --> 00:21:47,069 It seems a century ago, but it was six years ago. 310 00:21:48,690 --> 00:21:54,690 The first example, we called them resto 311 00:21:54,691 --> 00:21:55,940 Covid Circle. 312 00:21:56,450 --> 00:22:00,529 It was developed, a practice, a restorative practice developed during 313 00:22:00,530 --> 00:22:02,339 the Covid nineteen pandemic. 314 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,279 The process had three phases. 315 00:22:05,819 --> 00:22:08,109 First faces in twenty twenty. 316 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:12,640 The focus of the first phases was on trauma. 317 00:22:12,641 --> 00:22:18,480 Around one hundred citizens in LECO participated in nine restorative 318 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:24,400 circles in June twenty nine, immediately after the first 319 00:22:24,401 --> 00:22:25,400 lockdown. 320 00:22:26,109 --> 00:22:30,400 They included beared people, people who lost other people. 321 00:22:30,930 --> 00:22:36,930 Isolated people, angry people, healthcare workers, families, 322 00:22:36,931 --> 00:22:40,660 and citizens in pain, arm and angry. 323 00:22:41,470 --> 00:22:44,079 The aim was to share experience. 324 00:22:44,700 --> 00:22:47,630 And listen respectfully to each other. 325 00:22:48,859 --> 00:22:52,900 In the second phase, between twenty twenty one and twenty twenty two. 326 00:22:53,210 --> 00:22:56,529 The focus was on conflict and polarisation. 327 00:22:57,220 --> 00:23:00,470 Thirty five participants, half vaccinated. 328 00:23:01,099 --> 00:23:06,910 And half not vaccinated, met across three restorative circles. 329 00:23:07,390 --> 00:23:11,670 The aim was to open dialogue across the Green Pass divide. 330 00:23:12,059 --> 00:23:15,140 And begin restoring interrupted relationship. 331 00:23:15,970 --> 00:23:21,700 Finally, in twenty twenty three, a local association, a big association. 332 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:27,329 Divided by the Green Pass conflict, took part in fifteen meetings. 333 00:23:28,349 --> 00:23:32,559 The process moved from rigid and accusatory positions. 334 00:23:33,180 --> 00:23:36,349 Towards a renewed willingness to communicate. 335 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,079 The restorative practice developed over a year. 336 00:23:40,619 --> 00:23:46,380 With people initially working in separate circles and gradually moving 337 00:23:46,381 --> 00:23:48,029 toward a common circle. 338 00:23:49,599 --> 00:23:55,119 What is this example why is this example of Restokovitz circle relevant to 339 00:23:55,120 --> 00:23:56,240 democracy? 340 00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:02,079 Because democracy is also about how people relate to each other, especially in moments 341 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,690 of fear, tension, and division. 342 00:24:05,309 --> 00:24:09,920 The restorative approach did not require people to agree. 343 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:15,759 It created a structured space where they could listen to different 344 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:21,680 experiences and understand the complexity behind different 345 00:24:21,681 --> 00:24:22,680 positions. 346 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:28,559 For these reasons, we can see this kind of circle as small democratic 347 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:29,730 infrastructures. 348 00:24:30,460 --> 00:24:33,390 The facilitators provide the structure. 349 00:24:33,940 --> 00:24:37,589 But that does not solve the problem for the participant. 350 00:24:38,049 --> 00:24:41,940 The aim is to work with people and not for people. 351 00:24:43,039 --> 00:24:47,329 The second experience is the Harmony Erasmus plus project. 352 00:24:47,809 --> 00:24:53,730 Harmony develops and tests restorative practices in neighborhood and 353 00:24:53,730 --> 00:24:58,019 social housing conflict in Italy, in France, in Belgium. 354 00:24:58,329 --> 00:25:04,049 The project has four steps analysis, co design, experimentation, and evaluation. 355 00:25:04,509 --> 00:25:09,140 We study existing practices, develop a toolkit and train 356 00:25:09,141 --> 00:25:12,500 practitioners, test rest rest rest rest rest rest rest rest rest restorative approaches 357 00:25:12,500 --> 00:25:15,059 in local context, and collect the lesson 358 00:25:15,060 --> 00:25:16,059 learned. 359 00:25:16,220 --> 00:25:21,819 One of the local experiment is taking place in Malgrate, that is a little village near 360 00:25:21,820 --> 00:25:26,109 Lecco, in a social housing building involving eight families. 361 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,319 Here, the important point is co design. 362 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:35,920 We did not simply bring a ready made the program into the condominium, 363 00:25:35,921 --> 00:25:38,319 into the house, the social house. 364 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,640 We work in a tailored way. 365 00:25:40,641 --> 00:25:44,369 Every context gets its own bespoke suit. 366 00:25:45,329 --> 00:25:48,420 Members of the nominato, so citizen. 367 00:25:48,910 --> 00:25:54,670 Participated in analyzing the context, identifying the people to involve, and 368 00:25:54,671 --> 00:25:57,230 designing the restorative process. 369 00:25:57,230 --> 00:26:02,589 The listening phase combined two perspectives, a professional restorative 370 00:26:02,590 --> 00:26:04,720 perspective of the facilitators. 371 00:26:05,250 --> 00:26:08,500 And citizen member of the nominominato. 372 00:26:09,180 --> 00:26:14,660 And the restorative circle were also co facilitated by the citizen. 373 00:26:14,869 --> 00:26:16,109 And a professional. 374 00:26:17,009 --> 00:26:22,609 So once again, the process was built with the community, not simply 375 00:26:22,610 --> 00:26:23,859 delivered to it. 376 00:26:24,410 --> 00:26:29,759 In the final phase, the co design process moved direct to the 377 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:30,759 residents. 378 00:26:30,940 --> 00:26:36,609 Through restorative circle, the inhabitants are developing a chart of good 379 00:26:36,610 --> 00:26:37,700 living together. 380 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:43,839 The initial result include greater trust in their capacity to manage the 381 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:44,839 conflict. 382 00:26:45,019 --> 00:26:48,539 More respectful listening between families. 383 00:26:48,540 --> 00:26:51,150 The conflict was very high, very high. 384 00:26:51,970 --> 00:26:57,809 And greater awareness by the municipality of the real reason 385 00:26:57,810 --> 00:27:01,809 of the conflict, because the municipality has strange ideas about the 386 00:27:01,810 --> 00:27:03,650 conflict between the eight 387 00:27:03,651 --> 00:27:04,650 families. 388 00:27:04,769 --> 00:27:06,819 The process is still ongoing. 389 00:27:07,950 --> 00:27:13,950 Finally, I would like to briefly mention one last very special project that we have 390 00:27:13,951 --> 00:27:16,079 developed over the past year. 391 00:27:16,539 --> 00:27:21,660 We call it Cerchi di Voce or Circle of Voices. 392 00:27:21,661 --> 00:27:27,180 It began in twenty twenty four and works with the prison as a relational 393 00:27:27,181 --> 00:27:28,180 community. 394 00:27:28,900 --> 00:27:34,099 Around eighty people have taken part in the initial circle, including 395 00:27:34,100 --> 00:27:39,859 detained people, prison staff, professionals, volunteers, young 396 00:27:39,860 --> 00:27:45,299 people and students, citizens, and a lot of institutional civil represent 397 00:27:45,300 --> 00:27:48,390 social civ civil society representatives. 398 00:27:49,019 --> 00:27:50,990 The project asked questions such as 399 00:27:51,839 --> 00:27:56,529 How would we like coexistence and life together in prison to be? 400 00:27:57,220 --> 00:28:00,789 What does respect mean inside a prison? 401 00:28:01,279 --> 00:28:05,970 How can we turn this reflection into concrete action and behaviors? 402 00:28:06,660 --> 00:28:11,859 How should we understand the balance between punishment and rehabilitation? 403 00:28:11,860 --> 00:28:17,539 And what responsibility does the wider community have for reintegration? 404 00:28:17,540 --> 00:28:20,950 How should society respond to reoffending? 405 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:26,799 Circle of voices has already created a space where people who 406 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:29,970 normally remain separated. 407 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:36,240 For instance, detained people and police can speak and listen 408 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,650 to each other in a horizontal position. 409 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:43,329 Very, very particular frame. 410 00:28:45,089 --> 00:28:51,089 The final event will be held next November during the international restorative justice week 411 00:28:51,090 --> 00:28:56,769 and will take place simultaneously, in the same time, in a large civic 412 00:28:56,770 --> 00:29:02,769 auditorium of the city and inside the prison, in the same time, so we can uh speech each 413 00:29:02,770 --> 00:29:08,609 other, and some of the people participating in each circle will publicly 414 00:29:08,610 --> 00:29:11,700 share their experience to tell the project to the city. 415 00:29:12,539 --> 00:29:13,539 Conclusion. 416 00:29:13,809 --> 00:29:16,740 So, what do does experience tell us? 417 00:29:17,380 --> 00:29:22,630 For me, they suggest that the restorative city is a place under contraction. 418 00:29:23,180 --> 00:29:28,859 Built through concrete practices, listening, participation, shared 419 00:29:28,860 --> 00:29:31,630 responsibility, and restoration of relationship. 420 00:29:32,210 --> 00:29:35,569 Democracy needs institutions, but it also needs these 421 00:29:35,570 --> 00:29:37,539 everyday relational practices. 422 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:43,839 The experiences of Linominator Stokovit Circle, harmony, and circle of voices 423 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,200 show how this can happen at the local level. 424 00:29:47,201 --> 00:29:52,720 And what matters is not reaching a final model by the direction we take and the 425 00:29:52,721 --> 00:29:56,480 quality of the relationship we build along the way. 426 00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:00,400 In this sense, democracy is also not a destination. 427 00:30:00,401 --> 00:30:05,039 It is a daily practice of just relationship. 428 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:06,039 Thank you.