During the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Forum of Adriatic and Ionian Cities (FAIC), held on 9 April in Senigallia, the appointment of Marta Paraventi, Councillor for Culture of the Municipality of Ancona, as the new Secretary General of the FAIC was made official. She takes over from Anna Maria Bertini, also a former councillor for Culture, who held the role until her resignation.

In her first speech as Secretary General, Marta Paraventi outlined a clear and future-oriented vision: culture and sustainability as a strategic pair for deeper cooperation in the Adriatic-Ionian area. ‘As Councillor for Culture and Secretary of the FAIC,’ she said, ’I intend to focus my efforts on the pursuit of objectives related to the theme of culture that unites us. The heritage we share can become the foundation for a unified cultural narrative also through integrated cultural itineraries, as a basis for tourism synergies oriented towards sustainability’.

Among the priorities illustrated: the promotion of common cultural routes, travelling exhibitions, educational activities and the active involvement of schools and universities, to strengthen the participative and intergenerational dimension of cooperation.

In support of this vision, the new Secretary General recalled the potential offered by the main European programmes, such as Interreg, Creative Europe and Erasmus+, as well as by the EUSAIR strategic framework, which she described as ‘a natural platform for the joint development of these actions’.

The appointment of Marta Paraventi represents a new impetus for the FAIC, with the ambition to strengthen the role of culture as a tool for cohesion and sustainable development for the cities of the Adriatic-Ionian area.