At the 11th European Congress of Local Governments (“Local Government in Times of Uncertainty – Local Responses to Global Challenges”), VSF Director General Alessandro Costa spoke in Mikołajki, Poland, as part of the official program.
The Congress, of which the Foundation serves as an institutional partner, brings together local administrators and international stakeholders to foster dialogue on public policies, cooperation, and best practices supporting sustainable community development.
VSF’s contribution took place during the session “Climate for Eco-cities, Eco-cities for Climate,” which focused on the role of urban strategic planning on the path toward climate neutrality. Moderated by environmental analyst Katarína Hazuchová, the panel included Nicolae Arnaut, Director of the National Office for the Implementation of Environmental Projects (Moldova); Mónika Besenyei, Director of the Climate Policy Institute (Hungary); Łukasz Rodek, CEO of RDLS (Poland); and Tomasz Balcerowski, President of EKOINBUD (Poland).
During the panel, Costa presented the Foundation's mission and emphasized a point central to Venice's future: the city's sustainability is inextricably linked to its physical preservation. Within this framework, the operation of the MOSE system (since 2020) has significantly strengthened protection against high-water events, safeguarding cultural heritage and ensuring the continuity of socio-economic activities.
With approximately 120 activations since becoming operational, the infrastructure has mitigated the impact of extreme flooding events, providing greater safety and stability for both the urban and lagoon environments. According to Costa, this foundation now serves as an enabling factor to accelerate the design and adoption of new sustainable solutions in response to urban and regional challenges.
