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Ismail Hossain Shapon, Venice, Italy: A discussion meeting has called for preserving Giudecca, an island in Venice, as a liveable residential community rather than allowing it to become solely a tourist destination.
The meeting was held on Monday afternoon at the Archivio Fondazione Luigi Nono in Venice on the initiative of Serena Nono. Local residents, leaders of various organisations, municipal officials and city council representatives attended the discussion on Giudecca’s current challenges and future development.
Participants said Giudecca remains more family-oriented and closely connected to the lives of local residents than many other parts of Venice. However, the growing pressure of tourism and the expansion of tourism-related businesses are gradually changing the island’s character.
The housing crisis emerged as the main concern at the meeting. Speakers said many people who come to Venice for work, particularly employees of Fincantieri and local restaurants, struggle to find accommodation. The growing tendency among property owners to rent out homes to tourists at higher rates was identified as one of the key reasons behind the problem.
Municipal councillor Alberto Deste highlighted the island’s declining population and the departure of young people in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
He said the benefits of any new development project for local residents must be assessed before it is approved. Projects designed primarily to expand commercial activities or tourism could undermine Giudecca’s distinctive character and social fabric, he warned.
Ritu Mia, an architect, candidate for the municipal council and founder of RIC Academy, an institute for Italian language and civic education, said the shortage of housing and essential public services was making life increasingly difficult for residents.
She expressed concern that vital services, including healthcare, daycare and nursery facilities, were gradually becoming less accessible, posing a threat to the island’s future as a residential community.
Mia urged the administration, businesses and relevant authorities to discharge their responsibilities more seriously and impartially. She stressed the need to prioritise housing and public services to ensure a better quality of life for local residents.
Municipal councillor Enrico Vianello said his municipality had opposed an urban development project called “Scalera” over concerns that it could eventually become tourism-oriented despite being presented as a social housing initiative.
He also highlighted the importance of ensuring that large-scale urban development projects allocate 20 to 30 per cent of their housing to social accommodation.
Participants said Giudecca’s greatest strength lay in its residents, local organisations and the close relationships among people in the community. They stressed that the needs and opinions of local residents must be given priority in any future development plan for the island.
They said Giudecca could preserve its distinctive social and cultural identity only if tourism and development were balanced with adequate housing, healthcare, childcare and other essential public services.