On Sunday, 2 November, at the “G. Busca” Social Theatre in Alba, the panel “UNESCO: a territory that speaks to the world through its heritage” took place. The event focused on the role of creativity as a driver for the sustainable development of UNESCO territories.

Coordinated by BIA and included within the “Sostenibilità Incrociate” (Crossed Sustainabilities) format of the International Alba White Truffle Fair, the initiative aimed to strengthen collaboration among cities belonging to the UCCN – UNESCO Creative Cities Network, fostering exchange among different creative clusters through dialogue, cross-pollination and shared cultural planning.

The panel was part of the project “Vuelta delle Città Creative UNESCO”, for which BIA developed the concept and drafted the project proposal, selected as the winner of the “Bando Primavera” grant promoted by Fondazione CRC in Cuneo.

Through an encounter between gastronomy, design, crafts and cinema, the discussion explored contemporary forms of cultural and creative production, and their contribution to territorial regeneration, the enhancement of local identities and the engagement of younger generations.

Within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, the event brought together several Italian and Spanish Creative Cities involved in the passage of the Vuelta a España, the third most important international cycling race after the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, which in 2025 began its route in Piedmont. Participating cities included Alba, Turin and Biella for Italy, alongside the Spanish cities of Burgos and Valladolid.

The panel, moderated by gastronomic storyteller Paolo Vizzari, hosted:

– Stefano Mosca, Director of the International Alba White Truffle Fair

– Isabella Potì, Chef at Ristorante BROS (1 Michelin Star)

– Caterina Pasini, Deputy Mayor of Alba (Gastronomy)

– Michela Favaro, Deputy Mayor of Turin (Design)

– Sara Gentile, Deputy Mayor of Biella (Crafts and Folk Art)

– Raquel Puente Robles, Head of Tourism Promotion for Burgos (Gastronomy)

– With a video contribution from Valladolid (Cinema)

The meeting offered an important opportunity to reflect on the value of dialogue between culture, creativity and sustainability, key elements for strengthening connections among cultural actors, institutions and creative businesses, and for supporting the development of shared projects within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.