The roots of the future: URWAN and SVI.MED. at TEDxCatania +25

The future is built together. And it is rooted in the present. 

It is with this in mind that URWAN – Urban Regenerative Water Avant-garde(N) – enthusiastically participated the 17^th of  May in the TEDxCatania +25, the biggest #TEDx event in Sicily, this year dedicated to a very urgent and necessary theme: ‘The roots of the future’.

With over five hundred participants, it was a day full of visions, stories and inspiration, during which the URWAN project played a leading role, sparking curiosity among passers-by and participants alike. The project’s vision for creating more resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities through concrete practices such as participatory co-design and the use of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) was shared during the event.

The NbS Catalogue, developed by IRIDRA as part of the URWAN project, was presented by the team of SVI.MED- Euromediterranean Center for the Sustainable development throughout the event, thanks to the exhibition made real by Marco Terranova Senzastudio and OKU design. Using a creative approach, the NbS catalogue harmonises knowledge and reaches out to all local stakeholders, supporting the co-design of appropriate NbS solutions to address global challenges at a local level. This practical, visual, accessible tool is designed for urban planners and decision makers who want to integrate NbS into urban planning. It helps to build greener, more liveable cities that can tackle climate and social challenges. The distinction between ‘snob’ and ‘smart’ Nature-based Solutions demonstrates that an alternative approach to development and urban regeneration is not only possible, but also practical.

The URWAN exhibition also provided an opportunity to share experiences from the field, including those from Ferla (SR), where SVI.MED. is implementing the project with the direct involvement of the local community. This is being achieved through the Start Park methodology, in collaboration with the technological support of the virtual urban twin developed with the Kassanda project. This integrated platform and decision support system uses generative artificial intelligence to improve decision-making on climate change.

Throughout the TED talks, the concept of ‘roots’ emerged as a central theme. The message that the future cannot be improvised was strongly conveyed. We need to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with what binds us to the land, to people, and to places. In essence, we need to take root.

It is from these roots—natural, cultural, and community—that projects like URWAN look towards the next 25 years. In a Mediterranean region undergoing profound transitions, there is a need to build bridges between the environment and society, between local and global perspectives, and between knowledge and action.

The outcomes of projects developed by SVI.MED in recent years, such as the green wall of NAWAMED (ENI CBC MED), form the basis of URWAN and are also monitored through the CARDIMED project (Horizon 2020). These projects serve as daily reminders that the foundations of the future are nourished by shared ideas and concrete actions.

Click here to download the URWAN NbS Catalogue