MED EMPORION
The project's aim is to valorize local markets as strengths for urban development. The idea of the project is to valorize the links between towns and markets and is based on the assumption that markets play a central role within the towns and territories from an economic, cultural, social and touristic approach, as well as in the spatial planning because they create activity, trade, tourism, and cohesion. Markets are a natural laboratory of intercultural dialogue. The project proposes the trans national cooperation of different towns in the MED zone that experienced a long tradition of economic, commercial and urban development linked with the existence of local markets. The market is indeed a place for gathering, but also a place for living and meeting of different cultures: markets are filling a spatial function within city centers. This is why the project proposes the implementation of common trans national actions that are: one research about the valorization of markets, and another one about local food production (and its valorization in local markets places); 4 local pilot actions about the urban regeneration of local markets and, the organization of food festivals in the different partnering towns, the implementation of a large integrated communication campaign and the organization of visits and trans national working groups (focus groups).