Overtourism, heritage protection, balancing historical identity with global pressure: these are problems that Rome and New York are familiar with, each in its own way. So far they have handled them on their own. From May 20, they will try, at least in part, to deal with them together.
On that day, at the Rome Chamber of Commerce, City Hall I will sign a memorandum of understanding with the borough of Manhattan. A three-year agreement, approved by the city council, that aims to build stable channels between the two cities’ cultural institutions: museums, archives, libraries, universities. But also constant dialogue on how to govern urban spaces with very high tourist and cultural density.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect concerns young people. The protocol provides for cultural exchanges for students, with an explicit priority: to favor those who would not have the economic possibility of facing an international experience on their own. The mechanism for financing these activities does not weigh on the City Hall’s coffers: the aim is to involve private partners, keeping the bureaucratic structure as light as possible.
The signing will be by mini-mayor Lorenza Bonaccorsi and Brad Hoylman Sigal, Manhattan borough president. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has sent a video message; Roberto Gualtieri will also speak. The occasion is the“Forum Cultura Roma Centro,” a day-long event dedicated to cultural policies in the area.
The arrangement with Manhattan is thought of as the first step in something broader. The idea is that of a network among major urban centers-Paris, Madrid, London, Athens among the candidates-sharing experiences and management models. Not a formal body, but a space for comparison between administrations facing different versions of the same problems.
It remains to be seen how much of this will translate into practice. Memoranda of understanding are fragile instruments: without dedicated resources and continued political will, they risk remaining on paper. The zero-cost model for public finances has the advantage of sustainability, but it shifts the problem: finding private partners willing to invest in youth cultural exchanges is never a given. May 20 is just the beginning.
