On February 17, 2025, the third Listening Marathon was held at the Arciconfraternita dei Pellegrini, confirming the Administration’s commitment to participatory democracy in the drafting of the new UNESCO Management Plan for the Historic Center of Naples.
The meeting, which followed previous events in July and November 2024, focused on two key areas: Intangible and Cultural Heritage, and Education and Social Policies, both crucial issues for the sustainable future of the UNESCO site.

The proceedings, which opened with a plenary session dedicated to presenting the results of the previous marathons and chaired by Maria Grazia Falciatore, Chief of Staff and UNESCO Site Manager, Laura Lieto, Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Urban Planning, and Vincenzo Santagada, Councilor for Green Spaces and Health. Numerous local associations and active citizens participated, confirming the growing interest of the local community in the ‘Napoli Ascolta’ participatory process.

During the first thematic round table, dedicated to Intangible and Cultural Heritage, participants explored strategies for promoting Neapolitan cultural traditions, with a particular focus on preserving local craftsmanship and arts. Concrete proposals emerged for the revitalization of historic workshops and the creation of training courses dedicated to the transmission of traditional crafts.

The second round table, focused on Education and Social Policies, addressed the challenges of the third sector and social inclusion in the historic center. The discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening formal and informal educational networks, with a specific focus on involving young people and supporting the most vulnerable segments of the population.

New to this edition was the introduction of Open Mic, a space for free discussion that allowed for additional contributions on cross-cutting issues, ensuring that no perspective went unheard. This format enriched the debate with valuable insights on the integrated management of the tangible and intangible heritage of the historic center.

As in previous editions, the methodology included real-time visualization tools and live painting, facilitating the synthesis of the debate and the graphic translation of the visions that emerged during the meeting. The results of the third marathon will now be analyzed by the Technical-Scientific Committee for integration into the new UNESCO Management Plan.

The ‘Napoli Ascolta’ initiative will continue in the coming months with further events, confirming the Administration’s commitment to increasingly participatory governance of the UNESCO site. The goal remains the presentation of the new Management Plan, a document which, thanks to the contribution of all those involved, will outline concrete strategies for the protection and sustainable enhancement of the Historic Center of Naples.