What we do Research and Development

Research and Development

The research activities of the UNESCO Chair in Human Development and Culture of Peace are embedded within its mission to foster the production and dissemination of knowledge in support of sustainable human development, strengthening the links between research, education, public policies and society.

Through participatory, collaborative and transdisciplinary approaches, the Chair promotes and/or contributes to empirical research, action research and international cooperation projects aimed at understanding and addressing contemporary social, cultural, educational and territorial challenges. Research activities contribute to the development of innovative governance models, the enhancement of sustainability-related competences, and the promotion of inclusive and people-centred processes across diverse local and international contexts.

The Chair’s research activities are carried out within the framework of national and international programmes and projects, often developed in collaboration with academic institutions, public bodies and civil society organisations. Recent experiences include:

 

• React Casentino (Regenerating Cultural Landscapes of Inner Areas through a People-Centred Approach)
  (https://www.react-casentino.unifi.it/). A National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) project focused on enhancing the cultural, heritage and human resources of Italy’s inner areas, with a case study in Casentino (Arezzo). The project promoted participatory processes and shared strategies for sustainable local development, strengthening the role of communities in shaping the future of their territories. Three research outputs (https://www.react-casentino.unifi.it/vp-12-pubblicazioni-scientifiche.html) and a Zenodo Community (https://zenodo.org/communities/reactcasentino/records?q=&l=list&p=1&s=10&sort=newest) support the dissemination of the project results.
• CHANGES (Cultural Heritage, Active Innovation for Next Generation Sustainable Society)
  (https://www.fondazionechanges.org/pnrr/). An PNRR project aimed at exploring the contribution of cultural heritage to the development of more sustainable, inclusive and resilient societies. Research activities have investigated participatory heritage governance models, the involvement of local communities, and the development of professional competences aimed at promoting individual and collective well-being through cultural resources. Research outputs and a Zenodo Community (https://zenodo.org/communities/project-changes/records?q=&l=list&p=1&s=10&sort=newest) enable the dissemination of project results.
• Age-It (Ageing Well in an Ageing Society) (https://ageit.eu/wp/). An PNRR project addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with population ageing. Within the project framework, research has explored forms of active and informed participation among people aged 55 and over in the management, enhancement and safeguarding of local tangible and intangible heritage, contributing to broader processes of individual and community well-being.
• CoSISCo (Sustainability Competences, Social Engagement and Competitiveness). A project funded through a call by the Tuscany Region (Regional ESF+ Programme 2021–2027 – Green Transition, funding opportunities for advanced training projects with research grants), aimed at defining a sustainability competence framework for managerial and leadership roles operating in the Third Sector and social economy organisations. The project contributed to the development of training tools and models designed to support organisational processes focused on sustainability and social transformation. The project has generated several research outputs currently undergoing formalisation.