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Working Group on Restorative Cities

Mission & Members

Objectives

The aim of the Working Group on Restorative Cities is to bring together different local experiences which have the intention of creating a cultural change with citizens who are empowered in their conflict resolution skills and decision making. Restorative Cities aim at disseminating restorative values (inclusion, participation, respect, responsibility, solidarity, truth seeking, etc.) in different settings where conflict may occur, such as families, schools, neighbourhoods, sport organisations, work places, intercultural communities, etc. The final goal is to strengthen relationships, encourage active citizenship and look at conflict as an opportunity for change, rather than a threat.

Working Group on Restorative Cities

Chair (Nov 2021 - June 2022): Cristina Vasilescu - Lecco  Cittá Riparativa
Chair (2020- June 2021): Gian Luigi Lepri – Tempio Pausania Cittá Riparativa
Chair (2019): Grazia Mannozzi, CESGREM – Como Cittá Riparativa

Members:

  • Ivo Aertsen  (KU Leuven) – Leuven Restorative City (Flanders, Belgium)
  • Bruna Dighera (Il Gabbiano) - Lecco Cittá Riparativa (Lombardy, Italy)
  • Gian Luigi Lepri (PsicoIus) – Tempio Pausania Cittá Riparativa (Sardinia, Italy)
  • Marian Liebmann – Bristol Restorative City (England, UK)
  • Chris Straker (strakerRPsolutions) – Consultant/ Trainer (UK)
  • Anna Matczak - Wroclaw Restorative City (Poland)
  • Cristina Vasilescu (Istituto per la ricerca sociale) - Researcher/ Policy Adviser for Como & Lecco (Lombardy, Italy)
  • Merita Xhediku (Albanian Foundation for Conflict Resolution) - Tirana Restorative City (Albania)

Secretariat representative: Emanuela Biffi, EFRJ projects & events officer
Board representative: Patrizia Patrizi, Sassari University (Italy)
For more information please contact the EFRJ Secretariat and/or the Chair of the Working Group. 

Click here to know more about the Restorative City Working Group (local projects and members - published in 2019).

An article was published on the first issue of the EFRJ Newsletter 2019 (March issue). The WG also contributed to a series of articles published in The International Journal of Restorative Justice (Issue 2, 2019).

Restorative Cities Working Group photo, 2019

Brief history of this Working Group

The European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) has been included in the development of different Restorative City projects since June 2018, when a group of practitioners and researchers gathered together in a workshop session which took place during our 10th international conference in Tirana. From that moment on, there has been a clear need to bring together all these local Restorative City initiatives and create a safe space for connecting, reflecting, and dreaming. In the beginning of 2019, the EFRJ co-organised the seminar “Building Restorative Cities” (Como, 10-12 January 2019) and formally established the Working Group on Restorative Cities, composed by EFRJ members involved in the Restorative Cities of Bristol, Como, Leuven, Mentana, Palermo and Tempio Pausania. Representatives of other Restorative Cities also cooperate with this Working Group on a regular basis (e.g. Brighton, Utrecht, Leeds). A short film was produced after this first meeting.

Photo credits (banner): "little kiss" by Thomas8047 on Flickr.com.