The “Spazio Comune” centre, which has been operating since 2022 at Via Bologna 49/A, serves as a key point of reference for the reception, guidance and integration of refugees, asylum seekers and foreigners. In signing today’s MOU, the participating institutions commit to taking part in institutional coordination forums and the Spazio Comune multidisciplinary team, as well as to developing additional services at the centre on Via Bologna.
The initiative is part of the UNHCR’s “Spazio Comune” programme that is already active in several Italian cities, including Bari, Bologna, Milan, Naples, Rome and Brescia, with the goal of simplifying and improving access to integration pathways through open, coordinated and person-centred multifunctional hubs.
Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo’s involvement in this MOU aligns fully with its strategic vision, which seeks to strengthen local support networks and promote inclusive pathways by engaging all local stakeholders: institutions, charities and citizens alike.
The “Spazio Comune” is not designed as a rigid or one-size-fits-all model, but rather as a holistic approach that brings together a range of services under one roof, fostering collaboration between public institutions and civil society. In keeping with the “whole-of-society approach” promoted by the United Nations Global Compact on Refugees, the project emphasises shared governance and tailored pathways for reception and integration.
This person-centred vision, rooted in coordinated expertise, is what drives the FCPS’s commitment, promoting access to rights and active participation as essential steps toward building more cohesive and resilient communities.