About Cittaslow
Cittaslow (pronounced ‘cheetah slow’) is now a worldwide membership organisation of more than 260 towns and cities across 30 countries. To enhance their quality of life, they have adopted a common set of goals and principles.
These locations aim to be places where people enjoy living, working and visiting, while promoting and supporting good environmental practices and projects. This, in turn, helps local people and businesses to value the unique traditions, strengths and character of their town or city.
Why join Cittaslow?
Towns don’t join Cittaslow just because it feels good. Cittaslow membership brings tangible and measurable benefits…
Quality of life
A clear set of principles helps to enhance the quality of life in the town, which benefits everyone in the community.
Independent endorsement
Achieving the standards required by Cittaslow is a credible and independent quality endorsement of a town. It recognises everyone involved in local initiatives and provides impetus for new developments. Being a member of Cittaslow is for the whole town.
Differentiation
Membership differentiates your town from others, giving it a competitive advantage for inward investment, tourism and national and world recognition.
Funding
Cittaslow membership can be used to support and add weight to funding applications from external bodies. Cittaslow International is also active in securing funding and recognition for key projects.
Empowerment
By involving the whole community, including local businesses, Cittaslow empowers towns to take the lead in determining their own futures, and commits town councils and their partners to work towards a sustainable future building on the positive work already carried out in the town.
Promotional advantages
The branding is an effective promotional tool that can be used by organisations and local businesses to enhance and add value to their activities. It opens new markets for businesses through local, national and international networks. Leveraging Cittaslow websites and social media enables towns to reach worldwide audiences.
Exchange of knowledge and expertise
Cittaslow towns meet regularly at national and international level to exchange ideas and experience. This offers opportunities to learn from each other and to develop joint projects and understanding.
Academic and scientific research
The Cittaslow International Scientific Committee includes academics from across the world. Their research into what makes Cittaslow towns successful – and whether these can be replicated in other areas – helps to inform the direction of Cittaslow International.
Newcastle University, in partnership with Cittaslow UK, was successful in securing an Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Collaborative Doctoral Award to fund a PhD student’s research into aspects of Cittaslow towns in the UK.
Influencing policy makers
The experiences of Cittaslow towns enable Cittaslow International to take part in and inform various government initiatives. For instance, Cittaslow UK was involved with the Council of Europe draft ‘European Charter on shared social responsibilities’, and with MEPs in Brussels looking at the next round of EU funding, particularly how it could best support local producers.
Examples at a national level include a sustainable development training programme for town councilors, created by Sustain Wales (Cynnal Cymru). As part of the programme, they cited how Cittaslow membership can help towns successfully take forward their environmental projects
Cittaslow towns are often chosen as pilots for regional schemes, because they are pro-active and have the right partnerships and philosophy in place to deliver new initiatives. A good example is Aylsham becoming a plastic bag free town.
"We are looking for towns brought to life by people who make time to enjoy a quality of life. Towns blessed with quality public spaces, theatres, shops, cafes, inns, historic buildings and unspoiled landscapes. Towns where traditional craft skills are in daily use, and where the slow, beneficial succession of the seasons is reflected in the availability of local produce in season. Where healthy eating, healthy living and enjoying life are central to the community."
“The recurrent theme of Cittaslow is identity: the soul of the local communities engaging with modernity without being unduly influenced by globalisation… Our responsibility towards the natural world and the coming generations requires us to be frugal and concerned for Mother Earth. Rediscovering Slowness means choosing a future of quality, for ourselves and, in the spirit of solidarity, for others. Working towards sustainability, defending the environment and reducing our excessive ecological footprint mean committing ourselves to rediscover traditional know-how and to make the most of our resources through recycling and reuse, applying the new technologies. The final objective is lasting development (not synonymous with growth) and peace between peoples.”
Cittaslow philosophy and principles
Each Cittaslow town agrees to adopt the following principles fostering economic, social and environmental sustainability:
- Encourage and celebrate diversity rather than standardisation
- Support and promote local culture and local traditions
- Work for a more sustainable environment
- Raise awareness and appreciation of local produce and local businesses
- Promote healthy eating and healthy living
- Promote justice and social inclusion
- Work with the local community to build on these principles
Cittaslow is a forward thinking movement that aims to use high-tech, sustainable solutions in communications, transport, hospitality, consumption, commerce and administration to improve peoples’ lives.
Cittaslow’s international headquarters are based in Orvieto, in Umbria, Italy, which was one of the four founding towns of the movement. Cittaslow is a not for profit organisation. The international HQ has a small, full-time secretariat led by the Direttore, Pier Giorgio Oliveti, which takes care of the operational side of the association’s activities, both nationally and within the international network.
The movement is made up of a number of national networks. Once a country has three Cittaslow member towns, Cittaslow International invites these towns to form a new national network and to work together to promote Cittaslow and recruit new members in their country.
Cittaslow International has a president and a number of vice-presidents from national networks who are elected for a three-year term in office at the Cittaslow International Assembly, to which all member towns are invited to send delegates. The current president is Stefano Pisani, of Pollica in Italy.
The president chairs meetings of the International Co-ordination Committee on which all national networks are represented. The International Co-ordination Committee is a decision making body, which agrees priorities for the network, reviews membership criteria and monitors the progress of international projects.
National networks are also represented on a number of international committees that consider key aspects of the movement such as accreditation, marketing and strengthening links between member towns.
The organisational structure of the Cittaslow association also includes a scientific committee, whose function is to define the guidelines of the movement and act as a control body.
International President
- Stefano Pisani – Pollica (IT)
Deputy President
- Arnoud Rodenburg – Midden-Delfland (NL)
Vice-Presidents
There are 12 vice-presidents from a number of countries elected by member towns once every three years.
Members of the International Co–ordinating Committee
There are currently 16 members of the International Co-ordinating Committee; Austin Chemonais from Llangollen is the UK representative.
Cittaslow Ambassadors
Cittaslow Ambassadors are often people who have held office in the International Committee. There are 11 Ambassadors and Andrea Mearns from Mold (UK) is one.
Cittaslow International Headquarters are at: Palazzo dei Sette, Corso Cavour 87 – 05018 – Orvieto (Italy)
Telephone / Fax: 0039 (0)763 341 818
Email: info@cittaslow.net
Network
The movement is made up of a number of national networks. Once a country has three Cittaslow member towns, Cittaslow International invites these towns to form a new national network and to work together to promote its values and recruit new members in their country. Presently there are 20 national networks, including the UK.
The Cittaslow International Co–ordination Committee is a decision–making body, which agrees priorities for the network, reviews membership criteria and monitors the progress of international projects. All national networks are represented on the International Co–ordination Committee.
Austin Chemonais from Llangollen is the UK representative.
National networks are also represented on a number of international committees that consider key aspects of the movement such as accreditation, marketing and strengthening links between member towns.