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URBANISTICA INFORMAZIONI - special issue176 |
top-down planning. However in the field of
disaster management, the dominant appro-
ach remains a top-down one since decision
makers (politicians and professionals) are of-
ten reluctant to hand over power to people,
especially in a time of crisis when they are
the subject of monitoring by the media (2).
Different models following Aronstein’s lad-
der of citizen participation place communi-
ty participation in a spectrum varying from
simply ‘informing’ through consultation, in-
volvement and collaboration, to a fully ‘em-
powering’ form of participation wherein the
final decision making is in the hands of the
community (3). However, according to Love
and Vallance, while most scholarly works on
participation are grounded in orthodox ‘pea-
cetime’ models, the post-disaster situation is
somewhat different (4). The complexity ari-
ses because “normal state processes of enga-
gement may be suspended (formally under
a state of national emergency, or informally
due to dysfunction); the platform on which
elected officials gained their mandate may
have become utterly irrelevant; or the new
context may generate issues about which the
state is largely oblivious.” (4). In addition, di-
sasters will affect a given community’s capa-
city to participate rather differently from the
normal state of participation. Although the
idea of community participation is extensi-
vely discussed in theory, it is not thoroughly
practiced in post-disaster recovery (5). The
literature that addresses participation in di-
saster-affected communities highlights the
advantages of community engagement in
all four stages of disaster management. The
advantages include better analysis and pro-
gramming, increase in trust and accounta-
bility, faster implementation and lower go-
vernment’s expenditures. Additionally, such
participation enables the affected people to
take lead in their own recovery and build
a community, which is resilient and self-
sufficient. Community-led recovery should
empower communities to move forward and
contribute to general resiliency. Successful
recovery, according to the literature, should
be defined as:
• Context specific, in which any approach
should be sensitive to the local context;
• Inclusive in a way to address all affected
communities;
• Based on community knowledge and
potential;
is adopted to highlight the role of local com-
munities in recovery. This paper considers
the experience of the Philippines in recovery
and after Typhoon Haiyan in order to bring
into attention opportunities and challenges
associated with community engagement
in the global south. In addition, the case of
the Philippines reveals that a disaster cre-
ates an opportunity for local communities
to become more resilient, especially in a
disaster-prone context where poverty and
informality are themselves indicators of
vulnerability. A key strength of the recovery
and reconstruction projects and program-
mes in the Philippines, namely in cities such
as Tacloban, Guian, Roxas, and others, was
that the communities were able to enhance
their recovery and reconstruction capacities
should they ever be hit by another disaster.
This paper argues that community involve-
ment in post-disaster processes strengthens
relationships and builds trust in local go-
vernment, as well as produces better-fitted
plans for the future development of the city.
Community-led recovery: from theory
to practice
There is a strong agreement within the exi-
sting literature on the subject that commu-
nity engagement in disaster management
is critical and beneficiary for both commu-
nity and the state. While a bulk of disaster-
related literature focuses on the disaster
preparedness and response stages, there is
less empirical work concerning the role of
communities during the recovery and recon-
struction stage. Literatures on disaster reco-
very follow two main trends from decision
making to implementation. The first trend
is a top-down model in which government
officials directly intervene in all stages of
disaster management from mitigation to
recovery. This trend considers the affected
communities as vulnerable and unable to
cope with managing their own affairs. The
second trend focuses on a bottom-up model
in which community participation is consi-
dered crucial from preparedness to recovery.
This trend views the affected community
less in terms of their vulnerability and more
in terms of their potential contribution to re-
siliency(1).
Since the early 1980s, the participatory ap-
proach has been the staple of many scho-
larly works as an alternative to state directed
Role of Communities in
Post-disaster Recovery:
Learning from the
Philippines
Ilija Gubic, Hossein Maroufi
Abstract
Thecritical role of communities in post-disa-
ster recovery and reconstruction processes
is a staple of the existing literature on the
subject; yet, there remains an ongoing de-
bate on what the best practices may be for
involving the community in post-disaster
processes. This paper introduces into the
discussion lessons learned from experiences
on community participation in recovery and
reconstruction projects and programmes
in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan in
2013. Typhoon Haiyan affected a total of 14
million people, destroyed 1.1 million homes
and resulted in the displacement of 4 million
people. The experience of these communi-
ties highlights the positive effects of commu-
nity involvement in post-disaster processes
towards long-term social and economic re-
siliency in the area. Of particular note were
the reduction of recovery and reconstruction
time as well as costs incurred on the state,
and other partners.This paper suggests that
Governments should embrace communities
as equal partners in the post-disaster recove-
ry, and that partnerships are crucial for suc-
cessful planning and recovery. This paper
suggests a set of guidelines for community
participation in post-disaster processes that
are in line with recently adopted United Na-
tions development agendas, including the
New Urban Agenda.
Keywords
Community Engagement, Post-Disaster, Reco-
very, Typhoon, Haiyan, Philippines, United Na-
tions
Introduction
Community engagement in post-disaster
recovery is a key principle in developing a
resilient community. Existing literature hi-
ghlights both the advantages and difficulties
associated with involving communities in
post-disaster recovery. Too often literature
on disaster recovery focuses on the expe-
riences of developed countries of the global
north where the ‘citizen participation’ model
special issue - URBANISTICA INFORMAZIONI | 177
the military, and all Government levels, and
is structured in a way that one in four mini-
sters are responsible for coordination of one
aspect of the disaster management cycle.
After the Typhoon Haiyan, some of the Go-
vernment’s highest ranked officials were
sent to the field to oversee relief operations.
At the same time, a task force was being
formed that began drafting an action plan
for all stages of the post-disaster process. At
first, there was no designated leader over-
seeing the process for a full 24 days after
the disaster. As a response started, some of
the community leaders stated that delays
in aid to their communities were due to the
municipal government favoring those with
closer ties to the government (11). The ap-
pointment of Senator Panfilo Lacson on 2
December, to oversee the recovery and reha-
bilitation efforts, was viewed by some as a
positive development.
Although there was an effort to do joint and
coordinated damage assessments, many sta-
keholders in the post disaster processes were
doing assessments for their own purposes
and donor liaison. As an example, in Iloilo,
maps were drawn by hand by several ba-
rangays (communities) across the province
detailing each home in the community, the
extent of the damage, and other landmarks
in the area. Their supporting visuals and
first-hand accounts have been instrumental
in United Nations damage assessment (12).
Later assessments were presented to the Go-
vernment Officials, Shelter Cluster members
and other stakeholders to inform them on
specific needs of the communities.
Post-crisis governance
The Philippines Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Act of 2010 established the Na-
tional Disaster Risk Reduction and Manage-
ment Council (NDRRMC) with civil society
and private sector participation. NDRRMC
limited, communities have to rely on their
own knowledge and coping mechanisms
to mitigate against disasters, as they have
done for generations.” (9) Therefore while
developed countries rely heavily on state
for recovering from disasters, the fragile and
developing countries rely on formal and in-
formal community groups as well as donors
and NGOs for recovery. Apart from techni-
cal and financial issues, the governments in
many poor countries face another challenge
which is related to legal ownership of land
as many affected communities live in infor-
mal settlements where they reside and work
at the same time. In such societies, recovery
plans follow different pathways and diffe-
rent methods of community engagement are
pursued.
Typhoon Haiyan, impact and damage
assessment
As Typhoon Haiyan approached the Philip-
pines Area of Responsibility (PAR), autho-
rities and aid agencies on the ground took
immediate action by evacuating approxima-
tely 800,000 people and deploying disaster
response personnel and equipment (10).
Typhoon Haiyan arrived in the PAR on 7th
November and lasted for 4 days, from 6 to 9
November 2013. The typhoon flattened the
Eastern Visayas region crossing the region
by a speed of 40.7kph (22 knots) (10).
Typhoon Haiyan affected more than 14 mil-
lion people in 10,701 Barangays, in provinces
previously categorized as the poorest in the
country, constituting 14 per cent of the to-
tal population of the Philippines. At least 4
million people were displaced, and 130.000
people were sheltered in evacuation centers.
More than 6,300 people lost their lives, and
the destruction to homes and infrastructure
has been immense (Photo 1) (10).
The United Nations (UN) designated its
Haiyan disaster response as an L3 (Level
3) – its highest classification. UN agencies
and other stakeholders faced difficulties in
mobilizing quickly and initially struggled
to overcome logistical challenges, such as
procuring vehicles. With airports, seaports,
roads and bridges rendered unusable, many
aid organizations initially struggled to deli-
ver large amounts of aid quickly.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council of the Philippines is
comprised of representatives from NGOs,
• Flexible and adaptable in policies and
plans; and
• Aimed at reducing future risks and vul-
nerability.
Therefore, good recovery efforts should
move from a state of vulnerability to a state
of resiliency wherein affected communities
contribute to build a society more adaptable
to disturbances.
While the majority of scholarly works hi-
ghlight the importance of community enga-
gement in disaster recovery, few sources deal
with difficulties and challenges associated
with involvement of communities in post-
disaster situations (6). These challenges, ac-
cording to Twigg et al, include complexity of
communities, power relations within com-
munities’ cultures and social relations, com-
munities’ capacity and its resiliency toward
external forces. Drawn from various case stu-
dies, literatures argue the importance of so-
cial capital and the existence of a civil society
as crucial in developing resilient communi-
ties (7). For instance Olshansky, Johnson and
Topping, in their discussion of recovery les-
sons learned in Kobe and Northridge, noted
that citizen engagement is key but ‘to work
most effectively after disasters, community
organizations should already be in place and
have working relationships with the city [of-
ficials]. It is difficult to invent participatory
processes in the intensity of a post-disaster
situation’ (8)
Community-led recovery in developing
countries
Most empirically based research on post-
disaster recovery and reconstruction have
focused on wealthy nations of the so-called
global north with often strong civil society
organizations, and where the idea of citizen
participation is politically and cultural-
ly embedded in society. In these societies,
NGOs and community organizations have
a long tradition of working with communi-
ties in times of hardship and the state is well
prepared, financially and technically, to in-
tervene in post disaster recovery. This is not,
however, the case in many developing, and
least developed countries, that are more pro-
ne to natural disasters, and the state is less
capable of mobilizing resources to pursue an
efficient recovery. According to Twigg et. al.
“In developing countries, where the capaci-
ty of the state to protect its citizens may be
Photo 1 - City of Tacloban, a week after Typhoon Haiyan
© Ilija Gubic
URBANISTICA INFORMAZIONI - special issue178 |
(16). In order to cope with these challenges,
the government is investing in skills train-
ing initiatives, and new work programs to
substitute people’s livelihood. For instance
in cities such as Roxas, hundreds of semi-
skilled carpenters from communities were
trained in resilient housing construction.
Training was conducted by UN-Habitat
with the Governments Housing and Urban
Development Coordination Council
(HUDCC), and the Social Housing Finance
Corporation (SHFC). Trained community
members worked on building safe homes
in their communities, and later supportted
neighboring settlements, becoming
financially stable. Communities were also
trained on house assessment in accordance
with theprinciples of disaster risk reduction.
Post-disaster processes also brought on board
newly formed organizations, such as the
community-led the Philippines Movement
for Climate Justice (PMCJ). PMCJ believed
that the state plan was very expert-driven,
and so they engaged with typhoon survivors
through a series of grassroots consultations
to define what rehabilitation means to the
survivors themselves, and to bring their
voices to the attention of policy makers (17).
Conclusion
This paper documents a case of post disaster
recovery and reconstruction in one of the
economically poorest regions of the world,
wherein the community was heavily invol-
ved. This occurred in conjunction with the
efforts of one of the UN’s lead agencies on
urban issues, UN-Habitat, which supported
the joint work of the communities and their
local governments and other stakeholders,
with the backing of UN-Habitat’s traditio-
nal donors. These efforts produced a series
of urban planning workshops and prepared
recovery and rehabilitation plans following
Typhoon Haiyan. This paper argues that
community involvement in disaster plan-
ning strengthens relationships, builds trust
in local government, and produces better-
fitted plans. In addition, community enga-
gement in recovery and reconstruction is
very context-specific, in which the methods
of participation and a given community’s
expectations are different. In the case of Ta-
cloban, Guivan, Ormoc, Roxas and other ci-
ties in the Philippines, informality and eco-
nomic hardships were contributing to the
signed a plan which was presented to more
than 2000 stakeholders in Tacloban only
(13). In Tacloban, the plan called for more
than 2200 temporary shelters for survivors
that still lived in tents and evacuation cen-
ters. Around 40,000 housing units required
repair and reconstruction, in addition to
4,800 temporary shelters for those living in
makeshift houses. The medium-term plan
called for industrial development, tourism,
and economic infrastructure development.
After the presentation of the proposed re-
covery and rehabilitation plan, the floor was
opened up to members of the public who
had the opportunity to express their ques-
tions and concerns. When the rehabilitation
plans were finalized, they were submitted to
OPARR for approval and were included in
the national government’s Comprehensive
Recovery and Rehabilitation Plan (CRRP).
Plans were also used for updating the city’s
Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) (14).
As UN-Habitat was requested by the
national and local Governments to further
support planning, UN-Habitat supported
establishing the Recovery and Sustainable
Development Groups to lead the planning
process which included members of affected
communities. Ties were further established
through community members over social
media, providing a platform for concerns of
suggestions, and to facilitate a continuing
dialogue with the public on recovery and re-
construction efforts (15).
Reconstruction and the role of the communities
Developed plans required relocation of the
city’s population away from coastal areas
to sites inland. While communities did
participate in developing urban planning and
housing for new city extensions, 4 years after
the typhoon, relocation is still happening
slowly,as the majority of residents living in
the prohibited zones close to the water had
rebuilt their homes where they used to live-
before Typhoon Haiyan. Communities are
concerned with the social impact of moving
to a new site. A study conducted by King ar-
gues that the relocation site is too far from
people’s livelihoods, as most of them are fish-
erman (16). Therefore, the fear of losing their
livelihood is the primary concern of people
relocating themselves to safe sites. Other fac-
tors that make the relocation difficult are
the proximity of the new site to the school,
and the emotional ties to the previous site
was mandated to prepare the National Disa-
ster Risk Reduction and Management Plan
that identified the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) as the lead
agency in decision-making. Due to the deva-
stating impact of Typhoon Haiyan, the Pre-
sident of the Philippines created an agency
to work only on rehabilitation and recovery,
despite the fact that NEDA already had that
mandate. The Presidential Assistant for Re-
habilitation and Recovery (OPARR) is set to
unify the efforts of all actors involved in the
rehabilitation and recovery process for two
years. When the National Government took
the lead in the coordination of post disaster
processes, the agency established, in this
case OPARR, was organized in clusters. Whi-
le NEDAs mandated work concerns rehabili-
tation and recovery following four conven-
tional disaster cycle themes, OPARR work
concerns sectors. The national government
requested that each Local Government Unit
(LGU) develop a recovery and rehabilitation
plan (RRP) following Typhoon Haiyan and
submit it to OPARR. This provided the ba-
sis for the Government to allocate funds to
national and local agencies so that they can
take action on the ground.
Interventions: Planning, and the role of communi-
ties
The United Nations Human Settlements
Programme (UN-Habitat), LGUs and key
stakeholders worked on rapidly developing
Recovery and Rehabilitation Plans for most
of the affected cities within the first six
months after the typhoon. It was done by
establishing forums to coordinate recovery
planning activities.
More than 4 months after the disaster, the
Mayor of Tacloban, and other affected cities
presented their Recovery and Rehabilitation
Plans to the general public in their respec-
tive cities (Photo 2). The plan was a product
of several planning workshops and consulta-
tion meetings chaired by city officials, and
co-chaired by UN-Habitat. After months of
meetings and consultations, stakeholders de-
Photo 2 - City Mayor of Tacloban, presenting the Taclo-
ban Recovery and Rehabilitation Plan to the general pu-
blic © Ilija Gubic
special issue - URBANISTICA INFORMAZIONI | 179
References
• Aldrich, D. P. (2012) Building Resiliencs:
Social Capital in Post-Disaster Recovery,
University of Chicago Press, Chicago
• Branigan, Tania and Kate Hodal; 15
November 2013 “Typhoon Haiyan:
frustration at slow pace of recovery
effort”, The Guardian, available online:
• https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/
nov/14/typhoon-haiyan-relief-effort-stalls-
philippines(accessed online October 15, 2017)
• Chugtai, S.(2013)Typhoon Haiyan: The Response
so far and Vital Lessons for the Philippines
Recovery, Oxfam Briefing Note, London
• Cutter, et al. (2008) “A place-based
model for understanding community
resilience to natural disasters” , Global
Environmental Change, Vol. 18, pp. 598-606
• Davidson, C. H. et al (2006) “Truths and
Myths about Community Participation
in Post-Disaster Housing Projects”,
Habitat, Vol. 31, n. 1, pp. 100-115
• King. Z. T. (2017) Between the Sea and the
State: Post-Yolanda Disaster Governance
Through the Words of Typhoon Survivors,
University of California, Santa Barbara
• Maynard, Victoria; Parker, Elizabeth;
Yosef-Paulus, Rahayu; and Garcia,
David(2017) “Urban planning following
humanitarian crises: supporting urban
communities and local governments
to take the lead”, International Institute
for Environment and Development (IIED),
available online: http://journals.sagepub.
com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0956247817732727,
(accessed online: October 15, 2017)
• Mitchell, J.(1997) The Listening Legacy:
Challenges for Participatory Approaches,
Scobie J ed., Mitigating the Millennium,
Proceedings of a seminar on community
participation and impact measurement
in disaster preparedness and mitigation
programmes, Intermediate Technology, Rugby
• November 2013, “Final Report: Effects
of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan)” National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council, Republic of the Philippines, Manila
• Noy, I. (2013) “Social Capital in Post-
Disaster Recovery: Concepts and
Measurement” Risk, Hazards & Crisis in
Public Policy, Vol. 4, n. 1, pp. 11-17.
• Olshansky, R., Johnson, L., Topping, K.
(2006)“Rebuilding communities following
disaster: Lessons from Kobe and Los Angeles”,
Built Environment, Vol. 32, n. 4, pp. 354-375.
• Paragas, G., Rodil, A., and Pelingon, L., (2016)
Tacloban after Haiyan: Working together
towards recovery, International Institute for
Environment and Development (IIED), London
• Philippine Movement for Climate Justice
(2014) The People’s Platform: After Haiyan,
The struggle for long-term relief, rehabilitation,
and people centered development, Philippine
Movement for Climate Justice, Manila
• Twigg, J. et al(2001) Guidance Notes on
Participation and Accountability, Benfield
Hazard Research Centre, London
For difference in definition of vulnerability
and resilience see Cutter et. Al 2008.
2. See Twigg, J. et al. 2001
3. See IPA2 2004
4. See Vallance, S. & R. Love. 2013
5. See Davidson, C. H. et al. 2006
6. See Mitchell J. 1997
7. See Aldrich 2012; Noy 2013
8. For detailed discussion on rebuilding
communities after disasters in Kobe
and Los Angeles, see Olshansky, R.,
Johnson, L., & Topping, K. 2006
9. See Twigg, J. et al. 2001
10. See working paper on recovery efforts in
Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan prepared
by Paragas, Gerald, Rodil, Amillah, and
Pelingon Lysandre, 2016, and Final
Report on Effects of Typhoon Haiyan
prepared in 2013 by National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council.
11. See news article in the Guardian written
by Branigan, Tania and Kate Hodal,
published on 15 November 2013
12. See UN-Habitat’s news entry from January
21, 2014 “Mapping out the future”: http://
unhabitat.org.ph/2014/01/, also other
entries from the official blog that followed
recovery and reconstruction processes
in the Philippines, available online:
https://unhabitattyphoonhaiyanresponse.
wordpress.com/
13. See news entry from March 2014 from the
UN-Habitat Philippines official blog: website:
https://unhabitattyphoonhaiyanresponse.
wordpress.com/2014/03/31/public-launch-
of-plantacloban-taclobans-proposed-
recovery-and-rehabilitation-plan/
14. Good resource on UN-Habitat’s work on
post-disaster processes in Indonesia and
the Philippines analyzed by Maynard,
Victoria; Parker, Elizabeth; Yosef-Paulus,
Rahayu; and Garcia, David, 2017, “Urban
planning following humanitarian crises:
supporting urban communities and
local governments to take the lead”,
International Institute for Environment and
Development (IIED) Sage Publications
15. See under 12
16. See King. Z. T. 2017
17. See report by the Philippine Movement
for Climate Justice. 2014
vulnerability of the community. Therefore,
empowering the community through trai-
ning programs and enabling them in long-
term recovery efforts contributed to more
resiliency and sustainability. The key lessons
derived from the experience in post-disaster
recovery and reconstruction efforts in the
Philippines are as follows:
• Post-disaster damage assessment should
include local community participation;
• Post-disaster recovery and reconstruc-
tion processes should entail a shared
responsibility between government, the
local communities, and other relevant
stakeholders. Elected local community
representatives should play a critical
role in any plans or negotiation during
the recovery and reconstruction process;
• If the community is involved in the desi-
gning and implementation stages of the
post-disaster processes, they are far more
likely to accept even relocating to new
housing if ultimately needed. Resettle-
ment plans must include jobs training,
and employment programs in order to
ensure that newly settled members of
the community regain meaningful em-
ployment and a satisfactory standard of
living;
• Community involvement enhances the
level of monitoring for the implementa-
tion of the planning documents through
a greater attention to detail; and
• Community involvement in post-di-
saster recovery processes increases the
likelihood of efficiency and speed in
reconstruction should another disaster
occur in the future.
Such recommendations are also in line with
the New Urban Agenda, an outline to tackle
sustainable housing and urban development
over the next 20 years, formulated and adop-
ted in 2016. The New Urban Agenda, and
other development agendas suggest shifting
from reactive to more proactive risk-based,
all-hazards and all-of-society approaches,
and promoting cooperation and coordina-
tion across sectors, as well as build capacity
of local authorities, communities and other
stakeholders to develop and implement disa-
ster risk reduction and response plans.
1. Cutter et. Al. consider disaster resilience as
a more proactive and positive expression of
community engagement with natural hazards.
URBANISTICA INFORMAZIONI - special issue180 |
• UN-Habitat January 21st 2014, “Mapping out
the future”, available online:http://unhabitat.
org.ph/2014/01/21/mapping-out-the-future/
(accessed online October 15, 2017)
• UN-Habitat March 31st 2014,
“Public launch of #PlanTacloban:
Tacloban’s proposed Recovery and
Rehabilitation Plan”, available online:https://
unhabitattyphoonhaiyanresponse.
wordpress.com/2014/03/31/public-launch-
of-plantacloban-taclobans-proposed-
recovery-and-rehabilitation-plan/
(accessed online October 15, 2017)
• Vallance, S. (2011) “Early Disaster Recovery: A
Guide for Communities” Australasian Journal
of Disaster and Trauma Studies, n. 2, pp. 19-25
• Vallance, S., R. Love (2013) “The role of
communities in post-disaster recovery
planning: A Diamond Harbour case study”,
Lincoln Planning Review, Vol. 5, n. 1-2,pp. 3-9
Ricostruire camminando: il
progetto ViaSalaria
Luca Lazzarini, Guido Benigni
Introduzione
Si è diffusa progressivamente nel corso
dell’ultimo decennio un’attitudine a guarda-
re al cammino come occasione per viaggiare,
scoprire territori, promuovere stili di vita sa-
lutari, a contatto e nel rispetto dell’ambien-
te, molto spesso connessa ad un rigetto, più
o meno esplicito, di circuiti e abitudini del
turismo di massa. Nel periodo recente, pro-
getti, iniziative, eventi hanno veicolato le
potenzialità turistiche e culturali del cam-
mino, ragionando spesso sui benefici che il
camminare è in grado di portare nel quadro
di una politica di sviluppo complessiva volta
ad incentivare l’attrattività delle aree interne
e a compensarne le condizioni di marginalità
che le caratterizzano.
Nel 2016, proclamato Anno Nazionale del
Cammino dal Ministero dei Beni Culturali,
centinaia di iniziative sparse per l’Italia han-
no riscoperto i 6.600 km di cammini natura-
listici, religiosi, culturali e spirituali, molti
dei quali spesso ancora poco conosciuti e
frequentati, in un impegno spesso congiunto
di soggetti pubblici e privati volto a valoriz-
zarne le diverse potenzialità (MiBACT, 2016).
L’8 ottobre 2017, più di 100 eventi in simul-
tanea hanno portato migliaia di cittadini a
celebrare la sesta edizione della Giornata del
Camminare, evento promosso da FederTrek
con il sostegno di una rete di associazioni e
amministrazioni locali, unite dall’obiettivo
di diffondere un “turismo in punta di piedi”,
promuovendo un diverso rapporto fra l’uo-
mo e l’ambiente, nel tentativo di riscoprire la
bellezza delle città e dei borghi italiani attra-
verso la cultura del camminare. Sette giorni
dopo, il 14 e 15 ottobre si è tenuto a Milano
il primo “Festival del Social Walking”, due
giorni dedicati al viaggiare lento e a riflette-
re e discutere sul turismo responsabile e sui
risvolti che possono scaturire da un diverso
modo di concepire l’esperienza del viaggio.
Oltre la dimensione esplorativa o ricreativa,
negli ultimi anni il cammino è diventato (an-
che se in fondo lo è sempre stato) pratica utile
a raccontare con occhi diversi un determina-
to “stato delle cose” (Di Giacomo, 2016), do-
cumentando aspetti che spesso sfuggono al
primo sguardo. Era metà marzo di quest’an-
no quando Paolo Rumiz iniziava il suo cam-
mino attraverso le montagne del Centro Ita-
lia ferite dal terremoto, realizzando per La
Repubblica il reportage “Vivere sulla faglia.
Un viaggio nel cuore dell’identità del paese”,
cercando di capire “quali [possono essere] gli
spazi per i ritorni dopo un abbandono che è
durato decenni e di cui il terremoto è stato
soltanto il sigillo” (Rumiz, 2016). Dando voce
alle donne e agli uomini che continuano ad
abitare le aree del cratere, Rumiz ha costruito
una riflessione sulla quotidianità dello sra-
dicamento e del ritardo causato dall’inerzia
dell’operatività nel post-sisma, utilizzando
il cammino come occasione per osservare e
comprendere il territorio, le sue fragilità e la
continua ricerca di riscatto delle comunità.
In urbanistica, parlare di cammino significa
studiare il territorio dal basso, “tra le cose”,
guardando alle pratiche e alle modalità quo-
tidiane di abitare lo spazio; significa pure
attivare una forma di conoscenza in grado di
guidare la costruzione del progetto urbano
e territoriale, pensare alle possibilità di mo-
dificare la città esistente (Merlini, 2009). In
questo contesto, questa “lettura dal basso”,
carattere fondativo di una certa stagione di
studi sui paesaggi abitati (Bianchetti, 2003),
è in grado di liberare il processo di indagine
sulla città dal predominio della vista, confe-
rendogli una voluta dimensione esperienzia-
le, utile anche a studiare le traiettorie biogra-
fiche degli individui che la abitano (Secchi &
Viganò, 2013).
Il presente contributo è organizzato in quat-
tro parti. La prima introduce il cammino
come pratica vitale nelle operazioni di de-
scrizione e narrazione della città contem-
poranea in urbanistica. La seconda descrive
l’esperienza di ‘ViaSalaria’, sottolineando
gli aspetti di originalità del progetto. La ter-
za parte è una breve rassegna di microstorie
dal cratere del centro Italia che restituiscono
alcune traiettorie biografiche incrociate nel
tragitto. In chiusura, si riflette sul cammi-
no come metodo e occasione per riallineare
l’urbanistica alle domande e alle fragilità del
territorio.
Spazi di enunciazione e processi di
modificazione
Il cammino è esercizio fortemente interpre-
tativo. Produce conoscenza, veicola letture
del territorio, articola una riflessione, e attri-
