The Italian Port Days Experience: A new challenge, a new frontier

Port festivals have been one of the main initiatives for ports to bring citizens closer to their activities. They usually include group visits, concerts, art shows or conferences. They build on the maritime culture and "wow" effect of the port territory, particularly when visitors stand close to big ships or cranes, or heritage. Port open days usually take place locally, celebrating the anniversary of the port authority. But what if it was a national event? This is exactly what happens in the Italian Port Days, already in its second edition. In this article, Tiziana Murgia from Assoporti, explains their motivations and challenges to organize this event and the combined efforts from many stakeholders. The Project developed by the Italian Port Network Authorities has the main scope of informing and educating as many people as possible as to how ports actually work. The idea of opening all ports during the same period with a unique logo and slogan means coordination and united intents. Considering the high-level attention on ports due to the negative impact of port externalities the relations with local communities has become one of the main issues that port managers have to be able to face as best as possible. Italian Port Days is a project on which the Italian Port Network Authorities have invested their time and money to work on a National port-city integration policy. The project was developed in May in 2019 and October 2020. During these days, ports developed various initiatives and events that were carried out at the same time. During 2020, a specific website: http://italianportdays.it/it/home was created where initiatives were published. Many of these initiatives were online and digital due to the pandemic. In the same port or in two or more ports part of the same Port Network Authority there were visits and seminars or concerts or street art exhibitions. In the future, Italian Port Days, which has a Registered Trademark with its slogan “Opening Port Life and Culture to People” will continue to be held throughout Italian ports. Italian Port Days was implemented by each port individually according to available budget and therefore the initiative gave every port the possibility to realize what was adequate and possible for them. Larger ports that had…