In the run-up to the European Capital of Culture, the economic and business institutions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Nova Gorica met to discuss, share and optimise the development potential offered by GO! 2025. The meeting, which was hosted by EGTC GO on Wednesday, April 3rd, was promoted by the municipalities of Gorizia, Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba and it involved the top managers of the sector.

The heads of the business institutions with their various branches - industry, services, tertiary sector, agriculture - met for an overview of the incentives available in their respective territories in the countdown to the European Capital of Culture. These opportunities are set to drive further investments, initiatives and activities in this two-year period and in the following years.

The meeting was attended by the president and director of the EGTC GO Paolo Petiziol and Romina Kocina; the director of the Slovenian public body Javni zavod GO! 2025 Mija Lorbek; the Councillor for Productive Activities and Tourism of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia Sergio Emidio Bini; the mayors of the municipalities of Gorizia, Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba Rodolfo Ziberna, Samo Turel and Milan Turk; Gianluca Madriz, Regional President of Confcommercio FVG who also brought greetings from the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Venezia Giulia Antonio Paoletti; Fabrizio Polojaz, representing Confindustria Alto Adriatico; Ariano Medeot, President of Confartigianato Gorizia; Patrizia Verde, Director Confcommercio Trieste; Martin Figelj, President Coldiretti FVG; Claudio Cressati, President Confagricoltura Gorizia and Trieste; Fabrizio Russo, President COSEVEG; Brigita Habjan Štolfa, Director of Severno Primorska gospodarska zbornica, Nova Gorica; Primož Černic and Roberta Fortuna, President and Director of Območna obrtno-podjetniška zbornica Nova Gorica Tanja Kožuh, director of the Primorski tehnološki park; Robert Frandolič and Andrej Šik, president and director of the Slovensko deželno gospodarsko združenje/Regional Economic Union of Slovenia.

Everyone present highlighted that the territory is already responding positively to the challenge of GO! 2025, as demonstrated by the high and rapid participation in the calls for proposals made available by the various institutions such as the Gorizia Fund, managed by Confcommercio. The participants therefore confirmed a strong interest in strengthening cross-border cooperation and reiterated the joint commitment between the various sectors, highlighting the opportunity of GO! 2025 as a catalyst for territorial, economic and cultural development. Emphasis was also placed on the need for a change of mindset to meet future challenges, promote innovation and support start-ups. The discussion also dwelled on the critical point concerning the lack of accommodation capacity, with a commitment to work on its increase by including all the municipalities of the larger cross-border area. The measures implemented by the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia to promote widespread accommodation were also highlighted.