From Abandonment to Rebirth: Cases Studies of Rural Regeneration in Italy

With the rising awareness of the preservation of historical and cultural heritage and the spread of multicultural education for a balanced territorial development since the end of the twentieth century, Italian society has shown an increasing interest in daily life and tourism in rural regions. The abandoned villages have been given a new social meaning, from burden to resource. This article categorizes three existing strategies of how Italian authorities and scholars identify challenges and turn local weaknesses into opportunities: Attracting residents: combating depopulation through the project 'casa a 1 euro' ;Building the environment: repairing damaged heritage assets in Civita di Bagnoregio; Reconnecting communities: empowering more possibilities and codesigning the solution by leading the project 'VENTO' . The aim of this article is to deepen our understanding of Italian practical innovations on regional revitalization,including the enhancement of vulnerable areas, the adaptive reuse of architectural heritage, the improvement of rural life, the increasing diversification of rural economic, and cultural development.