An in-depth article dedicated to Informest, published in la Repubblica, has provided an important opportunity for national visibility for the Agency, highlighting its journey, evolution, and role in the territorial development of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

The article retraces the origins of Informest, founded in the early 1990s to support the opening towards Central and Eastern Europe, and highlights its consolidation as a technical reference body for access to European funds. Over time, the Agency has strengthened its positioning by supporting public bodies and institutions throughout the entire project cycle, contributing concretely to the implementation of interventions and to strengthening local administrative capacities.

Alongside this institutional dimension, the publication devotes ample space to ongoing project activities, highlighting the value of European territorial cooperation and the contribution of Interreg programmes in supporting processes of sustainable development, innovation, and cohesion. In this context, two projects currently under implementation stand out as significant examples of Informest’s integrated approach.

The first is SFP – Strategic Foresight Partnership, funded by the Interreg Europe programme, which focuses on strengthening the capacity of regions to plan for the future through strategic foresight tools. In a context characterised by rapid and complex transformations, the project promotes methodologies capable of anticipating change and guiding public policies in a more effective and resilient way. Coordinated locally by Informest in collaboration with the ESF+ Managing Authority of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, SFP involves a broad regional partnership including institutions, training bodies, universities, and economic stakeholders. The objective is to structurally strengthen the skills of regional actors in the use of strategic foresight, fostering the integration of anticipation into decision-making processes and public policy planning, with particular reference to the education and training sector.

The project also represents a significant strategic milestone, contributing to the evolution of governance models and strengthening the territory’s capacity to address ongoing transitions through innovative tools and a long-term vision. This path has already led to recognition of the regional experience at the European level, through participation in the Foresight Network of EU Cities and Regions promoted by the European Committee of the Regions.

The second highlighted project is ResilienCE – Resilient, Sustainable and Innovative Social Entrepreneurship in Central Europe, funded by the Interreg Central Europe programme, in which Informest acts as lead partner. The initiative addresses some of the main challenges of Europe’s peripheral areas, including depopulation, economic fragility, and lack of services, enhancing the role of the social economy as a lever for more inclusive and sustainable development.

Through a structured set of activities, ResilienCE promotes the strengthening of social enterprises’ skills, with particular attention to the twin digital and green transition. The project includes capacity-building pathways, mentoring activities, and the activation of Resilience Labs, as well as a transnational call addressed to selected enterprises that will be supported in developing innovative solutions and sustainable models. In Friuli Venezia Giulia, activities are particularly focused on mountain areas, with a direct impact on the Carnia territory, contributing to strengthening the local economic fabric and revitalising communities. A key element of the project is the active involvement of local stakeholders, considered an integral part of territorial development and resilience processes.

An important milestone for the Agency, highlighting its ability to transform opportunities offered by European programmes into operational interventions and tangible results for the territory, while connecting local and European dimensions for paths of sustainable development, innovation, and cohesion.