Cross-border cooperation between Italy and Switzerland for the cultural promotion of border regions. Forms of local partnerships.

The research project analyses cross-border cooperation between Italy and Switzerland. The focus lies on the enhancement of the cultural heritage of border regions, with particular attention to the system of historic transport routes and other practices of interterritorial networking. Based on the hypothesis that the joint valorization of the cultural heritage of Ossola, Valais and Ticino can strengthen a shared Alpine identity and foster cooperation between border regions, the research aims to assess the main bilateral Italian–Swiss relationships within the framework of the European Alpine Space Programme (Interreg).

The project examines two empirical case studies: the Binntal–Veglia–Devero Transboundary Park, a cross-border natural park, and the Vigezzina Railway, an international rail connection between Domodossola (Ossola) and Locarno (Ticino), which represents an example of institutional cooperation. Both case studies illustrate how cross-border collaboration can contribute to sustainable development and to the strengthening of regional and cultural interconnectedness.