Collettivo Onda
Community Revitalisation Programme · Monfalcone, Italy
A wave of change from the ground up
A community-led experiment in civic engagement reactivation, building democratic resilience, citizen agency, and cross-cultural solidarity in one of Italy's most politically polarised small cities.
Why We Started Here
Monfalcone is a small city near Italy's northeastern border, shaped by migration, an ageing population, social tension, and economic precarity, yet also by resilience, memory, and the possibility of a different future.
After the 2024 local elections, in which right-wing parties retained the majority and most residents chose not to vote at all, we understood that political direction alone would not change without deeper civic transformation. The frustration was real — and so was the need for something new.
"We go where democracy is being abandoned, geographically and politically, and work to bring it back to life."
What is happening in Monfalcone is not unique. Across Italy, particularly in provincial cities and peripheral areas, civic spaces are shrinking and democratic practices are deteriorating. If we can begin to imagine new forms of civic life here, we believe we can do it anywhere.
Challenges on the ground: Growing far-right influence · Youth depopulation · Shrinking civic space · Political disillusionment · And yet: community resilience
The Name
Onda — the Italian word for wave.
It captures the spirit of the initiative: a quiet but powerful force for change, built from the ground up. Not a sudden transformation, not a visible breakthrough — but a series of small, consistent moments that, over time, begin to take shape as something more.
Community is not built in single moments, but through repetition, presence, and the quiet decision to keep showing up.
Our Core Pillars
Community Activism & Organising We mobilise people on the ground, especially young people and those from marginalised communities, to take collective action around shared concerns, moving from reluctancy to active contribution.
Democratic Resilience In contexts where civic participation has been sidelined and political disillusionment runs deep, we build the conditions for communities to reclaim their role as active shapers of local governance and public life.
Citizen Agency on the Ground We don't bring solutions, we co-create them. Through a model of radical localisation rooted in trust and lived experience, we ensure that community members lead the process rather than simply participate in it.
Intercultural & Intergenerational Bridges We actively build connections across generations and cultures, recognising that diversity is a strength, not a source of division, and that the Bangladeshi community and other migrant groups are essential civic partners, not problems to be managed.
Youth Leadership Young people are at the heart of Onda, not as beneficiaries, but as leaders. We invest in their capacity to imagine and enact alternative futures for their cities, amplifying voices too often silenced in public discourse.
Civic Space as a Common Good We work to establish and protect dedicated civic spaces where grassroots groups can gather, organise, and grow — recognising that accessible physical meeting places are foundational to democratic life.
Our Community
Partnering with those most excluded from the conversation
Collettivo Onda was built with and for the communities most systematically marginalised from civic and political life in Monfalcone, young people, migrants, and members of the Bangladeshi community, who make up a significant part of the city's population yet are treated as outsiders rather than as rights-holders and stakeholders.
"We are committed to amplifying diverse voices and actively involving the foreign community — especially the Bangladeshi community — in every step of our journey."
Our first public gathering, a social aperitivo, brought together 30 people, including members of the Bangladeshi community, in a space of shared vision and honest conversation. The response was immediate: many said that Collettivo Onda gave them a rare sense of belonging and possibility.
Key Partners & Stakeholders
Young People of Monfalcone Young people living in Monfalcone are the core engine of Onda, bringing energy, creativity, and the commitment to imagine alternative futures for their city.
The Bangladeshi Community One of the most significant yet marginalised groups in Monfalcone, actively involved in every phase of programme design and delivery as an equal civic partner.
Local Cultural Spaces Partners like Carso in Corso, community-run cultural venues that open their doors as civic infrastructure for connection and dialogue.
Grassroots Associations Local civil society groups navigating underfunding and a lack of physical space, collaborating through resource-sharing mechanisms and collective action.
Migrant & Marginalised Communities People whose lived experience and wisdom shape the programme, moving from being talked about in politics to leading civic life themselves.
What We Do
Community Gatherings & Social Aperitivos Regular, low-barrier events that bring people together for conversation, food, and shared vision, designed to spark dialogue and plant seeds of connection across cultural and generational lines.
Participatory Workshops & Assemblies Structured and open-ended spaces for collective reflection and planning, where residents work together to identify shared challenges and co-create concrete responses, building civic skills alongside community bonds.
Book Club & Cultural Programming A book club that uses literature as a bridge, bringing community members together to explore stories rooted in experiences different from their own, fostering empathy, solidarity, and deeper conversations about belonging and difference.
Swap Days & Community Exchanges Informal gatherings, like our first-ever Swap Day for books and clothes, that create warm, unstructured connection, allowing relationships to form naturally and the space to feel genuinely shared.
Capacity Building for Local Associations Supporting grassroots groups facing underfunding and lack of physical infrastructure, through resource-sharing, skill-building sessions, and collective advocacy for dedicated civic spaces.
Civic Space Advocacy Working actively to secure a permanent, dedicated space where local groups can meet, organise, and grow, because physical infrastructure is a precondition for sustained community participation and democratic action.