Writing a new and improved story of Milan that connects the values and interests of citizens and “city users”
Vibrant, dynamic cities grow and improve their residents’ living and working conditions partly through regular self-reflection and engagement in open discussions. Essentially, they thrive by talking about their progress while avoiding the traps of empty self-praise and the secretive, downcast silence often found in local cliques. Milan is a prime example of such a city. It seems to have a strong tendency for both criticism and self-criticism. See for example Lucia Tozzi’s “The Invention of Milan” (Cronopio), which provides a thorough critique of the “cult of communication and urban policies”. There’s also a clever use of nostalgia in Andrea Kerbaker’s “Sentimental Street Guide of Milan” (Bur Rizzoli), which shares stories of Milan’s changing face, taking readers through Via Bagutta, Via Mac Mahon, Ripa di Porta Ticinese, Via Porpora, Piazzetta Cuccia, and 28 other key spots, from the historic centre to the edges of the city. Then there is Alberto Saibene’s excellent accounts in “Milan at the End of the Twentieth Century – Stories, Places, and Characters of a City That No Longer Exists” and “Stories of Another Italy” (Edizioni Casagrande).
Milan’s bibliography is almost boundless, matched only by the vast output of Sicilian writers and texts about Sicily, with Elio Vittorini linking the two, showing a dedication to thorough discussion and debate in public conversation, which bodes well for the city’s future.
Milan certainly resists stereotypes. To capture its essence, we need words and images that go beyond the shallow ones that flood the media, including social media, which tend to prefer simple, striking effects and immediate emotions.
Need proof? The news is once again full of stories about widespread violence. For example, an undocumented migrant severely injured a police officer at Central Station. Another incident involved an illegal migrant and several officers in Lambrate. People are increasingly worried about street crimes like mugging, pickpocketing, theft, and drug dealing. Arrests for these crimes have jumped by 30% in recent months compared to last year, as Fabio Roia, the head of the Court of Milan, pointed out in la Repubblica on 11 May). There is an increasingly widespread feeling of a lack of safety – with all the accompanying political polemic.
“Milan: Gotham City” is a snappy phrase that’s caught on social media.
But does it hold water? Looking at crime figures, the answer is no. The Prefecture and the Questura, after examining past crime records, report a drop. Il Foglio points out, “Though anecdotes might hint at a safety emergency in Milan, the numbers do not. Crime in Milan has dropped by 21,000 cases over the last ten years, despite a 5 percent rise in population.”
Even when we look back and reflect, we are very far from the “years of lead” when Milan suffered not just from terrorism but also from fierce clashes among criminal groups led by Francis “Angel Face” Turatello, René Vallanzasca, and Angelo “Il Tebano” Epaminonda. To understand more, it’s well worth reading “War Songs” by Stefano Nazzi (Mondadori), which recounts conflicts, vendettas and loves in 1970s Milan. We are very far, too, from the period when Milan fell prey to the cruelty of Sicilian Mafiosi and the financial plundering by their bankers, like Michele Sindona, in the stock market and the broader business world.
Despite the data and historical background, a feeling of insecurity remains, posing challenges for both politicians and public services. The local mayor does not have power over public order, since that duty lies with the state and national authorities. Managing immigration, often associated with the “street crime” we’ve mentioned, needs joint efforts from ministries, regional bodies and local councils. Franco Gabrielli, the former Chief of Police and ex-Prefect of Rome, now working as Mayor Beppe Sala’s Security Delegate in Milan, is right to call for “structural changes” on security (la Repubblica, 10 May). He explains that “the security crisis isn’t just a Milan problem, but a very delicate issue that touches all big cities in the West. Although Italy hasn’t faced the extreme effects seen in other European and non-European places, we must not make the mistake of overlooking the changes happening in our cities.” Mayor Sala also criticises the government for “merely coining slogans”, while also challenging the political system that allows it, as he wrote in “On security, the left must stop stuttering” (Corriere della Sera, 11 May).
So, Milan needs a better account of itself – with frank honesty while acknowledging its strengths and potential, and security needs, civic progress, inclusivity and integration. Indeed, these were the themes that came to the fore during “Civil Week”, which saw significant youth engagement and debates around the theme “The Constitution is us”. And there needs to be a new focus on economic, employment and business concerns, as well as the challenges posed by the rise of the “knowledge economy”, which is especially pertinent for Milan as it hosts 200,000 university students from across Italy’s regions and increasingly from overseas. (Here, Milan is the only city that can boast three female university heads: Marina Brambilla at the Statale, Donatella Sciuto at the Politecnico, and Giovanna Iannantuoni at Bicocca.)
Milan must therefore be seen in all its complexity, like other major global cities. Although in fact it is quite small, with just over 1.4 million residents (and growing), its metropolitan reach and role as a commuter hub expand its influence to 4 million. The High-Speed rail network, especially the busy Milan-Turin-Bologna route, and the soon-to-be-added Genoa link, create a landscape of bustling movement and exchange. This vibrancy has also seen Milan transform into a key tourist spot. The city attracts a diverse mix of visitors, including those coming for business and conferences, to attend its universities and educational institutions, use its top-notch healthcare, and enjoy leisure activities like culture and shopping.
A vital issue arises: the complicated relationship between Milan’s “city users” and its residents, marked by the differing views, needs and desires of those who simply “use” the city and those who live there.
People coming to Milan for work are key to the city’s allure and expansion. In today’s geo-economy, the flow of people, capital, business and ideas is vital. Yet this has a big social price: it burdens areas meant for fewer people, strains services, disrupts everyday life, and shifts economic values.
Milan’s challenge is to set up strong governance to handle relationships and integration, especially with migration – a job not just for the government but also for the community and businesses. The aim must be to make the most of Milan, encouraging its growth without draining its resources. Striking this balance is tough and the task must be tackled with intelligence, precision and kindness.
Milan, like any modern city, relies on the market – with its pace, values, and competitive spirit. But its growth and balance should not be abandoned to market forces alone.
Milan must strive to revive a community spirit, giving a clear purpose and room space to its people; it must maintain the tradition of progress and unity, fostering wealth, job creation, and inclusivity, combining productivity and sustainability. “Regaining the ‘Us’,” as Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian Bishops’ Conference,
aptly puts it, is not only about good politics and policies; it also involves trying to write a new and better narrative of what Milan is.
(photo Getty Images)
Vibrant, dynamic cities grow and improve their residents’ living and working conditions partly through regular self-reflection and engagement in open discussions. Essentially, they thrive by talking about their progress while avoiding the traps of empty self-praise and the secretive, downcast silence often found in local cliques. Milan is a prime example of such a city. It seems to have a strong tendency for both criticism and self-criticism. See for example Lucia Tozzi’s “The Invention of Milan” (Cronopio), which provides a thorough critique of the “cult of communication and urban policies”. There’s also a clever use of nostalgia in Andrea Kerbaker’s “Sentimental Street Guide of Milan” (Bur Rizzoli), which shares stories of Milan’s changing face, taking readers through Via Bagutta, Via Mac Mahon, Ripa di Porta Ticinese, Via Porpora, Piazzetta Cuccia, and 28 other key spots, from the historic centre to the edges of the city. Then there is Alberto Saibene’s excellent accounts in “Milan at the End of the Twentieth Century – Stories, Places, and Characters of a City That No Longer Exists” and “Stories of Another Italy” (Edizioni Casagrande).
Milan’s bibliography is almost boundless, matched only by the vast output of Sicilian writers and texts about Sicily, with Elio Vittorini linking the two, showing a dedication to thorough discussion and debate in public conversation, which bodes well for the city’s future.
Milan certainly resists stereotypes. To capture its essence, we need words and images that go beyond the shallow ones that flood the media, including social media, which tend to prefer simple, striking effects and immediate emotions.
Need proof? The news is once again full of stories about widespread violence. For example, an undocumented migrant severely injured a police officer at Central Station. Another incident involved an illegal migrant and several officers in Lambrate. People are increasingly worried about street crimes like mugging, pickpocketing, theft, and drug dealing. Arrests for these crimes have jumped by 30% in recent months compared to last year, as Fabio Roia, the head of the Court of Milan, pointed out in la Repubblica on 11 May). There is an increasingly widespread feeling of a lack of safety – with all the accompanying political polemic.
“Milan: Gotham City” is a snappy phrase that’s caught on social media.
But does it hold water? Looking at crime figures, the answer is no. The Prefecture and the Questura, after examining past crime records, report a drop. Il Foglio points out, “Though anecdotes might hint at a safety emergency in Milan, the numbers do not. Crime in Milan has dropped by 21,000 cases over the last ten years, despite a 5 percent rise in population.”
Even when we look back and reflect, we are very far from the “years of lead” when Milan suffered not just from terrorism but also from fierce clashes among criminal groups led by Francis “Angel Face” Turatello, René Vallanzasca, and Angelo “Il Tebano” Epaminonda. To understand more, it’s well worth reading “War Songs” by Stefano Nazzi (Mondadori), which recounts conflicts, vendettas and loves in 1970s Milan. We are very far, too, from the period when Milan fell prey to the cruelty of Sicilian Mafiosi and the financial plundering by their bankers, like Michele Sindona, in the stock market and the broader business world.
Despite the data and historical background, a feeling of insecurity remains, posing challenges for both politicians and public services. The local mayor does not have power over public order, since that duty lies with the state and national authorities. Managing immigration, often associated with the “street crime” we’ve mentioned, needs joint efforts from ministries, regional bodies and local councils. Franco Gabrielli, the former Chief of Police and ex-Prefect of Rome, now working as Mayor Beppe Sala’s Security Delegate in Milan, is right to call for “structural changes” on security (la Repubblica, 10 May). He explains that “the security crisis isn’t just a Milan problem, but a very delicate issue that touches all big cities in the West. Although Italy hasn’t faced the extreme effects seen in other European and non-European places, we must not make the mistake of overlooking the changes happening in our cities.” Mayor Sala also criticises the government for “merely coining slogans”, while also challenging the political system that allows it, as he wrote in “On security, the left must stop stuttering” (Corriere della Sera, 11 May).
So, Milan needs a better account of itself – with frank honesty while acknowledging its strengths and potential, and security needs, civic progress, inclusivity and integration. Indeed, these were the themes that came to the fore during “Civil Week”, which saw significant youth engagement and debates around the theme “The Constitution is us”. And there needs to be a new focus on economic, employment and business concerns, as well as the challenges posed by the rise of the “knowledge economy”, which is especially pertinent for Milan as it hosts 200,000 university students from across Italy’s regions and increasingly from overseas. (Here, Milan is the only city that can boast three female university heads: Marina Brambilla at the Statale, Donatella Sciuto at the Politecnico, and Giovanna Iannantuoni at Bicocca.)
Milan must therefore be seen in all its complexity, like other major global cities. Although in fact it is quite small, with just over 1.4 million residents (and growing), its metropolitan reach and role as a commuter hub expand its influence to 4 million. The High-Speed rail network, especially the busy Milan-Turin-Bologna route, and the soon-to-be-added Genoa link, create a landscape of bustling movement and exchange. This vibrancy has also seen Milan transform into a key tourist spot. The city attracts a diverse mix of visitors, including those coming for business and conferences, to attend its universities and educational institutions, use its top-notch healthcare, and enjoy leisure activities like culture and shopping.
A vital issue arises: the complicated relationship between Milan’s “city users” and its residents, marked by the differing views, needs and desires of those who simply “use” the city and those who live there.
People coming to Milan for work are key to the city’s allure and expansion. In today’s geo-economy, the flow of people, capital, business and ideas is vital. Yet this has a big social price: it burdens areas meant for fewer people, strains services, disrupts everyday life, and shifts economic values.
Milan’s challenge is to set up strong governance to handle relationships and integration, especially with migration – a job not just for the government but also for the community and businesses. The aim must be to make the most of Milan, encouraging its growth without draining its resources. Striking this balance is tough and the task must be tackled with intelligence, precision and kindness.
Milan, like any modern city, relies on the market – with its pace, values, and competitive spirit. But its growth and balance should not be abandoned to market forces alone.
Milan must strive to revive a community spirit, giving a clear purpose and room space to its people; it must maintain the tradition of progress and unity, fostering wealth, job creation, and inclusivity, combining productivity and sustainability. “Regaining the ‘Us’,” as Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian Bishops’ Conference,
aptly puts it, is not only about good politics and policies; it also involves trying to write a new and better narrative of what Milan is.
(photo Getty Images)