The session took place on 26 August 2026 in the Council Chamber of Palazzo Zanca, Messina's town hall, convened by Councilor Antonino Bonfiglio, President of the VI Council Commission, which oversees productive activities and economic development in the territory. The agenda item covered the project's progress and the role of Messina's local producers and products in building a sustainable tourism offer.

Councilor for Agri-food Policies Liana Cannata outlined the political framework, describing INSPIRE as part of the municipal strategy on agrobiodiversity and village regeneration, built on direct engagement with producers and local communities, and stated the goal of continuing the work once co-financing ends. Project manager Rita Melita then presented the project's methodology and current progress: INSPIRE (Innovative Sustainable Tourism Grounded on Agrobiodiversity, project code Euro-MED0401041) works from the premise that native crop varieties, traditional agricultural knowledge, and Mediterranean rural landscapes can support tourism that extends beyond the coastal summer peak and channels value into inland areas. Its central sustainability mechanism is the "Local Pact," through which local stakeholders make commitments extending past the funding period. Melita also reviewed activities already completed and those planned for the coming months across the Messina metropolitan area.

Council discussion afterward focused on the project's expected impact on inland communities and how to fold its results into the city's regular planning processes, rather than treating them as a one-off pilot tied to EU funding.

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