Open policy making to build a resilient Abruzzo

This chapter considers the role of community engagement in improving decision making in a post-disaster region. It describes the difficulties experienced by L’Aquila after the 2009 earthquake and discusses some of the city’s recent initiatives to restore social cohesion and community engagement. The chapter also offers an overview of how L’Aquila’s citizens view the city’s future, as expressed in different participative events and a community survey undertaken during this study. The chapter concludes with recommendations on how to effectively engage communities in a post-disaster context, drawing not only on L’Aquila’s experience but those of other post-disaster regions as well.