Rome's Cultural Councillor on Jubilee 2025, Tourism, and Urban Challenges

Massimiliano Smeriglio, Rome's Assessore alla Cultura, discusses the city's preparations for the Jubilee 2025, balancing cultural heritage with mass tourism, and regulating short-term rentals. He highlights that 70% of tourists in art cities are international, and Rome's cultural patrimony is both an economic driver and a fragile asset needing protection. The city council approved a motion to work with platforms like Airbnb to curb the surge in short-term rentals, which has driven up housing costs and eroded local commerce in the historic center. Smeriglio aims to reconnect peripheries with culture, noting many lifelong Romans have never visited a museum. On the Teatro Valle, an additional €3.7 million has been allocated for a state-of-the-art water mist fire suppression system, with reopening planned for February 2026. He advocates for decolonizing street signage: 24 didactic panels will be updated to contextualize colonial violence, while street names remain unchanged. A new park named after the Staffette Partigiane (female resistance couriers) was inaugurated in Torre Angela, honoring their role in liberation. Smeriglio's vision draws from the legacy of former culture assessors Nicolini and Borgna, emphasizing inclusive, community-oriented cultural policies.