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Digital technologies, the use of which has progressively increased over the last few years, could represent key tools in learning and active citizenship in development processes. In this sense, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have gradually become an integral part of various disciplines and sectors. Even if the relevance and diffusion of GIS in the educational and pedagogical fields are increasing, their potential is still under-explored in the development of empowerment for participatory planning. Regarding the combination of geographical education and information technologies applied to the territories, the contribution they offer to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is a question which remains little-investigated, and which represents both an innovative field of experimentation and significant opportunities, especially for marginal, inner areas. However, recent reforms, in particular in Italy, are considerably reducing the role of geography in the curricula, which is paradoxical for such complex contexts and the understanding of major global issues. The risk is that of producing a gap between the functional use of the tools and the capacity for their critical application. This paper aims to reflect on the integration of Geography and GIS through teaching experimentation, as applied to a real case study in the Apulia region (Monti Dauni Area) under the national strategy for inner areas, in order to understand how to use GIS as an active tool in education for sustainability, the awareness of the value of local resources, and active citizenship.

In Europe, innovation is widely considered a key factor in a region’s economic growth and competitiveness, although its social and cultural dimensions are often overlooked. In this sense, the LEADER approach represents an emblematic change. The interpretation of innovation is significant with regard to the strategies and governance models implemented, especially on a local scale. As such, the role of innovation and knowledge in the development of territories is important in regions of the Convergence Objective, and particularly in rural areas. In Puglia, the rural development strategy allocates a higher amount of financial resources on axes 3 and 4 of the rural pillar of the common agricultural policy; therefore, it gives great importance to governance. Incorporating a literature review, this article aims to understand the interpretation of innovation and its declination at the local level through the analysis of main regional programming documents for the period spanning 2007-2013. It focuses on initiatives and projects led by local action groups (LAGs) of the LEADER program. En Europe, l’innovation est largement considérée comme l’un des facteurs-clés de la croissance économique et de la compétitivité régionale, bien que ses dimensions sociales et culturelles soient souvent négligées. En ce sens, l’approche LEADER représente un changement emblématique. L’interprétation de l’innovation est significative des stratégies et des modèles de gouvernance mis en œuvre, spécialement à l’échelle locale. À ce titre, le rôle de l’innovation et de la connaissance dans le développement des territoires est important dans les régions de l’Objectif de Convergence et en particulier dans les régions rurales. Dans les Pouilles, la stratégie de développement rural concentre une plus grande proportion des ressources financières sur l'axe 3 et 4 du pilier rural de la politique agricole commune et accorde de ce fait une grande importance à la gouvernance. À partir d’une revue de la littérature, l’article vise à comprendre l’interprétation de l’innovation et sa déclinaison à l’échelle locale à travers une analyse des principaux documents d’aménagement régional établis pour la période de programmation 2007-2013. Il se concentre sur les initiatives et les projets portés par les groupes d’actions locales (GAL) du programme LEADER.

In recent years, inter-communal cooperation has been steadily growing across all European countries. This is especially true for Italy, where in connection with the recent reforms dictated by the objectives of public spending containment, a gradual increase in the number of municipal unions has been noted. This paper, which is based on the literature and the best practices of Italian municipal unions, aims to identify the factors that underlie their success and to detect the conditions that facilitate the transition from the simplest forms of cooperation to more complex ones. In particular, in the south of Italy (in Puglia, specifically), it seems that these conditions exist. The region has particular and common features with the best practices of Italian municipal unions, but also critical issues to solve. Therefore, this paper will initially present the context of cooperation in Italy, and then will focus on the situation in Puglia. The Apulian union’s features, objectives, roles and ongoing task assign...