In addition to researchers from the two university centres, the round table was attended by representatives from public administrations, cultural bodies, tourism operators, land conservation associations, museum curators and businesses such as quarry owners and professional bodies from the construction, cultural and tourism sectors. This network of partners continues to grow, with the aim of strengthening the role of local stone, promoting its use and contributing to sustainable tourism in the cross-border area.
The activities are divided into two distinct areas, each with its own specific objectives but both designed to have a lasting impact on communities, operators and the local area. The first is the Madrera Mountain Pasture, situated at 1,400 metres above sea level amidst the scenery of the Orobie Alps in Valtellina. In this site recognised by the FAI – Italian Environment Fund, the aim is to create an open-air workshop to experiment with the conservation-based restoration of traditional rural buildings made of local stone and to promote the historical building techniques of Valtellina. 
Closer to home, the second site spans a cross-border area with a shared heritage linked to the local stone of Lake Ceresio. This is pink porphyry, which abounds in large quantities on the Swiss shore of the lake. The Luganese porphyry plateau begins to the east at the foot of Monte Generoso and re-emerges from the lake at Morcote, where it forms Monte Arbostora. In Carona, the use of porphyry is widespread: it can be found in the walls of houses, in steps, in cobblestones, and in the supports of the large steps of the public swimming pool, all sharing the same colour (porphyry comes from the Greek and means ‘purple’). In the woods surrounding the Sanctuary of the Madonna d’Ongero lie the remains of one of the most important quarries; the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Torello, not far away, is also built entirely of porphyry.
A material appreciated throughout the ages. “In Carona, after all, pink porphyry has been quarried since Roman times and transported to the capital of the Empire to adorn prestigious residences; today, the Municipality of Paradiso uses it as a distinctive building material,” explains Annalisa Rollandi, a researcher at the SUPSI Institute of Earth Sciences (Department of Environment, Construction and Design).
The aim is to protect the local cultural and architectural heritage and make it accessible, involving citizens, associations, schools, and tourism and cultural operators. The project is structured as a network that remains open to contributions from new partners interested in promoting this heritage. Today, partners include associations such as the Laboratorio Carona and the Muggio Valley Museum, which is active in promoting the geological history and the use of porphyry slabs as a building material. 
In terms of public outreach, the project involves the creation of a widespread open-air museum and themed trails in the surrounding landscape. Plans also include the reactivation of a quarry for educational and extraction activities, as well as the organisation of a travelling exhibition featuring talks and awareness-raising initiatives. Annalisa Rollandi adds, “The SUPSI Institute of Earth Sciences is tasked with documenting and characterising the stones of the Ceresio area, through mapping of historic and active quarries, and collecting data for the geocultural enhancement of the territory. It also contributes to the design of training content for professionals in the construction and tourism sectors and to the definition of itineraries within the territory”.
What unites the two strands of the project – Madrera and the Ceresio area – is the desire to ensure the repeatability and sustainability of the initiatives. The training tools, awareness-raising activities and collaborative networks aim to consolidate the good practices developed over time, enhancing the heritage of stone.