ABSTRACT
Cities are taking on an increasingly prominent role in political, economic, social, cultural and media life. Cities may be described as complex and multidimensional social agents. Cities as social agents should not be confused with local government, though they clearly encompass it. The city best expresses itself as social agent in that it forms a link between public administrations (local and others), public and private economic agents, social and civic organizations, intellectual and professional sectors and social communication media, that is, between political institutions and civil society.
