OPEN DAYS - European Week of Regions and Cities - October 5th to 8th in Brussels
05/10/09
The seventh annual OPEN DAYS - European Week of
Regions and Cities, which this year takes place on
5-8 October in Brussels, is set to be the biggest
yet. This year, the event will feature more than 100
seminars, workshops, debates, exhibitions and
meetings with 7,000 participants, expected in
Brussels alone, most of them experts in regional and
urban development from ministries and other bodies.
In addition, another 300 local events in countries
all over Europe will reach out to a wider public
increasing the number of potential visitors to more
than 30,000.
As
in previous years, the
purpose of
the event is multiple: First, it brings together
political representatives, decision makers, experts
and practitioners of regional policy as well as
stakeholders from banking, business, civil society
organisations, academia, EU institutions and the
media to discuss common challenges for European
regions and cities and debate possible solutions.
Second, it provides a platform for capacity-building
to those involved in implementing EU cohesion policy
and in managing its financial instruments. Third, the
event aims at facilitating cooperation and networking
among regions and cities on good practice in regional
development. And finally, it offers the opportunity
to debate the European cohesion policy of tomorrow in
a wider context involving recent research and views
from third countries and international organisations.
Among the challenges that regions and cities face, it can be expected that the economic crisis will still prevail debates at European, national and regional level. With the newly elected European Parliament and the incoming new European Commission, discussions on the EU's political priorities and the review of its budget after 2013 will be kicked-off in autumn 2009. Finally, the date of the OPEN DAYS 2009 is just a few weeks ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and an opportunity to showcase regional and urban best practice in developing a low-carbon economy. The OPEN DAYS 2009 will be an ideal framework for Europe's regions and cities to present the message of maintaining a forceful and effective cohesion policy helping to enhance sustainable and innovative responses to global challenges.
The four themes of the OPEN DAYS 2009 are
Regions, cities, public institutions, companies, universities and other organisations in the field are invited to check out further details at: www.opendays.europa.eu
Among the challenges that regions and cities face, it can be expected that the economic crisis will still prevail debates at European, national and regional level. With the newly elected European Parliament and the incoming new European Commission, discussions on the EU's political priorities and the review of its budget after 2013 will be kicked-off in autumn 2009. Finally, the date of the OPEN DAYS 2009 is just a few weeks ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and an opportunity to showcase regional and urban best practice in developing a low-carbon economy. The OPEN DAYS 2009 will be an ideal framework for Europe's regions and cities to present the message of maintaining a forceful and effective cohesion policy helping to enhance sustainable and innovative responses to global challenges.
The four themes of the OPEN DAYS 2009 are
- Restoring Growth: Innovation in Europe’s regions and cities
- Regions and climate change: Europe’s way
- Territorial cooperation: Working together across borders
- Achieving results, looking ahead: EU cohesion policy’s evaluation and future prospects
Regions, cities, public institutions, companies, universities and other organisations in the field are invited to check out further details at: www.opendays.europa.eu
