We claim to want to build cities for everyone but it seems that not everyone is invited to be part of the conversation. Among many dimensions of exclusion, such as gender, economic status or ethnicity, there is one that is probably the easiest to remedy and yet often forgotten: age. As Gil Penalosa, former Commissioner [...]
What effect will the Brexit vote have on UK Cities? A personal view.
We are living in turbulent times. The British vote will change the map of Europe in more ways than one. Already the two Treasury reports one short term, one long term prepared by the team under the leadership of the UK’s chief economist indicate that the effects will be severe and uneven. Although much criticised by [...]
The Challenge of Urban Agenda for Europe: another view from Amsterdam
Something promising or unsurprising, according to your opinion, has happened at the end of last month for urban policies in Europe. The 30th of May, the EU Ministers Responsible for Urban Matters held an Informal Meeting in Amsterdam to sign a shared document known as the Pact of Amsterdam. This document launches a common agenda [...]
“We, the people”: Cities, digital tools and the reinvention of democracy
Douche v Turd I’m stating the obvious by saying that Western democracy looks in trouble right now. In the US, the emerging Presidential line up increasingly resembles South Park’s classic Giant Douche versus Turd Sandwich episode. Meanwhile in Europe, the increasing use of national referenda combined with the downward spiral of voter participation reflects growing [...]
#Basque2016, What was it about ?
Try next time, before attending your upcoming conference, to predict the main message of the meeting. In most cases you will succeed: conferences on economy and innovation usually argue for the ’modernistic perspective’ in which technical novelties will dominate and solve all the problems. In a sharp contrast to that environmental conferences will present the [...]
‘Migrant crisis’: Two worlds apart seeking cohesion between the national and local levels
Credit photos: Gordon Welters/UNHCR, “How will Germany house all its refugees?”, irinnews.org How can social innovation help in today’s Europe, which is welcoming people from Africa and the Middle East, fleeing war and poverty? How can social innovation reduce the fear of the unknown in central and east European countries, who do not have a [...]
The Citizen as Mayor. Citizen participation in social innovation
The subject of the Eurocities Social Forum in Nantes on March 16th was citizen involvement in social innovation. Cities are now leading Europe on social innovation across a range of fields from health and care to integrating migrants. The message of the conference was that for the city to engage with citizens it [...]
How a regulation turned Bologna’s civic pride into action
An association of Bologna women turned an unused city-owned building into an ‘ethical boutique’. It’s one result of a new city policy that encourages citizens to volunteer their time and talents while governing their use of public assets. (Rete Civica Iperbole) A few years ago, a group of women in their 50s living near Bologna’s [...]
What’s art got to do with it? 4 reasons why sustainable cities need artists and cultural institutions on board
Bristol’s Park Street turned into a 90-meter water slide, Photo by Luke Jerram It all started with a water slide, on a sunny Sunday morning two years ago. Over 65.000 people stood in Bristol’s Park Street to watch the lucky 360 go head-first down the 90-meter slide. The installation by the British artist Luke Jerram [...]
Letter from America
Boston Brahmins Which metropolis was recently given the dubious title of America’s most unequal major city? Detroit ? New Orleans? Well the answer is actually Boston, where recent Brookings Institute research shows that those in the city’s 95th percentile of income earned 17.8 times more than those in the 20th. That might come as a [...]
Authors
Eddy Adams
Fernando Barreiro Cavestany
Antonio Borghi
Gabriela Kuštan
Bertil Nilsson
Alison Partridge
Ania Rok
Aldo Vargas- ALL AUTHORS