Day 2: Thu 10 Oct 2019
Cities have an active role in shaping European urban politics and cities must strengthen their role as an active partner with the EU alongside the member states. The EU is only as strong as its cities and neighbourhoods are.
The morning session invites European city leaders to discuss how European cities are achieving common targets set by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the EU Urban Agenda and what are the key priorities for European Cities in the transition to post- 2020 Europe.
The afternoon session is about embracing the idea, that cities are our ever-changing user platforms, where power is shared to create valuable solutions and innovations that are owned by our citizens. The parallel sessions structure around meaningful digitalization and open data, creating local resilience, fostering innovation and working together cross-regionally to produce stronger city regions. Professionals from different European cities and various city sectors present how they see their work as a tool for creating an impact towards sustainable city futures.
Opening speech: Keeping up with rapid change – responsive and responsible urban solutions
Jari Partanen, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland
Jyrki Katainen, Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness (video greeting)
Leaders’ session: Cities as a glue of the EU – Conversation between European City Leaders
Anna Lisa Boni, EUROCITIES Secretary General
Henk Bouwman, Secretary General, METREX
Dennis Wedin, Vice Mayor for Housing and Real Estate, City of Stockholm
Andrei Novikov, Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning and Transport, Tallinn
Anni Sinnemäki, Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment, City of Helsinki
Closing words
Introduction to the afternoon session:
Mari Vaattovaara, Director of Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies
Session 2: Making resilient neighbourhoods
Moderator: Kaisa Schmidt-Thomé, Senior Expert in Urban Transformations team at Demos Helsinki
Cellular city prospect – how neighborhoods are arranged for sustainability
Seppo Junnila, Professor of Real Estate Business at Aalto University, Finland
Martin Barry, Founder and Chairman at reSITE
Kerkko Vanhanen, Forum Virium
Schools for impact: Education as a tool for equal opportunities in urban neighbourhoods
Venla Bernelius, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Urban Geography at the University of Helsinki
Read more: https://www.euhelsinki.fi/hic2019/
