Cross-Cutting Thematic Working Group on “Local Economic Development”

Growth and Jobs PoleSeptember 2008

Annual Conference

Cross-Cutting Thematic Working Group on “Local Economic Development”

URBACT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

DATE and PLACE: 01/12/2008 – Montpellier

Suggested Travel – 30/11/2008, so that a welcome event can be organised the evening before the conference

Possibility to continue to follow the French EU Presidency initiative “Forum des Villes” which is planned the following day 02/12/2008

Cross-Cutting Thematic Working Group on “Local Economic Development”

CONFERENCE AIM

To set the scene for (kick-off implementation), and promote awareness of URBACT II

Highlight Projects, Thematic Poles, URBACT II Programme

Focus on EU urban challenges and problems in a changing world with orientation of planned URBACT responses

Explain new context URBACT II vis a vis URBACT I

Cross-Cutting Thematic Working Group on “Local Economic Development”

CONFERENCE FORMAT

- Plenary welcome and introduction

- 3 x 5 Parallel Workshops, each animated by 2 projects; 15 minutes presentation per project and 15-30 mins Q and A

- Summing-up Round Table

- “Village” for informal meeting, presentation wall or kiosk for projects

Cross-Cutting Thematic Working Group on “Local Economic Development”

Preparation Tasks

WHAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT AND PREPARE

- Presentations, Interim outputs e.g. from sources such as Baseline Studies, Case studies/Site visits if these exist, other?

- Workshop project pairing

- Workshop title and how to ensure interest and attraction for an itinerant audience

- Brief 4 line project description

- Passive project presentation material (style expo)

Cross-Cutting Thematic Working Group on “Local Economic Development”

Questions for discussion

• The main subthemes of the pole and the allocation of workshops.

• The main messages that you would like to communicate to the outside world from your baselines (state of the art). Why people should follow with interest what you plan to do.

• How to get across in a lively way – both the workshops and the panel

Cross-Cutting Thematic Working Group on “Local Economic Development”

Proposed division of workshops

Themes/Workhops Network Network

Knowledge economy REDIS Run-Up

Cultural economy Creative Clusters

Creative Development

Green and social economy

Greening SMEs

Nose

Promoting the potential of women and ethnic minorities

WEED Open Cities

Linking sectors and neighbourhoods

UNIC URBAMECO

Tools and methods for entrepreneurship

Fin-Urb-Act JESSICA 2