The vital role of cities and metropolitan regions, both as engines of their respective economies and as drivers of the global economy, has in the last decade become more and more evident. Today, civic progress and society’s welfare are linked to our cities’ capacity to fulfil their potential. This highlights the need to consolidate the agendas of stakeholders and actors, engaging in a multilevel dialogue to urbanise policy and ensure the viability of cities.
It is in this context that the OECD, the Club of Madrid, and the Madrid City Council will hold an international conference on What Policies for Globalizing Cities? Rethinking the Urban Policy Agenda, on 29-30 March 2007 at the Municipal Congress Hall, in Campo de las Naciones, Madrid.
The conference constitutes a major opportunity to learn from international experiences and includes ample scope for open discussion of key themes. This high-level event will provide a unique forum for government leaders, policy makers and practitioners to explore the key urban policy challenges faced by cities in the context of globalisation. National and local government representatives, mayors and practitioners will have an opportunity to discuss a broader approach to urban policy, by addressing topical issues faced by cities in their efforts to develop the best economic and social conditions to attract skills and investment.
This two-day event will feature three thematic sessions, each introduced by an expert speaker, followed by a dynamic panel discussion, with interventions by eminent personalities including government leaders and practitioners.
A roundtable plenary session gathering city mayors and representatives from central governments will provide insight for the concluding session to establish a city competitiveness agenda for national governments, with a focus on how to “urbanise” key national and regional policies more effectively and how to engage city leaders more effectively in this process.
For more information please visit:
http://www.rethinkingtheurban.org/
