The European Week of Regions and Cities is the biggest annual Brussels-based event dedicated to regional policy.
This year, due to difficulties related with COVID 19 pandemic, the event will be fully digital and offer more than 500 online working sessions spread over three weeks, from 5th - 22nd October 2020. Each week has a specific focus.
> 5th to 9th October Empowering Citizens. During this week you can find sessions about how to respond to disinformation attacks, regenerate remote areas, empower youth in the COVID 19 pandemic, improve co-creation in public services, unlock women´s entrepreneurship potential, and many others.
> 12th to 16th October Cohesion & Cooperation. This theme offers talks about the future of cooperation and the post 2020 period, fostering the development in sparsely populated areas, tourism, smart mobility, carbon neutral regions, data sharing and innovative solutions for home care, among others.
> 19th to 22nd October Green Europe week offers sessions about circular economy in Arctic industries, energy efficiency, municipal waste waters, heat pumps, hydrogen mobility, climate neutral cities, or a green Northern European megaregion.
Where to find the NPA at the EU Regions’ week
The NPA will be present at the week in the following sessions:
Tue 13, October 2020 14:30 - 15:00
Circular economy for a green Europe – Regiostars finalists talk
Register here
Transferability of circular economy solutions to other cities and regions will be the key topic of the discussion: how the experiences of our Regiostars winners can be replicated in other contexts, what are the challenges faced and the opportunities developed through the implementation of their projects.
The NPA project Blue Circular Economy is among the finalists, project Lead Partner Siv Marina Flø Grimstad from the Norwegian the University of Science and Technology will present the project.
Wed 14, October 2020 11:00 - 12:00
Programme Cooperation in the Arctic - How to cooperate across programmes: experience from the Interreg-ENI CBC Arctic collaboration
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A Q&A session focused on how to achieve cross-programme collaboration between the Interreg and ENI-CBC programmes, and how to benefit from synergies.
It is not self-evident that programmes can work together without a formal strategy. We would like to explain how to achieve this kind of "soft cooperation" and how it can be integrated into the programming process.
The target audience is other programme cooperation bodies, as well as colleagues in DG REGIO working with Interreg and ENI-CBC.
Moderator:
Christopher Parker, Programme Manager, Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, Denmark
Speakers:
Antti Haapalahti, Project Leader N-EEC - North-European Energy Cluster, formerly from Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Finland.
Irene McMaster, Research Fellow, European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Kirsti Mijnhijmer, Head of Secretariat, Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, Denmark.
Marko Ruokangas, Director of the Karelia CBC Programme, Council Of Oulu Region, Finland.
The Arctic Cooperation will also be present with a stand at the virtual exhibition, the Cooperation Village.
Wed 14, October 2020 14:30 - 16:00
Disruptive Digital Technology & Cohesion Policy
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Provision of public services is a major challenge in rural areas due to lack of critical mass, human resources and remote dispersed communities. Disruptive digital technologies can help overcome the challenge by reducing costs, spanning distances and improving decision making while contributing to the achievement of Europe’s twin green / digital goals.
Based on examples and pilots developed in the transnational Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) programme, this workshop aims to produce conclusions on the role that technologies such as Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence can play in future public service delivery.
Successful integration of emerging disruptive digital technologies (VR, AI & IoT) into existing public services will help achieve key ERDF / Cohesion Policy goals for the 2021-2027 period. The session, targeted at public service providers and digital tech suppliers (universities, research centres, companies), aims to identify solutions / challenges.
Moderator:
Colm Mc Colgan, General Manager, ERNACT, Ireland.
Speakers:
Pierre Baviera, CEO, Derilinx, Ireland.
Madeleine Blusi, Researcher, Association of Local Authorities in Västernorrland, Sweden.
Colm Mc Colgan, General Manager, ERNACT, Ireland.
Kirsti Mijnhijmer, Head of Secretariat, Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, Denmark.
Valerie Moreau, Network Manager, Laval Mayenne Technopole, France.
Jose Manuel San Emeterio, Project Manager, ERNACT, Ireland.
Wed 14, October 2020 19:00 - 20:30
Watch the Regiostars Ceremony.
Live webstreaming.
Thu 15, October 2020 11:00 - 12:00
EU literary tourism: untapped potential.
Register here
The session will begin with a description of the EU Interreg NPA funded Spot-Lit Project and how it is breaking new ground in this new and emerging cultural sector. This will be followed by short presentations from the project regions highlighting the untapped potential of literary tourism in the EU and the various ways in which literary tourism businesses have been supported through the project to cooperate and collaborate, in spite of the various challenges of Brexit and the global pandemic.
Literary Tourism businesses participating in the Spot-Lit Project operate in the context of four thematic areas of exploration: How LT can engage with children and young people in Scotland, building an LT destination for untapped assets in N. Ireland, making use of digital technology in Finland and harnessing the power of performance art in the West of Ireland.
Q & As will proceed with three LT experts from the project regions who will answer questions based on how cohesion and cooperation has manifested itself through the project - between partners, regions and the LT businesses.
The session will conclude with a summing up from the Lead Partner organisation of the Spot-Lit Project who will guide and facilitate any further questions and discussions.
Moderator: Andy Hallewell, Innovation Officer, ICBAN, United Kingdom.
Speakers:
Liam Browne, Artistic Director, Arts over Borders, United Kingdom.
Sean Doran, Artistic Director, Arts over Borders, United Kingdom.
Mary Keaveney, Project Officer, WDC, Ireland.
Minna Komulainen, Project Manager, Regional Council of Kainuu, Finland.
Minna Mustonen, Project Officer, Regional Council of Kainuu, Finland.
Karen Sweeney, Regional Communications Executive, Western Development Commission, Ireland.
Adrian Turpin, Artistic Director, Wigtown Festival Company, United Kingdom.
Tue 20, October 2020 16:30 - 18:00
Renewable energy reaching everywhere.
Register here
Does arctic conditions such as darkness, snow and cold not sound as ideal conditions for renewable energy? There are more opportunities than you might expect. This workshop presents new research results about solar power and renewable energy in Arctic conditions.
Achieving climate-neutrality requires maximising the deployment of renewable energy throughout Europe. Investors, private sector incl. SMEs, public sector and consumers need to be part in the uptake of renewable energy. The speakers shares how they get actors to shift to renewable energy in interventions funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Interreg: Northern Periphery and Arctic region.
This case demonstrates that shifting to renewable energy is possible everywhere and discusses how to achieve the sustainable green transition that the European Green Deal foresees.
Moderator:
Aurélie Beauvais, Policy Director, SolarPower Europe, Belgium.
Speakers:
Paula Abreu Marques, Head of Unit for “Renewables and CCS policy”, European Commission, DG Energy, Belgium.
Anna Mård, Innovation Manager, Piteå Science Park, Sweden.
Anna Malou Petersson, Director of Energy Technology, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Sweden.
Nick Timmons, Project leader SMARTrenew, Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Ireland.
Registration is open until Sunday 27th October 7th!
The registration to the first ever fully digital EURegionsWeek is open at this link and will close on different dates for each week:
Registration to week 1 sessions Empowering Citizens remain open until 1 October.
Registration to week 2 sessions Cohesion and Cooperation remain open until 7 October.
Registration to week 3 sessions Green Europe remain open until 14 October.
Be aware that the login system requires a two steps identification process to prevent cyber attacks. Remember to add a mobile phone number when you crete your account the first time.
We hope to see you there !
About EURegionsWeek
The event has grown to become a unique communication and networking platform, bringing together regions and cities from all over Europe, including their political representatives, officials as well as experts and academics. Over the last 17 years, it has done much to promote policy learning and exchange of good practices.
In 2019, the #EURegionsWeek reached a record high of more than 9000 participants and more than 330 sessions, which shows the event's relevance and potential as a platform for political communication in relation to the development of EU cohesion policy, raising the awareness of decision-makers about the fact that regions and cities matter in EU policy-making.
Through their programme, cities and regions will showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance.
What is the purpose of the EURegionsWeek?
- Discuss common challenges for European regions and cities and to exchange ideas on possible solutions by bringing together political representatives, decision-makers, experts and practitioners of regional policy, as well as stakeholders from business, banking, civil society organisations, academia, the EU institutions and the media;
- Provide a platform for capacity-building and the exchange of experience and good practices for those implementing EU cohesion policy and managing its financial instruments;
- Facilitate cooperation and networking between regions and cities;
- Feed into the debate on EU cohesion policy in a wider context, including recent research and views from third countries and international organisations.