{"id":6899,"date":"2018-12-05T10:18:26","date_gmt":"2018-12-05T09:18:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rijeka.hr\/en\/?p=6899"},"modified":"2018-12-06T10:25:00","modified_gmt":"2018-12-06T09:25:00","slug":"mayor-obersnel-signed-declaration-cooperation-digital-transformation-smart-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rijeka.hr\/en\/mayor-obersnel-signed-declaration-cooperation-digital-transformation-smart-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Obersnel signed the Declaration of Cooperation on Digital Transformation and Smart Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"

In what was a day full of presentations and panel discussions, Markku Markkula, Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions and Rapporteur for Digital Europe, opened proceedings by calling it a \u201crevolutionary step forward for the cities\u201d.<\/p>\n

Picking up the baton, Slawomir Tokarski, Director for Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing at the European Commission highlighted the importance of merging Digital, Industrial and Urban policy. He also invited the participants to inspire and learn from each other to make the Digital Cities Challenge stronger and to better to respond to societal challenges. An overview of the Digital Cities Challenge so far and the vision ahead was given by Dana Eleftheriadou, Head of Advanced Technologies Team at European Commission.<\/p>\n

Franc Weerwind, Mayor of city of Almere and Member responsible for Digital Connectivity at the Amsterdam Economic Board, shared the success story<\/a> of the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, as one of the six Mentor cities in the Challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Amsterdam Metropolitan Area is one of the Mentor cities in this programme, because we believe in sharing our vision with other cities in terms of knowledge and innovation, but, please, let me assure you that our \u2018success\u2019 story has been established, due to knowledge and innovation coming also from your cities,\u201d said Mayor Weerwind.<\/p>\n

All mayors presented their cities visions in the 4 panel sessions:
\nInsight was shared on how to Shape a winning strategy and brand<\/strong>, by ”REal” Granada, Herakleio’s first Greek smart city strategy, the talent management in the youth-full city of Derry and the ”Connected city” of Gelsenkirchen.<\/p>\n

Pori’s ROBOCAST cluster, Alcoy’s smart governance plan, Padova’s self-driving vehicles and Smart Costa Blanca were the examples on how to reinvent growth through technology and data<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Skills and employability<\/strong> were covered by Thessaloniki’s incubators, L’Aquila’s and Iasi’s university communities and Trikala’s Public-private partnerships for digital skills.<\/p>\n

On the last panel about unlocking investments<\/strong> Rijeka’s project ”Powerhouse” was presented together with the model for participatory budgeting in Arad, Kavala’s plan to use the Digital Cities Challenge brand as a tool to attract investment, the work of Sofia’s Investment Agency to attract foreign funds and Algeciras’s work with ERDF and the DCC as a tool for a more focused city strategy.<\/p>\n

In what was a major coup for the network, the mayors of the participating cities signed a Declaration on their commitment to cooperation on digital transformation and smart growth.<\/p>\n

Among a number of factors to foster dynamic innovation ecosystems, utilise cutting-edge technologies, upskill the city, scale up infrastructure and drive change through networking, the cities agreed to:<\/p>\n

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