The 7th Informed Cities Forum will take place on 15-16 October in the Praga district of Warsaw, Poland.
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Are you looking for new ideas, tools and partners to help you change your city?
We invite you to join more than 100 urban thinkers and practitioners from across Europe in the Praga district of Warsaw for the 7th edition of the Informed Cities Forum.
The 2019 edition will zoom in on urban regeneration processes, examining their real and potential impacts on people and places. Building on the experience of the OpenHeritage project and the Actors of Urban Change community, the forum will explore new ideas and tools to empower local communities and safeguard urban commons.
The event will gather a mix of urban activists, social entrepreneurs, local and European policy makers, researchers, investors and funders to exchange and learn from one another in a unique arena. The aim is to bring together practical urban regeneration experience with financial and regulatory expertise in order to increase social, economic and environmental benefits for our communities.
Heritage: People. Places. Potential.
Cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, has the potential to bring people together around shared values and help them work towards a more prosperous future.
However, in many European cities cultural heritage has been forgotten, exploited for private profit or interpreted to fit current political needs. To resist and reverse these processes, we need to understand:
• What is the economic, social and environmental impact of urban regeneration processes, both real and potential?
• Who is or should be involved in these processes, how can we share responsibilities and solve conflicts?
• What kind of financial, legal or practical solutions exist to safeguard community interests and what kind of support is needed to strengthen and share them?
Why Praga?
Praga is known for its strong community ties, industrial heritage and vibrant arts scene. Located on the right bank of the Vistula river, Praga largely missed out on the rapid transformation the entire city underwent starting in the 1990s. To remedy this, the city has developed an Integrated Urban Regeneration Programme (2015-2022) focused on priority areas within Praga, where high levels of poverty, unemployment and crime co-exist with low quality of built environment. At the same time, Praga, with its central location and recent infrastructure investments, is a prime candidate for gentrification, as evidenced by a number of vacant buildings and lots currently under development.
Is there a different path that Praga can follow, learning from the mistakes of many European cities? Participants will dive straight into local debates and conflicts, meeting activists, policy makers and experts involved in shaping this unique neighbourhood.
Meet us in Warsaw
Participation is free of charge and registration is now open. Grab your spot before it’s too late!
For more information, please contact us at info(at)informedcities.eu or visit www.informedcities.eu.
We welcome ideas and suggestions concerning the programme of the event. If you would like to contribute to the event, please get in touch with us to discuss your ideas.