The EUROCITIES Conference 2018 took place in Edinburgh on 28-30 November and focussed on the place of culture in driving successful, inclusive and prosperous cities and enriching the quality of life of our citizens.
Over 500 participants attended the conference, representing over 120 cities, with around 100 politicians taking part. The keynote address, given by Charles Landry, author and international advisor on the future of cities, was very well received. As were interventions by Frank Ross, Lord Provost, Edinburgh and Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister, Scotland.
A central element of the conference this year, were the six ‘creative conversations’ which were held in parallel sessions around three strands:
- Involving citizens in cultural projects to promote social inclusion and empower citizens in making decisions about their communities and life chances
- Inspiring new partnerships and models to maximise potential in the creative sector
- Impacting inclusive and sustainable economic growth through culture and creativity
On Thursday 29 November, SCIS was presented during the speed-networking session, together with the lighthouse projects’ community which all together promote the idea of smarter cities for the benefit of citizens. The presentation emphasized the potential of local partnerships between city authorities, companies, academia and citizens to make our cities strive and create places for a good quality of life.