Call to action: Participate in the Dialogue on the EU Urban Agenda

The Dutch Presidency of the EU Council – taking place throughout the first half of 2016, is getting ready for the ministerial conference concerning the EU Urban Agenda on 30 May 2016, where the “Pact of Amsterdam” will be signed. This Agenda will launch partnerships of Member States, the European Commission and cities to tackle concrete urban challenges relating to 12 selected priority themes – from urban poverty to affordable housing and inclusion of migrants and refugees.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EU URBAN AGENDA

To raise awareness on the importance to embed culture and participatory governance models involving citizens, together with our partners we sent a joint letter to the Dutch Minister of the Interior Mr Ronald Plasterk and Urban Envoy for the EU Urban Agenda Mr Nicolaas Beets, since the Dutch are leading the process with the EU Member States to sign the Pact of Amsterdam on 30 May.

The partners involved are: the European Cultural Foundation together with Pakhuis de Zwijger, Agora Europa, Alderman of Culture at Amersfoort Mrs. Houweling, Leeuwarden – Fryslân European Capital of Culture 2018, Kunsten ’92, Dutch Association of Public Libraries, Connected Action for the Commons, European Alternatives, Culture Action Europe, Eutropian and Rede DLBC LISBOA.

We have raised three proposals to embed in the EU Urban Agenda:

1. To include civil society organisations, communities and citizens as stakeholders in the Pact of Amsterdam and the Partnerships via:
• Creating civil-public initiatives as part of the Partnerships as a model of good urban participative governance
• Introduce a new theme for Partnerships: Co-Creating the City
• Have a more balanced representation, with greater involvement on the part of civil society, communities and citizens

2. Make culture a cross-cutting issue

3. Embed evaluation and impact assessment