2018 Tallinn
Seminar list
Invitation
Monday 4 June 2018 @ Creative Hub (Põhja pst 27a, Tallinn)
Dear friends of the Baltic Sea Region,
The successful implementation of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) and its objectives depends on the broadest possible mobilization and participation of stakeholders in all respective countries.
Strong bottom-up participation and sense of “ownership” by various stakeholders - both in policy shaping and practical implementation - significantly contribute to the success of the Strategy.
The macro-regional strategies, and their emphasis on participatory multi-level governance can also be of special importance now, when the European Union is striving to reconnect better with its citizens and to chart its way forward.
Therefore, the Horizontal Action Capacity and its coordinators, charged with the task of involvement, participation and capacity building of the EUSBSR stakeholders have decided to organize on Monday 4 June 2018 a Participation Day back-to-back with the EUSBSR Annual Forum in Tallinn. The event has been planned together with the Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities.
This Participation Day is the 2nd in EUSBSR, hopefully the start of a tradition. Last year the first Participation Day gathered some 60 stakeholders to Berlin. In total 21 project proposals were presented.
Due to limits of time and space, the Participation Day in Tallinn will this time concentrate on three themes:
- Sustainable consumption and production (PA Bioeconomy)
- Integration of refugees (PA Education)
- Energy efficiency (PA Energy)
We invite representatives of EUSBSR stakeholders, such as local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, academia, business and media, to this Tallinn Participation Day.
The organisers will do their best to ensure that as many different organisations/networks as possible can attend and present their proposals and views. As the space is limited (max. 80 participants), we can unfortunately accept only one participant per organisation.
The final day for expressing your interest to participate is 16 May 2018.
You are also invited to present in advance short, concise and concrete project proposals, concepts or ideas about the themes of the Participation Day. These will be available at the HA
Capsacity website before the Participation Day in Tallinn.
The organisers will confirm the acceptance of participants and select the most promising proposals to be presented in the Tallinn Participation Day by 11 May 2018.
You will find the draft programme, instructions for expressing your interest to participate and to present your proposals as well as other useful information in the attachments.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
HA Capacity
Mr Anders Bergström, Norden Association/Baltic Sea NGO Network
Mr Mikko Lohikoski, Centrum Balticum Foundation/Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC)
Participation Day Programme
involving local actors, public and civil society in Baltic Sea cooperation
Monday 4 June 2018 @ Creative Hub (Põhja pst 27a, Tallinn
08:30 Registration
09:00 Opening statements
Welcome
Mr Toivo Riimaa, Deputy Director, The Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities.
EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region in brief / Participation Day (PD) – introducing the concept
Mr Anders Bergström, Horizontal Action Coordinator, HA Capacity
09:30 Introducing the three themes
Overview of existing development processes in EUSBSR in each theme focusing on possibilities for the target groups to join thematic working groups or other processes.
- Sustainable consumption and production
Mr. Torfi Jóhannesson, Policy Area Coordinator, PA Bioeconomy
- Integration of migrants
Mr. Anders Bergström, Policy Area Coordinator, PA Education
- Energy Efficiency
Ms. Madara Zvirgzdiņa, Policy Area Coordinator, PA Energy
The horizontal priority this year is digitalization.
10:00 Workshops (incl. coffee break)
- Sustainable consumption and production
Moderator; Mr. Torfi Jóhannesson
Rapporteur; tbc
We are facing a new era of the bio economy, in which new industries will be built, new jobs created, and new standards for resource efficiency achieved. A new era in which, if we do it right, primary production also has the potential to benefit from the added value generated from upgrading biomass to more valuable products and bio-based and food industries will have opportunities to be more competitive. If managed with strict adherence to sustainable development, the bio economy will be key to pursuing many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is important to discuss how we can ensure sustainable growth in the bio economy, so it will not lead to depletion of resources, degradation of the environment or loss of biodiversity.
- Integration of migrants
Moderator: Ms. Sabine Hahn
Rapporteur: Mr. Nino Simic
The increased number of refugees constitutes a challenge to those countries where refugees choose to seek asylum. At the same time our societies struggle with demographic changes with an ageing population but also with “brain drain”. This underlines the need for an effective integration of refugees and other migrants in order for them to contribute to the building of inclusive, cohesive and prosperous societies which is of common interest to all our countries. We welcome proposals how local actors, public, private and civil society together improve the integration of migrants.
- Energy efficiency
Moderator: tbc
Rapporteur: Ms. Madara Zvirgzdiņa
By using energy more efficiently, Europeans can lower their energy bills, reduce their reliance on external suppliers of oil and gas, and help protect the environment. Energy efficiency has to be increased at all stages of the energy chain, from generation to final consumption. The rate of building renovation needs to be increased, as the existing building stock represents the single biggest potential sector for energy savings. It has been stressed that buildings represent 40 % of the EU’s final energy consumption therefore identification of cost-effective approaches to renovations relevant to the building type and climatic zone is essential. Municipalities as well as civil society organisations play important roles helping citizens to make conscious choices.
11:30 Closing Session
Reports from the three workshops
Evaluation of the Participation Day – inputs for next year´s PD
Closing remarks
12:30 Closure