Conferentie: Cities of opportunity

Dear Sir, Madam,

It is my great pleasure to invite you to the *EUKN International
Conference* themed *"Cities of Opportunity – the urban promise of upward
mobility"* on 22-23 September 2008 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The conference theme underlines the importance of cities for
socioeconomic development in the European territory. Europe is a city.
75 per cent of Europeans live in urban areas. They are responsible for
over 80 per cent of all economic activity. 'Prosperous cities' equals a
prospering Europe. At the same time, opportunity and prosperity are not
equally distributed within the city. Every European urban area contains
neighbourhoods, districts, streets that are more or less deprived.
Deprived urban areas are often viewed as being problematic and harmful
within the urban fabric.

 From a more positive point of view, deprived urban areas hold an
enormous potential for socioeconomic development. The challenge is to
harness the potential of deprived urban areas and their inhabitants –
and offer them opportunities to access the wider society.

The 2008 edition of the European Urban Knowledge Network's (EUKN)
international conference will change the perception of deprived urban
areas as an accumulation of problems to a view that is more in line with
the actual situation in our cities. The conference will focus on how to
build on the potential and energy present in deprived urban areas and on
exploring ways in which these areas and their inhabitants can play their
part in the creation of comprehensive, well-balanced and vital cities.

Confirmed *key note* *speakers* for this two-day conference include:

   * *Patrick Le Galès*, Research Director at CNRS and at Sciences Po
   * *Ella Vogelaar*, Minister for Housing, Communities and Integration
   * *Ivo Opstelten*, Mayor of Rotterdam
   * *Dominic Schrijer*, Vice-Mayor of Rotterdam

At the conference you will participate in *onsite visits* in which
international comparisons will be presented. An *expert panel* will
discuss the practical implications of an integrated approach to urban
development. You will contribute to the drafting of the *Rotterdam
Recommendations*, which will be presented to the French EU Presidency.
The social programme includes a *boat tour* on the River Maas and a
*conference dinner* in the centre of the panoramic Rotterdam skyline.

"Cities of opportunity – the urban promise of upward mobility" is
organised by the European Urban Knowledge Network in cooperation with
the City of Rotterdam, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom
Relations and Nicis Institute.

EUKN is a decentralised knowledge network with National Focal Points
(NFPs) in 16 EU Member States. The NFPs provide the international
dimension to the onsite visits giving a pan-European perspective to the
Rotterdam Recommendations.

The conference takes place in City Hall, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
*The participation fee is  €200 for two conference days. Register before
15 July and receive a €50 early bird discount.*

To register, please complete the attached registration form and send it to:

EUKN Secretariat

PO BOX 90750

2509 LT The Hague

The Netherlands

The registration form can also be downloaded on the EUKN website:
http://www.eukn.org/eukn/meetings/2008/09/cities-of-opportunity_1007.html

I am looking forward to meeting you in Rotterdam!

Kind regards,

Wim Hafkamp
Scientific Director

* *

*Nicis Institute
European Urban Knowledge Network
*Laan van Nieuw Oost Indië 300
2593 CE Den Haag
Postbus 90750
2509 LT The Hague
The Netherlands

T +31 (0)70 344 09 66
F +31 (0)70 344 09 67
CoC 27197578
www.eukn.org <http://www.eukn.org/>
www.nicis.nl <http://www.nicis.nl/>

*
Nicis Brussels
*21-23 rue d'Arlon
1050 Brussels
Belgium

T  +32 (0)2 213 84 30