The Baltic Sea Cultural Centre (BSCC) and LAZNIA Centre for Contemporary Art, in collaboration with the River//Cities Platform, would like to invite you to “River Banks as a Space for Inhabitants Integration” a two-day conference in Gdansk, Poland, 22-23 March 2010.

Public space is a common good, an essential component in the integration and regeneration of society. Waterfront areas and rivers are especially important as they are at the core of our cities and connect many important fields, such as the environment, transportation links, architecture, arts and culture. It is essential that our rivers and riverbanks are regenerated in a way that takes civic needs into consideration, while also respecting environmental demands. Although many European cities have begun a process of such river regeneration, others are far from it.  In Gdansk and in the Pomorskie region problems associated to the river banks call for in-depth discussions and actions.

The conference gathers experts and representatives of river initiatives from around Europe, as well as other representatives of the River//Cities Platform.

The conference aims to transfer knowledge and competence to local and regional authorities and research organisations tasked with revitalising riverbanks in urban areas and who are in the process of developing projects and initiatives. The programme is open to those interested in the subject: authorities, NGOs, artists, culture organisations, environmental groups and others.

 PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME

The River//Cities Platform is looking to connect with a number of new partner cities around Europe, and would therefore like to invite those interested to take part in the Platform as a member. For this purpose you are also invited to the Annual General Assembly of the platform, taking place in Gdansk on 21 March in the afternoon.

There is no participation fee in the conference. More detailed programme will be available after 15 February.

Contact:
Magdalena Zakrzewska-Duda
Head of International Relations Department

The Baltic Sea Cultural Centre
ul. Korzenna 33/35
80-851 Gdańsk
Poland
tel. +48 (58) 326 10 13; fax +48 (58) 301 19 57
mobile: +48 604 944 646
e-mail: magdalena.zakrzewska@nck.org.pl