1st Go Local Conference - "Local Answers to Global Challenges" - 6th March, Maia - Portugal

FREE ENTRANCE

Instituto Marquês de Valle de Flôr (IMVF), Non-governmental Development Organisation, with more than 60 years of activity in the promotion of cooperation, and Maia Municipality will organise, on 6th March 2013, in Maia - Portugal, an International Conference under the theme "Local Answers to Global Challenges".

The latest international projections foresee that by 2030, 60% of the world population will be living in urban areas. This reality will require a change in the current socioeconomic, cultural and environmental paradigms. Against this backdrop, the role of municipalities as key actors in development and cooperation issues is of the utmost importance to strength the three pillars of sustainable development - social, economic and environmental.

Faced with the new local, national and international challenges that shape daily lives of both Portuguese and European cities, such as: high unemployment, financial constraints and strong social and environmental pressures, Local Authorities - key actors in the development process - with strong responsibilities in the promotion of the wellbeing of their communities, have the power to give strong and effective responses to these challenges. However, the answer to local communities cannot be dissociated from global realities, requiring “glocal” strategies and approaches.

In an interdependent world we need to strengthen global partnerships for development. All stakeholders with responsibilities in development policies – including Portuguese Municipalities – have to raise their voices and efforts in the pursuit of international commitments and goals.

Partnerships between civil society and local authorities have clear added value to development processes and are crucial to the convergence of efforts towards poverty eradication, education for all, gender equality, health, economic and environmental sustainability.

This conference is one of the activities of the "Go Local: for a Sustainable City" Project, cofinanced by the European Comission and supported by the Portuguese Cooperation, and aims to support municipalities to speak out in favour of the adoption of coherent policites at a glocal level, in order to achieve social justice, economic inclusion, poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Programme