Conferencia: Igualdad, Diversidad e Inclusión

12.12.2016 Conferencia: Igualdad, Diversidad e Inclusión

BILBAO City, EUDEL AND CEMR signed in Maastricht the European Agreement to host the Conference ‘EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION’ 2018

The agreement between Bilbao City Mayor, Juan Mari Aburto, EUDEL (Association of Basque Municipalities) President Imanol Landa and recently elected of the European municipalities, Stefano Bonaccini, current of the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, was signed today at 5 pm.
This agreement, the first official event for the new CEMR , officially seals Bilbao designation as host for the Conference to be held from 11^th to 13^th June, and expected to attract 500 people.
In 2018, Bilbao will be the highest level annual forum between leaders of municipalities and regions throughout Europe. Therefore, this event represents a crucial opportunity to define the new strategy on equality and social inclusion policies at local level in forthcoming years.
For EUDEL President, Imanol Landa, the designation of Bilbao as host for this event “proves the trust our European counterparts have in us” and means “a new opportunity to share good practices and networking with municipalities throughout Europe”.

Maastricht, on 12th December 2016. This evening, Bilbao City Mayor, EUDEL President and today’s recently appointed President of European Municipalities and Regions-CEMR, Stefano Bonaccini, current of the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, signed the agreement at 5 pm, in the city of Maastricht (provincial headquarters building in Limburg). The Italian regional leader was elected by 61 votes of the Policy Committee against the 34 votes obtained by the other candidate, Brussels Mayor, Yvan Mayeur.

Bilbao City Mayor, Juan Mari Aburto and representing EUDEL, the President, Imanol Landa, (Getxo Mayor), along with the President of the Equality Committee, Ibon Uribe (Galdakao Mayor) travelled to the European capital to take part in the meeting of the Policy Committee of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) which will take place between today and tomorrow (Tuesday) and is expected to be attended by 150 local elected representatives from all member states.

The signature of the Agreement to host, the Conference on ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’ from 11^th to 13^th June 2018 in Bilbao was included in this Policy Committee meeting which coincides with the 25^th Anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty, as well as the appointment of the new CEMR President.

This body which reports to the European Council is considered the voice of European municipalities as it represents over 150,000 public authorities, grouped in 55 Associations of Municipalities and Regions from 41 different countries, including EUDEL, as the Association of Basque Municipalities.

The agreement signed today between the City of Bilbao, EUDEL and CEMR, is even more relevant since it represents the first official event for the Italian regional, Stefano Bonaccini, in his new European role.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 13^th, on the second day of the Maastricht Policy Committee, EUDEL President and Bilbao City Mayor will offer an official presentation of Bilbao 2018 Conference from 11.30 am, before elected representatives of European municipalities as well as regional members of the Policy Committee.

For Imanol Landa, as EUDEL President and member of CEMR, having the opportunity to host this major forum of local European governments in our country is “a historical milestone and a huge honour for Bilbao and all Basque municipalities”.

The President believes the European Council to entrust the Conference organisation in the capital of Bizkaia “evidences the trust our European counterparts place in us”, and therefore will represent “a new opportunity to share good practices and networking with municipalities throughout Europe”. Imanol Landa highlighted, “CEMR sees us as a reference for equality and social inclusion policies. This is the best recognition for the achievements and progress made in our towns and villages as a result of the institutional cooperation and political commitment of councils”.

Just this evening, immediately after the official Conference signing, CEMR has started a debate on the 10^th Anniversary of the ‘European Charter for Equality at local level”. This Charter was approved in 2006 to foster public commitment to equality through local and regional authorities and to date 1,500 authorities have already adhered to it (36 local institutions in the Basque Country) from 32 European countries.

EUDEL representative and Galdakao Mayor, Ibon Uribe, as current President of CEMR’s Standing Committee for Equality took part in the debate.

Collaboration Agreement and next steps

Thanks to the agreement subscribed today, EUDEL and Bilbao City Council undertake to collaborate and work in co-operation with the organisation and design of the Conference programme. Moreover, CEMR will provide advice and technical support besides being responsible for providing greater dissemination for the event within the realm of European institutions, through associations of municipalities like EUDEL.

After today’s signature, the next step will be to activate a technical-scientific committee who will be responsible for preparing the Conference contents regarding session format and selecting topics and speakers.

The organisation team will consist of EUDEL and Bilbao City Council representatives in close cooperation with CEMR and its European network of experts. The Council of European Municipalities and Regions also boasts an Observatory of the European Chart for Equality. This Observatory’s data and knowledge will provide added value to the debates and reflections arising during the Conference.

CEMR Agreement includes the organisation of study visits in the hosting city to supervise the performance of work prior to the Conference.

Furthermore, EUDEL has amassed a wealth of experience through different support programmes for Basque councils working in favour of equality and in the fight against against gender violence. A prime example of this is ‘Berdinsarea’ Network (Network of Basque Municipalities for Equality), which in 2016 celebrated its 10th anniversary of multilevel and co-operation work between EUDEL, Emakunde and participating councils.

Conference and Policy Committee, from Rome to Bilbao 2018

Every four years, the CEMR organises with all its members (locally elected from national associations of municipalities and regions), a major thematic conference focused on one or several fields of interest for local governments and with marked relevance in relation to the priorities of European institutions. Capitals, such as Rome in 2014, have hosted this Conference which now comes to Bilbao in 2018.

Moreover, within the Conference framework, the CEMR will hold a Policy Committee meeting, made up of 150 local and regional authorities at the highest level, with EUDEL President among them.

The Policy Committee meeting is the highest decision making forum to defend the interests of local governments and now plays an even more relevant role at a critical time for the future of Europe, immersed in the design of its new strategy 2030.

The Conference 2018, with a programme including speeches from experts, debates and workshops will take place, from 11^th to 13^th June. 500 people, are expected to attend: mainly representatives at the highest level of local and regional governments, European institutions and member states, along with academics, international experts and social actors involved.

Background: candidacy nomination

Bilbao city nomination to host the Conference on “Equality, Diversity and Inclusion” was put forward by EUDEL as member of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR).

In March 2016, EUDEL formally submitted Bilbao candidacy to the CEMR during a meeting of general Secretaries in Brussels. On 21^st April, within the framework of CEMR Nicosia Summit, the CEMR Policy Committee approved Bilbao’s nomination. The ratification in Maastricht today on 12^th December, makes the appointment of Bizkaia’s capital, official.

Bilbao appointment is also the result of the high consideration received by the political commitment and serious work carried out by Basque municipalities to reinforce local equality and social inclusion policies.

Coincidentally, the current CEMR Standing Committee for Equality President is Ibon Uribe (Galdakao Mayor), who will hold this post until 2018 in representation of the Association of Basque Municipalities (EUDEL).

18.10.2016 Conferencia: Igualdad, Diversidad e Inclusión

EUDEL joins municipalities from around the world with a political commitment to gender equality

Yesterday (Friday) Bogota provided the perfect ending to the World Summit of local governments with a forum on gender equality which gathered female leaders and local elected Mayoresses such as Anne Hidalgo, Mayoress of Paris and Manuela Carmena, Mayoress of Madrid.

Ibon Uribe participated in the Forum as EUDEL representative to convey the voice of municipalities and describe the progress made in terms of Equality as a result of the joint cooperation of Basque institutions.

Galdakao Mayor advocated to foster the “feminization” of politics through strong leadership from local governments. Uribe defended the importance of gender quotas for balanced representation, as well as the reinforcement of municipal criteria and tools to provide a new boost to local equality policies.

Balanced representation of women and men in politics is a priority for local cities and governments worldwide; (UCLG) states women make up less than 20% of councillors and only 5% in councils worldwide.

Bilbao, 15^th October 2016. Yesterday, Friday 14^th October, EUDEL conveyed the voice of Basque municipalities in favour of gender equality. For the first time EUDEL has taken part in the United Local Cities and Governments (ULCG) World Summit programme, in its 5^th International Congress held in Bogotá.

Ibon Uribe, Galdakao Mayor and current Equality Chairman of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), participated as invited speaker in the Equality Forum which provided the perfect ending to the World Summit hosted in the capital of Colombia. During the session which took place from 11 am to 12.30 pm, fostering the feminization of politics and gender equality as priorities for local governments worldwide were discussed among other issues.

Bogotá Equality Forum gathered local elected female representatives as well as Mayoresses from cities around the world. This long list included countries such as: Canada, Cameroon, Mauritania, the Philippines, Panama or Colombia, and was led by the Mayoress of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who is the current chairwoman of UCLG Standing Committee on Gender Equality. In addition, from Spain the Mayoress of Madrid, Manuela Carmena will also be taking part in the event.

Ibon Uribe invited local representatives from towns and cities worldwide to exercise a strong leadership to promote women and men’s equality in local life. “Municipalities and regions must contribute to this change, as we are closer to citizens and international bodies such as the ULCG which play a critical role in referring this need to national associations, local governments and institutions of Global estates and facilitate criteria and tools”, stated Uribe yesterday.

To do so, the EUDEL representative proposed three key instruments: political commitment, quotas and empowerment.

In Europe, the ‘Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life’ (2006, in force for the last 10 years) is the main regulatory reference to foster gender equality in municipalities. “The Charter is committed to defend and support women’s and men’s right to vote, to be candidates, to be elected”, explained Ibon Uribe, “and expressly encourages women to join electoral lists as candidates, and political parties and groups to implement and apply the balanced representation principle”.

The EUDEL representative defended “action to accelerate change and legislation to establish quotas; let’s facilitate matters for those wishing to be elected to represent society as it is, correcting an imbalance that unless acted upon will take decades to solve naturally.”