5th International Mayors’ Conference NOW Vienna
“SHAPING THE FUTURE – Social Cohesion in our Cities”
Vienna, 29 – 30 January 2018
From January 29 – 30, 2018 the 5th International Mayors’ Conference NOW “Shaping the Future – Social Cohesion in our Cities”, under the auspices of the Austrian Federal President Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, took place in Vienna.
The conference addressed social cohesion on communal levels, with a special emphasis on children and young people, using a human and children’s rights based approach. Social Cohesion has become a burning issue for communities across Europe. The constant increase in social inequality, resulting in a rising polarisation of society, has recently been accentuated by the current subject of integrating refugees and migrants. A constructive approach to handling this challenge is essential if we are to make a change for the better.
Participants from various backgrounds – mayors, NGO-representatives, experts, local and new arrival children and youth – from Europe and the MENAT region discussed and promoted new political visions, public discourses and impactful policies to improve social cohesion from a human rights perspective.
The conference provided a platform for exchange on lived realities, existing challenges, promising and successful approaches on a municipal level with dedicated spaces to co-create, share and network. The 5th NOW Conference organized by Act.Now in cooperation with the Bruno Kreisky Forum for international Dialogue was curated by Dr. Viola Raheb, Researcher, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Department of the Studies of Religions, University of Vienna.
“In order to make sure that children and adolescents can live their lives in safety, dignity, and prosperity we must focus both our thinking and actions on propagating and strengthening social cohesion in our immediate vicinity, in our communities, in our municipalities, and in our cities and countries.”
– Declaration of the 5th International Mayors’ Conference NOW in Vienna 2018
Videos
Impressions
Contributors – Team – Organisation
International Mayors’ Conference NOW Vienna 2018
initiated by Act.Now | André Heller, Patricia Kahane and Elke Zuckermann
Curator responsible for the content
Dr. Viola Raheb, Researcher, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Chair of the Study of Religions, University of Vienna
Contributors
Artistic Design: Georg Resetschnig
Music Director: Marwan Abado
Public Relations: Elke Zuckermann, The Skills Group | Jörg Wollmann, Christiane Fuchs-Robetin
Social Media: Lena Doppel, Ally Auner, Jürgen Haslauer
Logistics: Büro Wien | Michael Müllner, Sina Kleinewiese, Daniel Schwarzkopf
Moderation & Consulting: complet | Ebru Sonuc & Bernhard Drumel, Susanne Ehmer, Georg Fodor, Adrian Holter, Michael Patak, Christine Pircher, Gundi Vater
Graphic Design: Michael Balgavy
Photographer: Rishabh Kaul, Wolfgang Simlinger
Visual Recording: Harald Karrer
Editor: Ernst Schmiederer
Project Coordination and Administration: Act.Now GmbH | Catrin Neumüller, Robert Schafleitner, Julia Probst, Sulaiman Al Mahmoud, Elisabeth Proidl, Stephanie Huber
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