Archived News Items - May 2008

China promises a successful World Urban Forum Posted 5/26/2008
China has given the assurance that the fourth session of the World Urban Forum scheduled 3-7 November in the Chinese city of Nanjing will go ahead successfully: “We place very high expectation on the World Forum. We will spare no effort to ensure a successful Forum,” said Mr. Zhang Taolin, Vice-Governor of Jiangsu Province in a meeting with UN-HABITAT officials. Mr. Taolin, headed an eight-member delegation which came to Nairobi to establish strategic relationship between Jiangsu Province, of which Nanjing is the capital, and the two United Nations programmes in Kenya, UN-HABITAT, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). UN-HABITAT officials cited the agency’s “long and positive” relationship with China. They gave a detailed briefing on the work of the agency, and said UN-HABITAT looked forward to deepening the relationship with the Jiangsu Province, whose capital city, Nanjing, will host the Fourth session of the World Urban Forum. They also explained how the Forum was an event of great interest not only to the UN and UN-HABITAT, but to the international community as a whole. The officials expressed appreciation to China for the efforts it is making to ensure the Forum’s success.

Local Government Policies Can Advance Green Building in the Private Sector Posted 5/26/2008
The Environmental Law Institute has issued a report providing a detailed review of selected municipal green building policies that address private-sector development. Covering all regions of the United States, Municipal Green Building Policies: Strategies for Transforming Building Practices in the Private Sector looks at more than 25 different municipal policies that (1) establish mandatory green building criteria; (2) provide expedited review as an incentive for green building, or (3) offer other direct financial incentives. The report provides an up-to-date reference and benchmark for municipalities interested in adapting or updating their green building laws and policies. “The past few years have seen tremendous growth in local policies in this area,” according to ELI Senior Attorney Tobie Bernstein. “Cities and counties throughout the United States are playing an important role in advancing sustainable building practices, both through their leadership in public building projects and through their initiatives to transform private-sector building activities.” Policy makers in about half of the municipalities covered in the report feel that the most effective way of changing building practices is by establishing green building requirements for all projects covered by the local ordinance. Other local governments have opted to provide incentives to help local builders overcome barriers to building green. Several of the cities and counties covered in the report have combined these strategies, establishing minimum requirements for all covered projects, while offering incentives to developers who incorporate a wider range of green building features. The report stresses that local decision makers considering green building policies should: Determine which priority green building measures are not yet incorporated into municipal codes and address those priorities when adopting green building criteria; Identify agency resources and processes for overseeing compliance with green building criteria; and Incorporate formal evaluation mechanisms to update green building criteria and to gauge whether policies are being implemented effectively to achieve environmental and public health goals. The report is available free of charge from ELI’s website, at http://www.elistore.org/reports_detail.asp?ID=11295. Contact Tobie Bernstein directly at (202) 939-3869 or bernstein@eli.org. Print editions are not available.

Third Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance Posted 5/26/2008
The Center for Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP) and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UN/ISDR) are pleased to invite you to the Third Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance which will be held on October 19-22, 2008 at the Dusit Hotel, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The theme of the congress is "Gender in Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction." Women and environment experts have raised concern over the absence of women in the discourse and debate on climate change and disaster risk reduction, both of which are global mainstream issues that are currently impacting the entire world. The current imperative is for women to understand the phenomenon of climate change and disaster risk reduction and their impacts and implications at the individual, household, community and national levels. Studies show that women have a definite information deficit on climate politics, climate protection, and preparedness through disaster risk reduction. Please download the full information sheet and registration form for this Third Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance from our website, http://www.capwip.org/3rdglobalcongress.htm

Fresh action on sustainable urban development in the Asia-Pacific Posted 5/23/2008
The second Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD) held in the Iranian capital Tehran brought a fresh focus on sustainable urban development through associating growth with equity and identity. Drawing government ministers and representatives from 37 countries, the three-day meeting 12-15 May 2008, led to the adoption of an action plan to guide regional cooperation in the area of sustainable urban development, which also underpins UN-HABITAT’s Medium-term Strategic and Institutional Plan for 2008-2011. The action plan focuses on five key themes – urban and rural planning management, urban slum upgrading, water and sanitation, housing finance and natural disasters. In his opening address, Mr. Mohammad Saieedikia, Minister for Housing and Urban Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressed concern over the rapid pace of urbanisation in the Asia-Pacific region and the associated consequences for social and environmental sustainability, including growing inequality and threats to cultural identity and heritage.

UCLG Calls on the African Development Bank to Meet the Urban Challenge Posted 5/23/2008
Local governments from all across Africa and Europe gathered in Maputo at a workshop of the UCLG Committee on Local Finance held at the occasion of the African Development Bank annual meetings on 12-13 May. Local government representatives discussed access to finance for infrastructure and the Urban Strategy for the Development Banks, in particular the AfDB. The Mayor of Maputo, Eneas Comiche, presented the inputs of local authorities to the African Development Bank meetings. As cities already generate 2/3 of African economic growth, the rapid urbanisation of the African continent offers great opportunities in the fight against poverty. However African cities suffer from insufficient investment in urban infrastructure, which in turn harms national economic growth. Massive investments in cities and radical change in local government financing are needed in Africa and beyond. Local Governments called on the African Development Bank to establish a joint working group with UCLG to design and implement an urban strategy for Africa.

Invitation to host the Procura+ Seminar 2008 Posted 5/23/2008
The Seminar will bring together experts in the field of sustainable procurement to exchange on opportunities for early market engagement between public authority procurers and suppliers in the pre-procurement phase. The main goal will be to identify highly energy efficient emerging technologies in the latest stages of development, that can be tendered for to bring them onto the market. Example technologies may include heating/cooling through renewable energy resources, electric vehicles with green energy sources, LED/fibre optic lighting and panels among others. The host is required to provide the organisers with both the appropriate venue for the Seminar and the catering for participants. Contact Marta Anglada at sustainable.procurement@iclei.org

Greater London Authority joins ICLEI’s Procura+ Campaign Posted 5/23/2008
ICLEI’s Sustainable Procurement team is happy to announce that the Greater London Authority (GLA) has recently joined the Procura+ Campaign. Procura+ is an initiative designed to help support public authorities across Europe in implementing Sustainable Procurement – and help promote their achievements. In June 2006, the GLA Group adopted a new Sustainable Procurement Policy, which made a clear statement of the GLA group’s commitment to adopting responsible procurement practices. It was also agreed and implemented across the Greater London Authority (GLA), Transport for London (TfL), the London Development Agency (LDA), London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) and the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) / Service (MPS), collectively known as the GLA group. The GLA group – which invests over £3 billion each year in goods, works and services – uses its procurement to London’s best advantage

"Local Troika" is born as counterpart of EU Troika of member states Posted 5/23/2008
There was the EU member states Troika (the current and two next chairs of the EU); there is now a "local Troika" inaugurated mid-May. The local troika is an initiative of three member associations of the Council of European.Municipalities and Regions (CEMR): the French section of CEMR (AFCCRE), the Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic (SMOCR), the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR). The local Troika aims to make sure that local and regional governments are adequately involved in the coming French, Czech and Swedish presidency of the EU. Some 70 % of European legislation is implemented at local or regional level. For example, cities, municipalities and regions are responsible for implementing EU legislation in the fields such as public services, environment, energy and transport. It is therefore of the utmost importance to make sure local and regional governments are considered as partners of the successively chairs the EU.

Nice's town hall launches its "green police" Posted 5/23/2008
The city of Nice (France) has inaugurated its "green police", dedicated to.ensuring a clean and welcoming environment in the city. The main aim of this new brigade is to give the city the means to.tackle environmental downgrading affecting the quality of life: noise pollution, drop litter, dog faeces, dangerous dogs, graffiti or fly-post. The new brigade brings together some thirty green agents, it is composed of policemen and of cleaning agents. In its first weeks it will focus on prevention, but in future it will be allowed to issue fines up to 450€. The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, declares that any misbehaviour will be punished. Nevertheless, green policemen will not have a purely repressive role, agents will be there to advise citizens on how best to respect the environment. A number of European towns and regions have already set up similar "green police" schemes. http://www.nice.fr/mairie_nice_20959.html

Renaissance Towns and Cities Programme Posted 5/19/2008
The Yorkshire Forward Renaissance Towns and Cities Programme (RTCP) was launched in 2001. Since then the RTCP has worked with local communities across 15 programmes in 27 towns and the city of Leeds. Each programme incorporates a 25-year vision for the renaissance of the particular town. An initiative for Yorkshire & Humber, the RTCP aims to ensure that towns and cities are places where people want to invest, work and live. http://www.urbandesigncompendium.co.uk/renaissancetownsandcitiesprogramme

Africa Global Sister Cities Foundation Posted 5/19/2008
The grand official launching of Africa Global Sister Cities Foundation and the first ever general conference in Accra, Ghana will take place May 18-24, 2008. The people to people conference and youth summit is under the distinguished joint patronage of His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, President of The Republic of Ghana & Chairman of the African Union, and Her Excellency Mae Ferguson, President of Sister Cities International.

The Power of Cities and Canada's Place in the World Posted 5/19/2008
The Power of Cities is one of nine topics for a three-year Canada-wide conversation beginning in 2008 about Canada's role in the world. ICSC prepared the primer for citizens who will be engaging in a discussion of the opportunities and challenges facing Canada's cities in an urbanizing world. The opportunities include being among the cities that shape the new urban agenda where cities, not countries, are the force underpinning the global economy, and where international networks of cities can be more effective than individual countries in addressing major issues like climate change and poverty. The challenges include the fiscal imbalance between cities and senior governments where Canadian cities represent and provide services to more than 80% of the population while having the powers to raise only 8% of the tax revenues - and the resulting inability to invest in maintaining and replacing infrastructure, and in providing social services to meet the needs of a large immigrant population.

Implementing Sustainability: ICSC at Adelaide Solar Cities Congress Posted 5/19/2008
"Implementing Sustainability and Changing Behaviour" was the theme of ICSC's CEO Nola-Kate Seymoar's presentation at the Third International Solar Cities Congress in Adelaide, Australia. During February 17th-21st, 2008, delegates from around the world met to share best practices on sustainable urban development, solar technology and the built environment, and current strategies to address climate change. The Congress was intended to provide cities with ideas and tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to make the transition to renewable energy. Australia's Solar Cities are leaders in implementing solar technologies, and the government continues to develop programs that involve the private sector and local communities.

Strengthened Norwegian Support to UN-HABITAT to Help Implement New Medium Term Strategy Posted 5/19/2008
Norway will provide UN-HABITAT with funding to the tune of USD 25.6 million to help implement a new medium-term strategic plan aimed at strengthening the agency, sharpening its focus on urban poverty reduction around the world, and improving its internal management. A UN-HABITAT statement said that Ambassador Elisabeth Jacobsen of Norway, had signed the funding agreement with UN-HABITAT’s Executive Director, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, on Thursday 3 April. It provides for the provision of NOK 62 million (USD 12.2 million) for 2008 and NOK 68 million for 2009, subject to Parliamentary reserve.

UN-HABITAT's Slum Upgrading Facility launches two local finance facilities in Ghana Posted 5/19/2008
The establishment of two citywide Slum Upgrading Funds in Ghana was announced during the 15-16 April 2008 meeting of the Consultative Board of UN-HABITAT’s Slum Upgrading Facility, held in Accra. The Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly Citywide Slum Upgrading Fund (STMA CSUF) has been established to facilitate mobilization of finance for slum and settlement upgrading activities in low-income settlements in Sekondi Takoradi, a regional capital of approximately 260,000 on Ghana’s Southwest coast. The main beneficiaries are anticipated to be predominately low-income settlements in the Kojokrom and New Takoradi areas of STMA. The Tema and Ashaiman Municipal Slum Upgrading Facility was formed for a similar purpose for the Tema municipal area, which is a rapidly growing industrial and port city of 230,000 near Accra. It aims to improve sanitation, water supply, housing, livelihoods and infrastructure by facilitating access to commercial and public resources required for upgrading. These two funds are among a group of Local Finance Facilities being established under the Slum Upgrading Facility (SUF) of UN-HABITAT. Ghana is one of four pilot countries for SUF, along with Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Tanzania. Project sites in Sri Lanka were visited during the October 2007 Consultative Board meeting held in Colombo, and the October 2008 visit will be to Solo, Indonesia.

New Town Lecture Posted 5/19/2008
New Towns abroad Dutch Urban Design in Asia Lecture Tuesday May 27th 2008 20h00 Where to start as urban designer when you get a commission for a new town in China or Dubai? How to deal with cultural differences, regulations and language? Is Dutch urban design an export product? On Tuesday May 27th the International New Town Institute in Almere gives the floor to Dutch firms to present their design for a new town in Asia. Adam Frampton, OMA, presents the desert cities Waterfront City & Rak Jebel Aljass in the United Arab Emirates. Rients Dijkstra, MAXWAN, presents Project A101 a city for 350.000 inhabitants near Moscow. DHV recently won the assignment for Caofeidian Eco-city, China, which provides space for one million inhabitants. Ton Venhoeven, Venhoeven CS, made a design for Chungcheongnam, the new capital of Korea. Moderator Rob van der Velden, Atelier Dutch, has experiences in China, designing Gaoqiao Holland Village. Tuesday May 27th 2008, 20h00. The admission is free, but registration is compulsory. Register for this event by sending an e-mail to: info@newtowninstitute.org

UCLG and partners launch local action for DRR Posted 5/14/2008
The Partnership for Urban Risk Reduction (PURR), an ad-hoc coalition composed of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI), Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), Metropolis and CITYNET, has been set up to develop a risk reduction policy. Among its first action, the PURR is launching a project “Local Action for Disaster Risk Reduction” that raise awareness, build competency and support local action for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) http://www.cities-localgovernments.org/uclg/index.asp?pag=newsD.asp&L=EN&ID=240

European Commission launches a Training Toolkit on Green Public Procurement prepared by ICLEI Posted 5/14/2008
The newly launched toolkit is a core part of the Commission’s strategy for promoting Green Public Procurement (GPP) across Europe within its sustainable production and consumption strategy 'The Greening of Public Procurement is a major challenge for Europe's public administrations, but also a major opportunity to boost Europe's competitiveness and stimulate the market for environmental technologies.' according to European Commissioner Stavros Dimas. The toolkit prepared by ICLEI consists of three independent modules, each designed to overcome a specific problem identified as a barrier to the uptake of GPP within a public organisation: A strategic module which seeks to raise the political support for green public procurement within an organisation, targeting in particular decision makers. A legal module which seeks to clarify legal issues and is designed for both - strategic and operational levels. An operational module aimed at purchasing officers, responsible for the preparation of tender documents; includes concrete examples of environmental criteria for 11 product and service groups, for use in public tendering procedures. These are: paper, cleaning products, office machinery, construction, transport, furniture, electricity, food and catering services, textiles, gardening services and equipment used in the health sector. The work was co-ordinated by ICLEI with three further European partners: Ecoinstitut Barcelona, SenterNovem and SMK. http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=1487&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2765&tx_ttnews[backPid]=983&cHash=85fadc01a6

European neighbours' Day: let's bring together our citizens! Posted 5/14/2008
Take part in the European neighbours' Day to be held on 27 May 2008 in many European municipalities and cities. Each year, at the same period, inhabitants of a same building or area are invited to share a nice time around a buffet. or a luncheon with their neighbours.This event, relayed by municipalities and local associations, aims to better the “living together”, to develop a real sense of community and to promote European citizenship. The first European neighbours' Day was organised in 1999 in a district of Paris. Since then, this event has encountered a crescent success, with more than 7 millions of participants in 2007. This year, 26 countries are joining the party, like Canada, Taiwan, Romania or Italy. To make your participation official all you have to do is to register. Your registration enables you to have the use of the European neighbours' Day brand name. To do so, you can contact the European neighbours' Day coordination based in Paris or contact directly your local coordinator where appropriate. A membership fee is required to become a partner. The amount depends on the number of residents. http://www.european-neighbours-day.eu/

YOUTH project: young people get involved in urban transport Posted 5/14/2008
The "Youngsters Overhaul today's Urban Transport Habits" (YOUTH project) is a platform for young people in the age of 10 – 18 to participate in the current debate. of urban transport habits, the ongoing energy crisis and environmental problems all over Europe. With this project, young people have their say about renewable and energy efficiency in transport. In Berlin (Germany), Bucharest (Romania), Gdynia (Poland) and Rotterdam (The Netherlands) they participate with youthful ideas and recommendations to local transport policies and urban development. Pupils work on ideas and projects from their point of view in the frame of a youth competition. As YOUTH reporters they produce their own articles, presentations and movies. Realistic ideas of future urban transport solutions are then implemented into urban transport planning and detailed policy measures. YOUTH aims on one hand to change attitudes and habits of young people and to involve them as promoters and campaigners for renewables and energy efficiency in their neighborhoods. On the other hand, politicians and administrations are expected to realize their recommendations in a process of urban transport planning, as far as possible. http://www.youth-project.eu/

NOBEL PRIZE WINNING CHAIR TO SPEAK ON CLIMATE CHANGE 5/8/2008
Climate change is set to be a major focus at Metropolis Congress 2008 with Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize), confirmed as a keynote speaker. An economist and environmental scientist of global repute, as chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Dr Pachauri was co-recipient with Al Gore of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in combating climate change. Dr Pachauri is particularly concerned about the impacts of climate change on some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the world

Concreting the countryside, a 21st Century Challenges event 5/8/2008
Tuesday 13 May at 19:00 As part of 21st Century Challenges, the Society’s new flagship public engagement series, Simon Jenkins, (Guardian columnist) will chair a discussion with Sir Peter Hall (Urban geographer & Chairman of TCPA) and Martin Crookston (Director of Llewellyn Davies Yeang, urban economist & town planner), discussing the topical issue of how to accommodate the housing expansion in South East England. Issues being discussed will include brownfield versus greenfield sites, eco-towns, community cohesion, adapting existing housing stock, planning policies and purposeful architectural design. Tickets: RGS-IBG Members £10, non-Members £15 Book tickets online: www.rgs.org/whatson/21cc

At Austin Congress, New Urbanists Rally Around Responses to Climate Change, Housing Market Volatility 5/8/2008
The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) wrapped up one of its best attended annual Congresses ever last week in Austin, where work on solutions to climate change, household gasoline dependency, and troubled real estate markets kept nearly 1500 attendees engaged for three and a half days (and evenings). By the time the event concluded, the part played by walkable, mixed-use urban development in reducing carbon emissions and in providing long-term value amid volatile real estate markets had come into clearer focus, as did plans for CNU to coordinate and advance these solutions.

REAL CORP Proceedings now online 5/8/2008
REAL CORP 2008 is approaching quickly (May 19-21, www.corp.at) it is a pleasure to inform you that the complete proceedings are already available online for free. Beside the detailed program of REAL CORP 2008 (see http://programm.corp.at/2008/CORP2008_program.pdf) also the proceedings are online, as we keep up our tradition to make the contents from the CD-ROM available for free on the internet, see http://programm.corp.at/cdrom2008/ The publication consits of 80+ papers / 700 pages as well with scientific and practical content, and there is the possibility to download either the specific papers one by one or the complete proceedings - the only difference is that we had to reduce the graphics resolution for the complete volume (it still is about 30MB, but without reduction it would have been 120MB), whereas the single papers are in full resolution.

CEMR POLICY COMMITTEE DEBATES CHARTER OF REGIONAL DEMOCRACY AND BALKANS 5/8/2008
The Policy Committee of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) met in Reykjavik on 5 April 2008. After a debate, the members of the Policy Committee have adopted CEMR's position on the draft charter of regional policy of the Congress of the Council of Europe. A number of amendments were adopted including the fact that one of the charter's aims is to support and strengthen local self-government. Members also called for the charter to avoid any hierarchisation when referring to local, regional and national authorities. The Policy Committee approved the application for CEMR membership from the two local associations of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Association of municipalities and cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina was founded in 2002. It represents 80 municipalities and cities corresponding to 99% of the local authorities in the Federation. The Association of municipalities and towns of Republic Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) was created in 1998. Its members represent 63 "local self-government units", corresponding to 100%of the total of the number of local authorities of the Republic. CEMR's members are now 51 (national associations of local or regional authorities) covering 37 European countries. In the coming months, CEMR will organise a number of events focusing on the Balkans, including a conference on South-East Europe, in Vienna in November 2008

PEPESEC project promotes Sustainable Energy 5/5/2008
EUROCITIES announces the launch of PEPESEC: Partnership Energy Planning as a tool for realizing European Sustainable Energy Communities. EUROCITIES is pleased to announce the launch of PEPESEC: Partnership Energy Planning as a tool for realizing European Sustainable Energy Communities. This project is led by the City of Manchester and supported by the European Commission under the Intelligent Energy Europe programme. PEPESEC aims to support the development of sustainable energy in metropolitan areas by improving energy planning methodologies and developing innovative techniques to facilitate the involvement of private businesses, citizens and other stakeholders. The PEPESEC consortium is already working on identifying and analyzing new approaches to energy planning at city-region level. This will lead to the creation of an on-line knowledge base of case studies on Energy Planning. In addition, PEPESEC is organising study visits to several partner cities, with the first of these taking place in Malmo on 10-11 April.

Dubai International Award 5/5/2008
30th May 2008 - Receipt of final submissions for consideration for the 2008 Award and inclusion in Best Practices database http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?typeid=19&catid=34&cid=160

UN-HABITAT hosts its representatives from around the world 5/5/2008
A three-day seminar bringing together UN-HABITAT Programme Managers from 17 Anglophone African countries, Mozambique, Pakistan and Palestine opened this week with a call on the agency to support and improve its staff training so that project funds are better and more efficiently managed. UN-HABITAT’s Director of the Regional Office for Africa and the Arab States, Mr. Alioune Badiane, appealed to the managers to be more active in directing their respective countries towards a self-financed projects and programmes, saying developing countries should not expect outside help to finance low-cost housing. Mr. Badiane stressed that developing countries should find the money at home to provide housing for the poor. The meeting, held annually, was this year intended to brief the managers on the agency’s new Medium Term Strategic and Institutional Plan, and help keep them abreast of other developments at headquarters and of its work to improve the situation of the urban poor in countries around the world. It also provided the managers an opportunity to raise questions and concerns about their work.

Chinese cities to connect to ICLEI network 5/5/2008
On 22nd April, at the occasion of Earth Day, the 2009 Global Mayors Forum (GMF) was officially launched. The conference will take place on 16 – 18 September 2009, in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, as the premier forum and trade show on sustainability and good urban planning in Asia-Pacific. It shall be an important rendez-vous for the ICLEI network to connect to urban leaders in China. Martin Brennan, from ICLEI Oceania (Executive Manager, Partnerships, Political Support and International Unit) represented ICLEI at this preparatory meeting organised by the International Mayors Communication Centre a Chinese organisation in charge of the event.

Take part to the European Local Democracy Week 5/5/2008
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities together with the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy are organising the “European Local Democracy Week” (ELDW), from 13 to 17 October 2008. . The week is a new annual European event with simultaneous national and local events. It will be organised by participating local governments in all Council of Europe Member States in order to foster the knowledge of local democracy and promote the idea of democratic participation at a local level. Local governments are free to choose a more suitable week to organise their events in the framework of the ELDW. The week including 15 October has been chosen for holding this event as the European Charter of Local Self-Government was opened for signature on that date in 1985. The ELDW was first launched in 2007 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Council of Europe's advocacy for local democracy. http://www.coe.int/t/congress/demoweek/Join_the_ELDW_en.asp

More than 30 cities sign declaration for revitalisation of historic centres 5/5/2008
More than 30 cities and organisations from 10 European countries have signed a declaration which aims to promote built-cultural heritage of historical cities while ensuring their sustainable development and improving the welfare of their people. The declaration “European Declaration for integrated revitalisation of historic centres” is an initiative of “Hist.Urban”. It takes as its starting point the idea that historical centres have to present attractive and competitive cities, capable to function as an engine for the regional development, and preserving and developing the unique built-cultural heritage at the same time. It stresses the challenge to combine the preservation of the outstanding European built-cultural heritage with the requirements of economic, structural, social and demographic changes, in order to secure growth, innovation, social cohesion and good quality of life within cities. Signatory cities call on local, regional, national and European decision makers to support the efforts for realising integrated strategies for a sustainable and future-oriented development of historic cities and towns. The Declaration will be transmitted to national and European decision makers responsible for urban and territorial development policies to call for their support in the revitalisation efforts.