Speaking in the ceremony for the Idealkent Awards 2018 - in the framework of the third international Urban Studies Congress held in Strasbourg on 27 October 2018 – Congress Secretary General Andreas KIEFER outlined the principles of the Congress for citizen participation and democratically accountable structures also in metropolitan areas. He encouraged the mayors, who received awards, to continue to strive for an inclusive policy and to include the actors of the hinterland in their urban policies.

Andreas KIEFER referred to the European Charter of Local Self-Government and said: “On the 1st of September 2018 the Congress celebrated the entry into force of the Charter 30 years ago. The Charter was instrumental in the time of transition after the fall of the Iron Curtain and it established and/or re-established the European model of society in the young democracies. Over the years, since 1988, the Charter also fostered common standards across Europe and established this model of European society which is characterized by local self-government as part of democratic government, as part of vertical checks and balances, as part of citizen participation and ownership of the res publica.”

The award ceremony was held in the Palais de l’Europe in the framework of the 3rd International conference on Urban Studies on “Sustainable Urbanism and Local Governance”.

Speech by Andreas KIEFER