divercities melting pots as cradles of innovation

ContributorsAndrea WAGNER: Economist at BAK Basel, where she is res-ponsible for international studies, with a special focus on regio-nal-economic and socio-democratic issues.

Manjula LUTHRIA: Economist at the World Bank, where she leads the International Labour Mobility program at the Center for Mediterranean Integration. She has a PhD in economics from Georgetown University, USA.

Casey WESTON: Migration Specialist in the International Labor Mobility Program at the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) in Marseille, France.

Daniel E. BELL: Professor of political theory at Tsinghua Univer-sity (Beijing), he is the co-editor of The East Asian Challenge for Democracy.

Avner DE SHALIT: Chair for Democracy and Human Rights at Hebrew University, Jerusalem. He is a co-author of The Spirit of Ci-ties: Why the Identity of a City Matters in a Global Age.

Andrew SHENG: Distinguished Fellow of the Fung Global Insti-tute and a member of the UNEP Advisory Council on Sustainable Finance.

Xiao GENG: Director of Research at the Fung Global Institute.

Irena GUIDIKOVA: Head of Division of Cultural Policy, Diversity and Dialogue and Manager of the Intercultural cities programme at the Council of Europe.

Meghan BENTON: Policy Analyst in the International Program at MPI (Migration Policy Institute), where she works for the Tran-satlantic Council on Migration and on European migration.

Anna Lisa BONI: Secretary General of EUROCITIES since June 2014, she has 20 years of professional experience in EU public DDLUV�LQ�WKH�ȴHOG�RI�ORFDO�DQG�UHJLRQDO�JRYHUQPHQW��

Toralv MOE: Senior Advisor on Business Development and Di-versity with the City of Oslo.

Gabriele PITACCO: Architect, Ph.D. candidate at School of In-tegrated Sciences for the Territorial Sustainability. From 2007 to 2009, he worked for OMA/Rem Koolhaas.

Jan SCHMITZ: Coordinator of the Transatlantic Trade and Invest-ment Partnership (TTIP), DG Trade, European Commission.

Martina LODRANT: EU Negotiator for the TTIP SME chapter, DG Trade, European Commission.

In Varietate Concordia

Editor in Chief : Giovanni Collot

Editorial Board: Laura Baeyens; Jérémy Jenard;

Alexandra Lacroix; Claudia Samaras; Mareike Trull;

Ahmet Ulusoy

Design: Recep Onay, Giovanni Collot

The New European is a quarterly publication by

UNITEE, the New European Business Confederation

Meeûssquare 23 – 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Phone: 0032 2 204 05 33

Fax: 0032 2 218 67 24

www.unitee.eu

Responsible Editor: Dr. Adem Kumcu

De Meeûssquare 23 – 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Follow us on blog.unitee.eu and on Twitter, @unitee_europe

Contact the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected]

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New European Business Confederation

Ζ668(��ȏ�7+(�NEW EUROPEAN | Autumn 2014 | 3

Of all facts regarding our time, one is especially rele-vant: we are living in an urban age. Already half of the world population lives in cities, and this percentage, according to many observers, will rapidly increase: ur-ban population is even expected to double by 2050. Such a fact is what prompted the United Nations to declare the 31st of October as “World Cities Day”: the future wellbeing of humanity depends a lot on how our cities are managed. Local policies are the building blocks of global decisions, and have to be regarded as such.

The growth of cities brings about many challenges and problems, ranging from sustainability to inequa-lity, as it is strikingly evident in the developing world. But it also shows one, big truth: people move to cities EHFDXVH�WKHUH�WKH\�FDQ�ȴQG�RSSRUWXQLWLHV�WKH\�ZRQȇW�LQ� WKH�FRXQWU\VLGH��$QG�WKLV�PRYHPHQW�KROGV� WHUULȴF�RSSRUWXQLWLHV�IRU�KXPDQLW\ȇV�GHYHORSPHQW��

ΖQ�XUEDQ�DUHDV�GLHUHQW�LQGLYLGXDOV��FRPLQJ�IURP�YHU\�GLHUHQW�EDFNJURXQGV��PHHW�DQG�H[FKDQJH�LGHDV��H[-periences and cultural elements, in a continuous whirl of development. Judging from an historical perspec-tive, cities like Rome, Venice, London, New York and Constantinople, which all were the centre of the world in their respective ages, share a fundamental aspect: their wealth came from their openness and diversity.

7KLV� LV� HYHQ� WUXHU� LQ� WRGD\ȇV� NQRZOHGJH�EDVHG� HFR-nomy: where innovation is fundamental to succeed, cities have a real strategic advantage, since they connect people and foster ideas, thus pushing eco-nomies forward. The more a city is able to appeal to the best talents from abroad, the more competitive it gets. The more a city is able to create the best environ-ment for diversity to bloom and grow, the more it will open the way for the future.

ΖQ�VXFK�DQ�HQYLURQPHQW��(XURSHȇV�FKDQFHV�ORRN�PL[HG��The old continent has undoubtedly its fair share of

strengths, given its old and fruitful urban tradition. But for these strengths to bear fruit, tradition has to DELGH�E\�WRGD\ȇV�QHZ�UXOHV��$V�D�PDWWHU�RI�IDFW��(XURSH�is an increasingly multicultural, diverse continent. The temptation for many, politicians and citizens alike, is to discard this diversity as a risk and a danger, and close itself into a comfortable uniformity. But doing so would deprive Europe of the rich waves of innovation and rejuvenation it so desperately needs.

European cities, then, have a fundamental role in brin-JLQJ� DERXW� (XURSHȇV� 5HQDLVVDQFH�� LI� LW� LV� QRUPDOO\� DW�the local level that the risks of multiculturalism and diversity are felt, it is also there that their value added LV�PRUH�HDVLO\�SHUFHLYHG��7KH�WDVN�IRU�WRGD\ȇV�FLWLHV�LV�to minimise the former and maximise the latter, while creating a sustainable, vibrant society and a liveable environment for all.

The current issue of this magazine, aptly named Di-vercities, aims at identifying how European cities are meeting the interlinked challenges of diversity and competitiveness. In the following pages, the word will be given to a series of scholars, practitioners and po-OLF\�PDNHUV��DOO�DFWLYH�LQ�GLHUHQW�IRUPV�DW�WKH�ORFDO�OH-vel. Their contributions will, on the one hand, analyse the reasons of the “urban factor”, i.e. the connection between diversity, closeness and innovation so typi-cal of urban environments; and on the other, present some innovative approach and practices of diversity management in cities, which have proven particularly successful in favouring local development.

All together, the articles in the following pages will tell a story based on a clear assumption: if cities are where the future is built, they have a fundamentally strategic role, which has to be recognised and correctly dealt with. Our cities, big and small, are on the frontline to lead real change and improve the lives of all their ci-tizens. Is Europe ready to become a continent of Divercities?

Editorial

Tales from the urban age

Giovanni CollotEditor in Chief

4 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

What would life be without diversity? It may sound like a strange question, in an age, as ours, in which po-liticians and citizens often look at diversity as a dan-ger to our lifestyles, rather than as a chance. For this reason, it is important to point out that diversity is not just an accident of history, due to the disrupting HHFWV� RI� JOREDOLVDWLRQ�� LW� KDV� DOZD\V� EHHQ� D� IXQGD-mental element in the development of human beings. Throughout history, both individuals and populations have moved across borders. Some were motivated by “negative factors”, escaping events such as wars, fa-mines or natural disasters; others, by more positive RQHV��VXFK�DV�HVWDEOLVKLQJ��QHZ�WUDGH�URXWHV�RU�ȴQGLQJ�the best lands to feed their cattle. In both cases, it ap-pears clearly that man is not a sedentary creature: it is a migratory one.

Migration is not only a constant of human history; it is also a fact that has increased in modern times to num-bers never seen before, due to a series of unprece-dented developments in technologies, economy and society. New means of transports have made travel-ling much easier, cheaper and more comfortable than ever. The industrial revolution swiping the world in the 19th and 20th centuries created a vast need for cheap workforce for the new factories, for trained profes-sionals to manage them, thus pushing people away from the countryside and into the cities, the heart of the growing economic system, and later on for inter-national professionals at ease with moving across the

globe to work for the new multinational companies. After the end of the second World War, national bor-GHUV�KDYH�EHFRPH�WKLQQHU�DQG�WKLQQHU��ZKLOH�FRQȵLFWV�between states have given way to new forms of coo-peration. All these processes, paired to uneven econo-PLF�GHYHORSPHQWV�LQ�GLHUHQW�DUHDV�RI�WKH�ZRUOG��KDYH�contributed to an increase in the number of people PRYLQJ�DV�ZHOO�DV�WR�D�GLYHUVLȴFDWLRQ�RI�PLJUDWLRQ�IDF-tors. The modern era has seen, next to the traditional migration from deprived regions to wealthiest one, a rise of the movement between wealthy countries, thus leading to an age of “multi-level” migrations.

This unprecedented and sustained movement has led to an increase in diversity, dubbed by researchers as “superdiversity”. This is especially evident in global FLWLHV�DQG� WDNH�GLHUHQW� IRUPV�� VXFK�DV�PXOWLFXOWXUD-OLVP��PXOWLOLQJXDOLVP��RU�GLHUHQW�VRFLDO�FODVVHV� OLYLQJ�next to each other. The result is a more colourful and varied society, but at the same time, a more complex one. Indeed, there is no denying that diversity gene-rates new challenges, especially in big cities, as evi-denced by the segregation of neighbourhoods, social FRQȵLFWV�DQG�WKH�ODFN�RI�VHFXULW\��UHDO�DQG�SHUFHLYHG��ΖQWHJUDWLQJ� GLHUHQW� FXOWXUHV�� OLIHVW\OHV� DQG� QHHGV� LQ�the same spaces cannot be done easily.

To meet these challenges, some choose an easy me-thod: building fortresses and heavily controlling mi-gratory movement. The temptation is hard to resist,

Growing the tree of diversity

Dr. Adem Kumcu,President of UNITEE


BRIEFING

especially in our years of severe economic crisis. But let us ask ourselves frankly: do we want to live surroun-GHG�E\�IRUWUHVVHV"�&DQ�ZH�DRUG�WKHVH�IRUWUHVVHV"�7KH�UHDOLW\�LV��SXW�EOXQWO\��ZH�FDQQRW��$V�EULHȵ\�PHQWLRQHG�above, migrations are a founding element of humanity. Living in fear and isolation is not a solution, regardless of how appealing the idea might look. Diversity is not D�FROODWHUDO�LVVXH��ZKDW�FDQ�EH�VROYHG�ZLWK�D�ȵLFN�RI�WKH�wrist: diversity is a fact and is here to stay. For this rea-son, it has to be acknowledged and dealt with in the best way possible. In this regard, cities, companies and communities are the basic constituents of society, since they represent respectively where individuals live, what they do and how they aggregate with other people. Ef-ȴFLHQWO\�PDQDJLQJ�GLYHUVLW\�PXVW�EHFRPH�D�JRDO�DW�DOO�levels of policy and practices.

6XFK� D� WDVN� UHTXLUHV� D� ORW� RI� HRUWV� IURP� SXEOLF� DQG�private stakeholders alike. But the reward is worth it. Diversity, when well managed, has fantastic advantages WR�RHU��2SHQ��GLYHUVH�VRFLHWLHV��KDYH�DOZD\V�SURYHQ�WR�be more creative and innovative, due to their ability to SXW�WRJHWKHU�DQG�PL[�LGHDV�FRPLQJ�IURP�GLHUHQW�EDFN-grounds. Furthermore, individuals living in a diverse so-ciety enter into contact with a huge variety of cultures, ZKLFK�PDNHV�WKHP�UHDGLHU�WR�FRQQHFW�DQG�ȴQG�RSSRU-tunities in the global, interconnected economy. What is more, diversity has a special way to perpetuate itself: open societies tend to attract talents from abroad.

If the immediate economic potential of such a situation is clear and should be of particular interest for EU po-licy makers, looking for ways to restart their countries economic growth, one should not forget the inherent FXOWXUDO� DQG� SROLWLFDO� DGYDQWDJHV� RHUHG� E\� GLYHUVLW\��even if less disruptive, in the long term, they will re-present an even bigger resource for European society. The main rule explaining biodiversity is that what does not transform will decline and then, eventually, die. Well-managed diversity allows society as a whole to be more respondent to external changes and, thus, more competitive.

Is there, then, a recipe for successful diversity manage-ment? Where can we all start to grow the tree of diver-sity in our societies? As a general rule, we might point out two main lines of action. On the one hand, a mul-ti-level governance which is aware of the importance of integration and works to put it at the centre of the po-OLWLFDO�DFWLRQ�LV�UHTXLUHG��2Q�WKH�RWKHU�KDQG��GLYHUVLW\ȇV�economic potential has to become real, establishing tools for the professionalisation of minorities and for workplace diversity management in companies and the public sector alike.

The following pages will present some examples of KRZ�WKHVH�JHQHUDO�JXLGHOLQHV�FDQ�EH�DSSOLHG�WR�VSHFLȴF�cases. They will focus mainly on cities because urban areas have to deal, in nuce, with all challenges deriving from diversity, thus coming up very often with the most creative and comprehensive solutions for diversity ma-nagement in complex environments.

Ζ�DP�FRQȴGHQW�WKDW�WKH�FDVHV�DQG�RSLQLRQV�SUHVHQW�LQ�this issue will be of inspiration for all those, policy ma-kers, experts, managers and ordinary citizens, who are looking for new ways to make Europe a truly diverse continent.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dr. Adem Kumcu

6 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

BRIEFINGThe urban factor, Alexandra Lacroix 8 OPENCities, Andrea Wagner 11

08

OPINIONSReframing Europe’s immigration through an urban lens, 14 Manjula Luthria & Casey Weston Self and the city, Daniel E. Bell & Avner De Shalit 18«The key to cities’ success? High quality of life for all», 20Interview with Marcel Prunera, Imacity

14

WORLDVIEWFoshan’s 4 surprises, Andrew Cheng & Xiao Geng 22Reviving motor city, Giovanni Collot 24

22

SOLUTIONSTowards intercultural cities, Irena Guidikova 27The immigration innovation, Meghan Benton 31Cities as inclusive employers, Anna Lisa Boni 34

27

CONTENTISSUE NO.3 - AUTUMN 2014

CONTRIBUTORS 2 // EDITORIAL 3// LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 4

12 29


POLICY VIEWSOXLO: city branding through diversity, Toralv Moe 37 Belgian melting pot, crossroad of Europe, Jérémy Jenard 40

37

BUSINESS BEYOND BORDERS«In a company, an inclusive culture improves services and productivity», 50Interview with Jean Michel Monnot, Sodexo 77Ζ3��ZKDW�ZLOO�WKH�EHQHȴWV�IRU�60(V�EH", Jan Schmitz & Martina Lodrant 53

50

ARCHITECTURE SPECIALPlanning diversity and multiculturalism, Gabriele Pitacco 4343

EUROVIEWS«The secret of success lies in cities», Interview with Edward Glaeser 5656

41 54

MEET THE NEW EUROPEANSGiving migrants a voice, Laura Baeyens 4747

Recep ONAY

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8 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

BRIEFING

European city dwellers may live in the same neighbourhood DQG�OHDG�FRPSOHWHO\�GLHUHQW�OLYHV��7KH\�PD\�ZRUN�LQ�WKH�same company, but have various cultural backgrounds. Over the last decades elevated levels of global mobility and migration, fuelled by the poor and the rich, the skilled and the under-skilled have created in many European ci-ties both an overall population growth and a much more FRVPRSROLWDQ�PL[��)RU�H[DPSOH��ZLWK�RYHU��GLHUHQW�QD-tionalities, ethnic minorities represent 45% of the popula-tion of Amsterdam. Foreign-born account for 40% of Inner /RQGRQȇV�SRSXODWLRQ� LQ�� ΖQ� ODUJH�(XURSHDQ�FLWLHV��DQ�increasing part of the population has on a personal or fa-mily related migration experience.

Many believe that this cultural and social diversity is not only inevitable, but also represents a fundamental oppor-tunity for cities, which they should seize. Diversity is indeed FUXFLDO� WR� IRVWHULQJ� GLHUHQW� SHUVSHFWLYHV� DQG� LGHDV� DQG�is therefore a critical component of being innovative and successful on a global scale. However, urban diversity also presents a profound challenge for our cities, in terms of HQKDQFHG�LQHTXDOLWLHV��VHJUHJDWLRQ�DQG�SRWHQWLDO�FRQȵLFWV�between ethnic communities.

7R�RYHUFRPH�WKH�GLɝFXOWLHV�UHODWHG�WR�LQFUHDVHG�OHYHOV�RI�migration and diversity, cities will thus have to adopt ade-quate policies and practices. In an era of worldwide interde-pendence, only those cities that will allow their diversity to EH�WKHLU�DVVHW�DQG�QRW�WKHLU�KDQGLFDS�ZLOO�ȵRXULVK��

Diversity means more economic opportunities

It has long been acknowledged that European cities tre-PHQGRXVO\� EHQHȴW� IURP� KDYLQJ� D� GLYHUVH� SRSXODWLRQ��starting with the role of migrants in counteracting falling birth-rates and labour market shortages. The overall popu-lation of working age in Europe is likely to decline by 6 mil-lion by 2020, which in turn means that there will be fewer and fewer secondary school and university graduates. Fur-thermore, the European Commission expects the propor-

WLRQ�RI�MREV�HPSOR\LQJ�KLJK�TXDOLȴHG�SHRSOH�WR�LQFUHDVH�E\�2020 to over a third and the proportion employing those ZLWK�ORZ�TXDOLȴFDWLRQV�WR�GHFUHDVH�WR��WKHUHE\�HQKDQ-cing the risk of skill mismatches. Europe, and in particular European cities, therefore need a greater proportion of re-latively young working age adults. Migrants can be part of the solutions, as they tend to be younger than the popula-tion of their country of destination: in 2012, the median age of the national population in all EU Member States was 43 years, compared to 35 years among foreigners.

+RZHYHU�� PLJUDQWV� GR� QRW� VLPSO\� ȴOO� MRE� YDFDQFLHV� DQG�labour shortages. Some of them become self-employed and entrepreneurs, thus creating new jobs, for themsel-ves and for others. Entrepreneurship tends to be slightly higher among immigrants than among natives in most OECD countries: around 12.7% of migrants of working age are self-employed, compared with 12.0% among natives. After all, the risk inherent in moving to a country with a GLHUHQW�ODQJXDJH�DQG�FXOWXUH��ZLWK�WKH�DLP�RI�UHLQYHQWLQJ�yourself, is similar to the risk of investing money and ener-gy to transform an idea into a commercial product or ser-vice. The fear of failure and social pressure, both from the home and the source country, is another motivating factor. Moreover, by taking over some businesses that have been abandoned by native entrepreneurs, migrants also contri-bute to rejuvenate streets and neighbourhoods in decline. One only needs to stroll along the streets of European ci-ties to witness the economic contribution of migrants: in Copenhagen, Frankfurt and Zurich, immigrant businesses FRPSULVH�DURXQG��RI�DOO�EXVLQHVVHV�DQG�WKLV�ȴJXUH�ULVHV�to over 35% in Amsterdam, Strasburg and Vienna. On top RI�WKLV��D�GLYHUVLȴFDWLRQ�RI�WKH�SRSXODWLRQ�DOVR�PHDQV�QHZ�markets opportunities, which both migrant and native en-trepreneurs may grasp.

Entrepreneurs with a migrant background also play a key role in integrating cities in global networks and markets. Very often, when migrants move to another city, they keep some connections with their country of origin. These

The Urban FactorAn overview of the connection between diversity, innovation

and economic success in urban areas.

Alexandra Lacroix


BRIEFING

networks, as well as the language skills and knowledge of another culture, are increasingly recognised as a key fac-tor in promoting international trade. American Professor AnnaLee Saxenian, widely known for her work on regional economics, has scrutinised for years these connections and the inherent transfer of information, skills and tech-nology they imply, a process she refers to as “brain cir-culation” (as opposed to “brain drain”). According to her, WKHVH�FURVV�ERUGHU�QHWZRUNV�VSHHG� WKH�ȵRZ�RI� LQIRUPD-tion, provide with contacts and foster trust, thereby ma-king it easier for immigrant entrepreneurs to do business with their former home countries, as well as with emer-ging countries where their respective diaspora is actively present. In doing so, migrant entrepreneurs pave the way IRU� RWKHU� ȴUPV� WKDW�ZDQW� WR� HQJDJH� LQ� WUDGH�ZLWK� WKHVH�targeted countries and contribute to directing trade and investment to their new home cities.

Diversity fosters innovation

In his 1998 book Cities in Civilization, Peter Hall, a well-known American sociologist, studied 21 cities at their greatest moments. Some were notable for their artistic creativity (Renaissance Florence, Elizabethan London, and Belle Époque Paris) or for their technological advance-PHQWV� ��WK�FHQWXU\�%HUOLQ��+HQU\�)RUGȇV�'HWURLW�DQG� WR-GD\ȇV�6LOLFRQ�9DOOH\��RWKHUV�ZHUH�DEOH�WR�VROYH�SUREOHPV��for example, related to their size (20th century New York, which developed the skyscraper). His results show a clear correlation between the “cosmopolitan character” of a city and its innovation ability. According to him, «the creative cities were nearly all cosmopolitan; they drew talent from the four corners of their worlds, and from the very start of WKRVH�ZRUOGV�ZHUH�RIWHQ�VXUSULVLQJO\�IDU�ȵXQJ��3UREDEO\��no city has ever been creative without continued renewal of the creative bloodstream.»

This conclusion does not come as a surprise. How does innovation occur? Innovation comes from the interaction

RI�GLHUHQW�NQRZOHGJH�DQG�SHUVSHFWLYHV�� ΖW� LV� WKXV�PRUH�OLNHO\� WR� ȵRXULVK� LQ� D� GLYHUVH� VRFLHW\�� ZKHUH� WKHUH� DUH�SHRSOH�IURP�YDULRXV�KRUL]RQV�EULQJLQJ�GLHUHQW�LGHDV��As the American urban studies theorist Richard Florida puts it, what drives innovation today is people, especial-ly those he refers to as the “Creative Class” and whose role in the economy of a particular area is to produce new ideas, new technology and/or new creative content, such as, for example, people in science and engineering and creative professionals in business. In his work The Rise of the Creative Class, Richard Florida undertook an analysis RI�ȴIW\�8QLWHG�6WDWHV�FLWLHV�DQG�KLV�UHVXOWV�VXJJHVW�D�FOHDU�correlation between diversity and increased innovation.

Creating a diversity-friendly environment

For some authors and many policy makers, the opportuni-ties brought by diversity seem to be overshadowed by an increase in inequalities, misunderstandings and racist and xenophobic attitudes, which may undermine a collective sense of identity and lead to exclusion and urban disor-der. For example, Harvard political scientist Robert Put-nam argued in his 2007 article “E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the 21st Century” that “in the short to medium run, immigration and ethnic diversity challenge social solidarity and inhibit social capital.” In other words, according to him, the greater the diversity in a community, the lower are trust, altruism and community cooperation.

If one cannot deny that Europeans cities are faced eve-U\�GD\�E\�FRQȵLFWLQJ�LQWHUHVWV�DQG�FRQIURQWDWLRQ�EHWZHHQ�GLHUHQW�HWKQLF�JURXSV��RQH�FDQ�DOVR�QRW�GHQ\�WKDW�LPPL-gration and diversity are inevitable. European cities thus have no choice but to transform this diversity challenge into an advantage. As Robert Putnam himself says: «In the medium to long run, successful immigrant societies create new forms of social solidarity and dampen the ne-JDWLYH�HHFWV�RI�GLYHUVLW\�E\�FRQVWUXFWLQJ�QHZ��PRUH�HQ-compassing identities. Thus, the central challenge for mo-

© Fotolia

10 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

dern, diversifying societies is to create a new, broader sense RI�ȆZHȇ�}�+RZ�FDQ�FLWLHV�PD[LPLVH�WKH�SRWHQWLDO�RI�WKHLU�GL-verse population while creating and maintaining social FRKHVLRQ"��+RZ�FDQ�WKH\�HPEUDFH�FXOWXUDO�GLHUHQFHV�DQG�still be able to achieve a sense of shared identity?

A local issue

First of all, policy makers need to acknowledge that, given WKH� UROH� FLWLHV� SOD\� LQ� QHZFRPHUVȇ� LQWHJUDWLRQ� DQG� HYHQ�WKRXJK� WKH� UHJXODWLRQ� RI� LPPLJUDWLRQ� ȵRZV� WDNHV� SODFH�primarily at the national level, it is the cities and municipa-OLWLHV� WKDW�QHHG� WR�GHȴQH�SROLFLHV� IDFLOLWDWLQJ� LQWHUFXOWXUDO�interaction and inclusion. The needs of all newcomers – ȴQGLQJ�D�KRXVH�DQG�D�MRE��OHJDO�UHFRJQLWLRQ�DQG�SURWHFWLRQ��education and welfare services – are increasingly a local issue.

A resource, rather than a problem

Second, policy makers should start considering diversity as an integral part of the development process of their cities, rather than as a problem seeking solution; in other words, as a resource rather than as a limit. Opting for this new GLYHUVLW\� WKLQNLQJ� ZRXOG� KHOS� WKHP� JHW� ULG� RI� LOO�GHȴQHG�concepts and outdated practices that are currently hinde-ring the development of new initiatives.

Public recognition and awareness raising

This new mentality towards diversity cannot be the one of local governments alone, but needs to be shared col-lectively; it should be adopted by all individuals belonging to a city. This is why the lack of knowledge and inherent misperceptions towards migrants and diversity in general QHHG�WR�EH�GLVPDQWOHG��$�ȴUVW�VWHS�WRZDUGV�WKLV�JRDO�LV�IRU�a city to ensure that its government systems are partici-patory and inclusive. A second step is to publicly embrace diversity as a resource. Many European cities are already

KHDGLQJ�WRZDUGV� WKDW�GLUHFWLRQ��DV� WHVWLȴHG�E\� WKHLU�PRW-tos “The Power of a Diverse City” (Amsterdam, the Nether-lands), “Managing Diversity and Living Together” (Terrassa, Spain), “Wien ist Vielfalt” – Vienna is Diversity (Vienna, Aus-tria).

Reviewing policies through an “intercultural” lens

This new approach to diversity should, of course, be trans-ODWHG�LQWR�WKH�FLWLHVȇ�SROLFLHV�DQG�SUDFWLFHV��7KH�&RXQFLO�RI�Europe and the European Commission, for example, en-courage European cities to develop comprehensive inter-cultural strategies. Based on a three-year pilot programme, the intercultural approach to integration contends that all SROLFLHV��EH�LW�RQ�WKH�ȴHOGV�RI�HGXFDWLRQ��KRXVLQJ��SROLFLQJ��the labour market and urban development, should be re-viewed through an “intercultural lens”. In other words, di-versity management should be an integral part of all city VHUYLFHVȇ� VWUDWHJLHV�DQG�QRW� WKH� UHVSRQVLELOLW\�RI� MXVW�RQH�department.

Since diversity is key to economic success, European cities must unleash the full potential of their diverse population by adopting the right mentality and adequate policies. And by becoming more diversity friendly, European cities will attract creative people even more, thus building a virtuous circle of economic growth.

As Richard Florida puts it: «Our theory is that a connection H[LVWV�EHWZHHQ�D�PHWURSROLWDQ�DUHDȇV�OHYHO�RI�WROHUDQFH�IRU�a range of people, its ethnic and social diversity, and its suc-cess in attracting talented people, including high-technolo-gy workers. People in technology businesses are drawn to places known for diversity of thought and open-minded-ness. These places possess what we refer to as low bar-riers to entry for human capital. Diverse, inclusive com-munities that welcome gays, immigrants, artists and free WKLQNLQJ�ȆERKHPLDQVȇ�DUH�LGHDO�IRU�QXUWXULQJ�FUHDWLYLW\�DQG�innovation, both keys to success in the new technology.»

BRIEFING


All over the Globe, people are migrating to cities and, by 2050, two thirds of the World population will live in ur-ban areas. This growing urbanisation, together with the commercial and economic globalisation, result in an in-creasingly diverse population. The importance of human capital and human creativity as one of the key factors RI� VXVWDLQDEOH�HFRQRPLF� ORQJ�WHUP�JURZWK� LV� VLJQLȴFDQW�and rising. Cities must, therefore, be attractive and open. They must provide a tolerant environment for talents and technologies to attract and retain these international po-pulation groups. Open places are open for new people and ideas and, therefore, will manifest a higher concen-tration of talent and higher rates of innovation. Interna-tional populations are seen as positive contributors to the labour force. More importantly, international popu-lations improve the quality of life and the attractiveness of the city for international events, investors and visitors. Internationalisation and the resulting human diversity is D�VSXU��YLD�GLHUHQW�PHGLXPV��WR�WKH�HFRQRPLF�VXFFHVV�RI�cities. If open cities are more successful than less open ones, they will want to know how open they are in order to become more successful. Being able to compare their openness to that of other cities could be useful too. OPENCities is an international project that helps cities to

become more open and competitive. It has been initiated by the British Council and conducted in cooperation with cities worldwide, as well as with experts, Between 2008 and 2011, it has been funded by the European Com-mission within the city development program URBACT. 23(1&LWLHV� LGHQWLȴHV� WKH� OLQN�EHWZHHQ� LQWHUQDWLRQDO�PL-gration and economic growth, measures the multidimen-sional phenomenon of openness and provides with qua-litative recommendations towards internationalisation, integration and diversity policies on local level.

The economic performance of a city depends on its poten-tial, attractiveness and openness. Productive manpower and capital along with the portfolio of manufacturing and service industries make up the economic foundation of D� FLW\�� 7KH� FDSDFLW\� RI� D� FLW\� WR�EH� VXFFHVVIXO� LQ� WRGD\ȇV�economy depends on its framework conditions for com-panies (business climate) and people (quality of life). In order to succeed, cities need these framework conditions to be attractive (appealing to both people and businesses) and open (accessible for both people and businesses). Ci-ties should try to remove or reduce barriers for people entering, staying and/or eventually leaving. Moreover, the barriers for starting, conducting and closing a com-

BRIEFING

OPENCities International Populations

as a Factor for City SuccessAndrea Wagner

BAK Basel

ΖV�LW�SRVVLEOH�WR�FDOFXODWH�WKH�HFRQRPLF�HHFW�RI�GLYHUVLW\�RQ�D�FLW\ȇV�JURZWK�UDWH"� 7R�ȴQG�DQ�DQVZHU��6ZLVV�%$.�%DVHO�LQWURGXFHG�23(1&LWLHV�PRQLWRU��

a tool to calculate urban openness around the world.

12 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

BRIEFING

pany should be as low as possible. 7KH�23(1&LWLHV� SURMHFW� IRFXVHV� RQ� FLWLHVȇ� DWWUDFWLYHQHVV�and openness for people. These are two vital ingredients for the long-term performance of cities.

What is openness?

Openness is «the capacity of a city to attract international populations and to enable them to contribute to the fu-ture success of the city». In order to do that, cities need to IXOȴO�WKH�FULWHULD�ZKLFK�LQFLWH�LQWHUQDWLRQDO�SRSXODWLRQV�WR�move to these cities and to remain there. The openness of cities can also be described as the provision of low bar-riers of entry and good opportunities for intercultural ex-change and participation. In addition, an open city needs to be attractive for international populations.

:KDW�LV�WKH�23(1&LWLHV�0RQLWRU"

The OPENCities Monitor is a new city benchmark tool de-veloped by BAK Basel Economics AG. It is a unique colla-boration and learning tool to measure city openness. It allows collaborating cities to benchmark their openness and assess how open they are towards international po-pulations. Openness is a multidimensional and complex phenomenon which has to be measured by a large num-EHU�RI�LQGLYLGXDO�LQGLFDWRUV�ZKLFK�DVVHVV�GLHUHQW�DVSHFWV�of openness. Overall, it can be stated that openness can be measured using a multitude of indicators that take the multidimensional nature of the phenomenon of openness into account. The OPENCities Monitor thus measures openness with 53 internationally comparable indicators. These indicators are subdivided in 11 areas: migration,

TXDOLW\�RI�OLIH��LQWHUQDWLRQDO�ȵRZV��VWDQGDUG�RI�OLYLQJ��IUHH-dom, international presence, infrastructures, barriers of entry, education, international events and diversity ac-tions. The OPENCities Monitor compromises the aggre-gated and transformed results of the indicators into an in-dex family (summary index and sub-indices of each area).

The Monitor is now available for 26 cities worldwide and RHUV�WKH�IROORZLQJ�DSSOLFDWLRQV�IRU�FLWLHV�

- Strengths-weaknesses-analyses about the openness of the city in a comparable manner,

- Possibility to personally choose the sample of com-parative cities and/or similar cities (e.g. in accordance to size),

- Access to city case studies and key policy recommen-dations,

- Discussions about the importance of migration and cultural diversity for economic success.

The OPENCities Monitor is an online tool that provides ZLWK� D� FLW\� SURȴOH�� 7KH� SURȴOH� RI� WKH� FLW\� LV� PHDVXUHG�against the average results of the city sample and against the group of cities compared with. Take the example of 1HZ�<RUN�� WKH� VWUHQJWKV� DQG�ZHDNQHVVHV� RI�1HZ�<RUNȇV�openness can be easily assessed, since it scores excellent-ly and is the second most open city worldwide. It has a particularly attractive and high-level education facilities and a high degree of international presence. The barriers of entry for foreigners, however, are high in the United States.

Graph 1: Index of Openness

The Index of Openness indicates the degree of openness of a city, compared to the city sample. The city can attain values above or below 100. Values above 100 indicate that the city is more open than the city sample. Values below 100 signal that the city is less open that the city sample. Source: BAK Basel


BRIEFING

Developed as a working tool, the OPENCities Monitor of-fers practical examples and ideas that are successful and can easily be adapted and used. The best practice exa-mples can help a city to improve its openness. The OPEN-Cities Monitor also provides policy recommendations and outlines learning points for the above mentioned policy themes. (Internationalisation, Leadership & Governance and Managing diversity).

The results of the OPENCities Monitor can be analysed LQ�YDULRXV�ZD\V��$�ȴUVW�LPSUHVVLRQ��SUHVHQWHG�LQ�JUDSK��gives the ranking of the 26 surveyed cities. London, fol-lowed by New York, Toronto, Paris and the two Swiss ci-WLHV�=XULFK�DQG�%DVHO�KDYH�HPHUJHG�DV�WKH�:RUOGȇV�PRVW�open cities for international populations. London tops the ranking as a result of a combination of its high de-gree of internationalisation and its excellent accessibility and connectivity. London also provides attractive and high-quality education facilities for people from all over the World. The second place goes to New York - mainly due to its cosmopolitan aspect. Paris ranks fourth, since

it is the city with most international events, but it has also high barriers of entry. In contrast, Toronto (third position) VFRUHV�EHVW�LQ�WKH�DUHD�ȆEDUULHUV�RI�HQWU\ȇ�DQG�ȆPLJUDWLRQȇ��=XULFK� �ȴIWK�SODFH��RHUV� WKH�KLJKHVW�TXDOLW\�RI� OLYLQJ� IRU�foreigners and Basel (sixth place) provides the highest standard of living compared to all cities of the sample. 6RȴD� �%XOJDULD�� DQG� &KRQJTLQJ� �&KLQD�� DUH� FRQVLGHUDEO\�below the city sample average in every areas.

The results of the OPENCities Monitor allow testing various hypotheses about the diversity and economic success. Is there a link between the openness of a city (measured by the Openness Index) and its economic development �PHDVXUHG�E\�WKH�*'3�SHU�FDSLWD�"�$�ȴUVW�KLQW�LV�JLYHQ�LQ�graph 2, where it can be seen that there is a clear correla-tion between these two variables. GDP per capita is higher in open cities. However, there is clearly more research ne-cessary to analyse the nature of this relationship in more detail.

Due to the increasing international interdependence re-sulting from globalisation, openness is a success factor for FLWLHV� DOO� DURXQG� WKH� *OREH�� &LWLHV�EHQHȴWWLQJ� IURP� WKHLU�culturally diverse populations and internationalisation,-FDQ� LQȵXHQFH� WKHLU� GHJUHH�RI� RSHQQHVV�� FRPSDUH� WKHP-selves with their competitors and monitor their progress towards openness. The OPENCities Monitor helps cities improve their openness through benchmarking, good practice examples and policy recommendations.

<RX�FDQ�ȴQG�PRUH�LQIRUPDWLRQ�RQ�WKH�23(1&LWLHV�SURMHFW�RQ�WKHLU�ZHEVLWH��RSHQFLWLHV�HX��RU�E\�GLUHFWO\�FRQWDFWLQJ�WKH�

DXWKRU�at [email protected]

Graph 2: Index of Openness, ranking 2012

Source: BAK Basel

14 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

OPINIONS

7KLV� \HDUȇV� (XURSHDQ� SDUOLDPHQWDU\� HOHFWLRQV� UHYHDOHG�three important paradoxes in European migration dia-logue. First, public discourse displayed egregious misa-lignment between popular perceptions of immigration and immigration realities. These unfounded perceptions RI� LPPLJUDWLRQȇV� LPSDFWV� IXHOHG� WKH�DVFHQW�RI� DQWL�LPPL-gration and xenophobic political parties and, unfortuna-tely, underpinned national-level dialogue. The abstract nature of national dialogue stemmed from a second gap: the failure of national policymakers to engage and learn from more practical local-level discourse about migration. Had national leaders engaged local leadership in the dis-cussion, they might have avoided the third misalignment: DVNLQJ� WKH� TXHVWLRQ�� Ȋ'RHV� LPPLJUDWLRQ� EHQHȴW� GHVWLQD-tion communities?” This inquiry is poorly framed not only because empirical evidence has largely answered it in the DɝUPDWLYH��EXW�DOVR�EHFDXVH� LW�DVVXPHV�WKDW�WKH�SKHQR-menon of migration can be immediately stopped (and has not always been occurring). A more productive query, and one that local and regional leaders have already begun to ask themselves and their constituencies, is: “How can des-WLQDWLRQ�FRPPXQLWLHV�PD[LPL]H�WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�PLJUDWLRQ"ȋ�Exploring this question is the best way to arrive at practical SROLF\�WRROV�WKDW�EHQHȴW�QDWLYHV�DQG�LPPLJUDQWV��DOLNH��

Looking over a four-leaf clover: perceptions vs. data

Popular perceptions of immigration, which often vehe-PHQWO\�GHQ\�LPPLJUDWLRQȇV�FXUUHQW�EHQHȴWV�WR�GHVWLQDWLRQ�VRFLHWLHV��RYHUORRN�VLJQLȴFDQW�GDWD�RQ� WKH� LVVXH��*HQHUD-lized arguments often describe migrant unemployment, EHQHȴW�GHSHQGHQFH��DQG�WKH�FRQVHTXHQW�GUDLQ�RQ�SXEOLF�FRHUV��ΖQ�$SULO��IRU�H[DPSOH��D�7HOHJUDSK�DUWLFOH�UH-ported on the public drain caused by 3,000 unemployed

European immigrants receiving £100 weekly in UK Hou-VLQJ�%HQHȴWV��FRVWLQJ�WD[SD\HUV�e��PLOOLRQ�DQQXDOO\��

7KH�DUWLFOH��DQG�VLPLODUO\�DODUPLVW�UHSRUWV�RI�PLJUDQWVȇ�VR-cietal costs, failed to mention important auxiliary informa-tion to complement the presented data. These 3,000 indi-viduals, who comprise about one-tenth of one percent of the European migrants in the UK, are the exception rather than the rule. Overall, European migrants to the UK—es-SHFLDOO\� PRUH� UHFHQW� RQHVȃKDYH� PDGH� D� SRVLWLYH� ȴVFDO�LPSDFW��HYHQ�DV�WKH�8.�KDV�UXQ�ȴVFDO�GHȴFLWV��ΖQ�IDFW��WKLV�WUHQG�LV�QRW�XQLTXH�WR�WKH�8.��$��2(&'�UHSRUW�FRQȴU-med that, in all but three OECD countries, immigrants had D�SRVLWLYH�ȴVFDO�LPSDFW�RQ�VRFLHW\��FRQWULEXWLQJ�D�QHW�DYH-rage of 3.280 Euros annually through taxes and other fees.(YHQ�LI�LQFRPLQJ�LPPLJUDQWV�ZHUH�QRW�LPPHGLDWHO\�ȴVFDO-O\�EHQHȴFLDO��FRVWV�DVVRFLDWHG�ZLWK�VXSSRUWLQJ�WKHLU�DUULYDO�and transition should be viewed as an investment. Due to ageing, native workforces in Europe are already shrinking dramatically. By 2020, the working age population in OECD countries will lose 15% more people than it will gain an-nually. In Germany, this number is as high as 60%, while in Greece and Italy it approaches 40% and even Spain DQG�3RUWXJDO�H[FHHG��3RODQGȇV�� LPSOLHV� WKDW� WKH�FRXQWU\�ZKLFK�KDV�VHUYHG�DV�D�VLJQLȴFDQW�VRXUFH�RI�ODERU�in Western Europe will soon cease to do so. European po-licymakers thinking about the human resources required IRU� IXWXUH� HFRQRPLF� JURZWK�PLJKW� FRQVLGHU� LPPLJUDQWVȇ�SRWHQWLDO�WR�ȴOO�D�JURZLQJ�YRLG��

6XSSRUWLQJ� LPPLJUDQWVȇ� HFRQRPLF� VWDELOLVDWLRQ� XSRQ� DU-rival would be a sound social and economic investment HYHQ�ZLWKRXW� (XURSHȇV� FXUUHQW� GHPRJUDSKLF� VKLIWV�� 'DWD�VKRZ� WKDW� LPPLJUDQWV� DUH�ȴOOLQJ� LPSRUWDQW� ODERU�PDUNHW�roles at all skill levels, but not rapidly enough. 2011 em-ployer surveys report that about half of all small and me-

Reframing Europe’s Immigration Through An Urban Lens

7KH�LPPLJUDWLRQ�GHEDWH�LQ�(XURSH�VXHUV�IURP�XQIRXQGHG�QHJDWLYH�SUHMXGLFHV�� &LWLHV��KDYLQJ�WKH�PRVW�WR�JDLQ�IURP�PLJUDQWVȇ�HFRQRPLF�FRQWULEXWLRQ��KDYH�

an historic role in fostering a change of mentality starting from the local level.

Manjula Luthria & Casey WestonWorld Bank


OPINIONS

dium enterprises experience shortages of workers with mid-level skills; 20% lack low-skilled workers, as well. In the high-skill category, although 15% of scientists and en-gineers in the OECD are foreign-born, shortages persist, DHFWLQJ�DV�PDQ\�DV��RI�WKH�ODUJHVW�ȴUPV��7KXV��DVVLV-ting immigrants in adapting to their new social, cultural, and economic realities may represent an important step in strengthening the European labor market.

Perhaps the most popular argument against providing WKLV�VXSSRUWȃȴQDQFLDO�� LQVWLWXWLRQDO��RU�RWKHUZLVHȃLV�WKH�concern that this assistance comes at the expense of na-tive workers and citizens. However, low- and mid-skill im-migrant workers frequently obtain employment in roles not occupied by natives. This leaves high-skilled immi-gration; while employment of high-skilled migrants may temporarily displace native workers, even this type of im-PLJUDWLRQ�VRRQ�SURYHV�EHQHȴFLDO�WR�WKH�GHVWLQDWLRQ�FRP-munity. Immigrant innovation in high-skill sectors, along with high rates of entrepreneurship, ultimately leads to H[WHQVLYH� MRE� FUHDWLRQ� WKDW�EHQHȴWV� WKH�HQWLUH�HFRQRP\��ΖPPLJUDQW�OHG�ȴUPV��IRU�H[DPSOH��DUH�UHVSRQVLEOH�IRU�WKH�

existence of 750 thousand jobs in Germany and around half a million each in the UK, Spain, and France.

National-level public debates have largely ignored these GDWD�DQG�GLVUHJDUGHG� LPPLJUDQWVȇ� FXOWXUDO� FRQWULEXWLRQV��as well. Around Europe, immigrant communities add to the diversity of thought and experience—enclaves like the neighborhoods of Noailles in Marseille, El Raval in Bar-celona, and Kreuzberg in Munich each add an important element of character and life to their respective cities. The social and economic impact of communities such as these, unacknowledged at the national level, is felt and ap-SUHFLDWHG�DW�WKH�ORFDO�OHYHO��WKLV�LV�MXVW�WKH�ȴUVW�UHDVRQ�ZK\�engaging municipal-level leaders in conversations about migration could lead to more progressive and fruitful dia-logue.

Learning from the local: why municipal pers-pectives matter

While national discussion continues to debate whether or QRW�LPPLJUDQWV�EHQHȴW�VRFLHW\��ORFDO�OHDGHUV�PXVW�LQQRYDWH�

© Fotolia

Fractures in Europe

16 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

OPINIONS

policy responses to other concerns. In light of continued economic shifts away from manufacturing and towar-GV�VHUYLFH� LQGXVWULHV�� FLW\� OHDGHUV� LQ�(XURSHȇV�VPDOO� FLWLHV�must identify how to encourage a renewed clustering of LQQRYDWLRQ�DQG�VPDOO�DQG�PHGLXP�ȴUP�JURZWK��ΖQ�PLGGOH�tier cities, leaders must contend with municipal shrinkage FDXVHG�E\�DJHLQJ�DQG�WKH�GHSDUWXUH�RI�PHJD�ȴUPV�WR�(X-URSHȇV� ODUJHVW�PHWURSROLVHV�� ΖQ� ODUJH�XUEDQ�DUHDV��DXWKR-rities must ensure that increasingly diverse communities contribute to a harmonious and inclusive atmosphere. For cities at all levels, a national dialogue that consistent-O\�UHWXUQV�WR�FRQVLGHU�WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�PLJUDWLRQ� LV� ODUJHO\�impractical, if not entirely unhelpful. Urban areas are the destination point for most international immigration, and FLWLHVȇ�OHDGHUV�PXVW�WXUQ�WKHLU�WKRXJKWV�WRZDUGV�KRZ�WR�OH-YHUDJH�WKDW�IDFW�IRU�WKH�EHQHȴW�RI�WKHLU�FRPPXQLWLHV�

Smaller cities, eager to bolster the proliferation of small and medium enterprises, might consider the role that mi-JUDQWV�FRXOG�KDYH� LQ�HFRQRPLF�GLYHUVLȴFDWLRQ�DQG�UHYLWD-lization. Entrepreneurship rates of migrants approximate those of natives in many European countries despite mi-JUDQWVȇ� ODFN� RI� FRQWH[WXDO�PDUNHW� LQIRUPDWLRQ�� HFRQRPLF�support networks, or—often—linguistic or tacit cultural communication skills. On the contrary, a 2010 OECD ana-O\VLV�RI�ȴUP�ELUWKV�DQG�FORVXUHV�LQ�*HUPDQ\�UHYHDOHG�WKDW�QHZ��PLJUDQW�OHG�ȴUPV�IUHTXHQWO\�RXWODVWHG�ȴUPV�VWDUWHG�by natives. One potential reason for this discrepancy is PLJUDQWVȇ�HQKDQFHG�DELOLW\�WR�RYHUFRPH�ȊEDUULHUV�WR�LQWHU-nationalisation,” through their language skills and unders-tanding of foreign markets and overseas expansion op-

portunities. While support to entrepreneurial immigration would by no means serve as a complete response to eco-QRPLF�VKLIWV�KDSSHQLQJ�LQ�(XURSHȇV�VPDOOHU�FLWLHV��LW�PDNHV�sense for these localities to consider it among a menu of policy tools to support renewed growth.

Inviting immigration could also be a municipal tool to batt-OH�ORFDO�OHYHO�SRSXODWLRQ�VKULQNDJH��ZKLFK�DGYHUVHO\�DHFWV�PDQ\� (XURSHDQ� FLWLHV�� RI� (XURSHȇV� ODUJH� FLWLHV� KDYH�experienced population decreases over the past several decades, due to suburban population shifts and ageing, among other factors. Large-scale population declines lead to a decrease in housing values, abandonment and decay of valuable infrastructure, and a tighter labor pool that is unattractive to prospective employers. Furthermore, city shrinkage “operates synergistically to put strains on the overall economy,” implying more serious repercussions for national economies, as well. Immigrants can help rep-lenish labor pools, put valuable infrastructure to use, and give some modicum of balance to tilting dependency ra-WLRV�WKDW�WKUHDWHQ�PXQLFLSDO�ȴQDQFHV��+RZHYHU��LQFRUSRUD-ting immigrants into the labor market, and society at large, requires thoughtful planning and goal-oriented dialogue, as demonstrated by large European cities with existing im-migrant populations.

Facilitating the integration of migrants into local labor markets, social networks, and neighborhoods must soon be a goal not only for larger cities, but cities around Europe VHHNLQJ�WR�PD[LPL]H�WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�LPPLJUDWLRQ��6HYHUDO�European-wide initiatives and programs exist to assist in

/DERU�PDUNHW�LQWHJUDWLRQ�KDV�WR�UHO\�QRW�RQO\�RQ�QDWLRQDO�SROLFLHV��EXW�RQ�ORFDO�OHYHO�HRUWV�$IWHU� DOO�� LPPLJUDQWV� FRQFHQWUDWH� LQ� FHQWUDO� FLWLHV�� ZKHUH� WDUJHWHG� HRUWV� FDQ� KDYH� PRUH� LPSDFW��

Source: OECD, OPEC, RU, SSB, Ineqcity, Denmark, City of Zurich


OPINIONS

WKHVH�HRUWV��7KH�'LYHUVLW\� LQ�WKH�(FRQRP\�DQG�/RFDO� ΖQ-tegration (DELI) seeks to encourage enhanced dialogue around how to foster the growth of migrant enterprises, while Eurocities works to advance the agenda of migrant inclusion at the European-level. Increasingly, however, ci-WLHV�KRSLQJ� WR�PD[LPL]H� WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI� LPPLJUDWLRQ�ZLOO�need to craft strategies to cultivate an inclusive environ-ment that facilitates urban migrant integration.

:RUN��OLYH��EXLOG��GHȴQLQJ�LQWHJUDWLRQ�

0D[LPL]LQJ� WKH� EHQHȴWV� RI� LQWHUQDWLRQDO� ODERU� PREL-lity—for neighborhoods, municipal regions, nations, and Europe in general—requires an understanding of the barriers to immigrant success. Restrictions on access to labor markets, community participation, and housing prevent the integration that could lead to economic prosperity, social cohesion, and neighborhood revita-OL]DWLRQ� LQ� (XURSHȇV� FLWLHV�� 7KXV�PXQLFLSDO� SODQV� VKRXOG�aim to identify how these barriers manifest themselves in urban areas and consult with immigrant workers and business-owners, related NGOs, community groups, and urban planners on how to dismantle them.

Barriers to labor market integration can take the form of skill invisibility, inherent biases, or communication bar-riers. Skill invisibility can occur when local employment institutions (or employers, themselves) do not have the information or resources necessary to detect the value of vocational skills or degrees acquired in a foreign context. 7KLV�GHYDOXDWLRQ�RI�LPPLJUDQWVȇ�H[SHULHQFH�RU�HGXFDWLRQ�can prevent full exploitation of their abilities in the labor market. Similarly, unrecognized biases inherent in em-SOR\HUVȇ�SHUFHSWLRQV�RI�PLJUDQWV�PD\� OHDG� WR�XQGHU�XWL-OL]DWLRQ�RI�PLJUDQWVȇ�VNLOOV��6WXGLHV�VXJJHVW�WKDW�GLVPLVVDO�of exemplary employment applications may occur due VROHO\�WR�WKH�IRUHLJQ�QDWXUH�RI�DSSOLFDQWVȇ�QDPHV��IRU�H[D-mple. Tackling these sorts of biases requires time and a FRQFHUWHG�SXEOLF�HRUW��EXW�FDQ�OHDG�WR�D�PRUH�HTXLWDEOH�labor market and productive workforce. 3URGXFWLYH�ZRUNIRUFHV�PXVW� EHQHȴW� IURP�DGHTXDWH�SX-blic services, such as healthcare and transportation, to which many immigrant communities lack access. Ensu-ring community integration requires not only a greater analysis of barriers to service access, but also interme-

diation between service providers—such as police forces, medical workers, educators, and city planners—and im-migrant communities. Increased consultation might re-veal the need for collaborative policing programs to build community trust, or nuanced zoning regulations to facili-tate immigrant entrepreneurship in residential neighbo-rhoods.Labor market integration and social cohesion can lay the groundwork for migrant integration, as long as neighbo-rhoods exist that are welcoming to recent arrivals. Whether WKH\� DUH� DRUGDEOH� KRXVLQJ� EORFNV� WKDW� VHUYH� DV� ODQGLQJ�pads for new residents, or ethnic enclaves that serve as an important cultural link between migrants and natives, insti-WXWLRQV�PXVW�VXSSRUW�LPPLJUDQWVȇ�DELOLW\�WR�URRW�WKHPVHOYHV�LQ�D�FLW\�DQG�LQYHVWȃȴQDQFLDOO\��VRFLDOO\��RU�RWKHUZLVHȃLQ�D�new home. Considerations about spatial design, linkages to other neighborhoods, and functional rather than utopian planning can all contribute to migrant integration into the housing market. 3HUKDSV�WKH�PRVW�LPSRUWDQW�H[WHUQDOLW\�RI�HRUWV�WR�FUHDWH�cohesive local-level migrant integration plans is their po-tential to generate a change in public perception. The work of local policymakers, service providers, and community PHPEHUV�WR�PD[LPL]H�WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�PLJUDWLRQ�FDQ�KHOS�shift the dialogue at the municipal, regional, and perhaps national levels, from abstract and sensationalist to goal-oriented and productive.

)RUPLQJ�RYHUDUFKLQJ�DQG�HHFWLYH�LQWHJUDWLRQ�VWUDWHJLHV�LV�no easy feat; it requires local leaders to devote time, energy and funds to piloting policies, measuring results, and dis-seminating information about impact. Recently, the World %DQNȇV�ΖQWHUQDWLRQDO�/DERU�0RELOLW\�3URJUDP��EDVHG�RXW�RI�the Center for Mediterranean Integration, has teamed up with the Ryerson Maytree Global Diversity Exchange, the Bertlesmann Foundation, Cities Alliance, the Open Society Foundations, and the German Marshall Fund to think to-gether with local policymakers and practitioners about how to advocate for continued policy innovation. This commu-nity of practice, the Labor Integration Network for Cities and Urban Planners (LINC-UP), hopes to engage munici-palities in a process of consultation and policy formation. ΖGHDOO\��WKHVH�HRUWV�ZLOO�QRW�RQO\�PD[LPL]H�WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�international migration for migrants and their destination communities, but also catalyse more productive local and national dialogues about migration policy.

18 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

OPINIONS

What is the big story of our age? It depends on the day, EXW� LI�ZH�FRXQW�E\� FHQWXULHV�� WKHQ�VXUHO\�KXPDQLW\ȇV�XU-banisation is a strong contender. Today, more than half RI�WKH�ZRUOGȇV�SRSXODWLRQ�OLYHV�LQ�FLWLHV��FRPSDUHG�WR�OHVV�than 3% in 1800. By 2025, China alone is expected to have 15 “mega-cities,” each with a population of at least 25 mil-lion. Are social critics right to worry about the atomized loneliness of big-city life?

True, cities cannot provide the rich sense of community that often characterizes villages and small towns. But a GLHUHQW�IRUP�RI�FRPPXQLW\�HYROYHV�LQ�FLWLHV��3HRSOH�RI-ten take pride in their cities, and seek to nourish their dis-tinctive civic cultures.

3ULGH�LQ�RQHȇV�FLW\�KDV�D�ORQJ�KLVWRU\��ΖQ�WKH�DQFLHQW�ZRU-OG��$WKHQLDQV�LGHQWLȴHG�ZLWK�WKHLU�FLW\ȇV�GHPRFUDWLF�HWKRV��ZKLOH�6SDUWDQV�SULGHG� WKHPVHOYHV�RQ� WKHLU� FLW\ȇV� UHSXWD-WLRQ�IRU�PLOLWDU\�GLVFLSOLQH�DQG�VWUHQJWK��2I�FRXUVH��WRGD\ȇV�urban areas are huge, diverse, and pluralistic, so it may seem strange to say that a modern city has an ethos that LQIRUPV�LWV�UHVLGHQWVȇ�FROOHFWLYH�OLIH�

<HW� WKH�GLHUHQFHV�EHWZHHQ�� VD\��%HLMLQJ�DQG� -HUXVDOHP��suggest that cities do have such an ethos. Both are de-signed with a core surrounded by concentric circles, but -HUXVDOHPȇV�FRUH�H[SUHVVHV�VSLULWXDO�YDOXHV��ZKLOH�%HLMLQJȇV�UHSUHVHQWV�SROLWLFDO�SRZHU��$QG�D�FLW\ȇV�HWKRV�VKDSHV�PRUH�WKDQ� LWV� OHDGHUV��%HLMLQJ� DWWUDFWV�&KLQDȇV� OHDGLQJ�SROLWLFDO�FULWLFV��ZKLOH� -HUXVDOHPȇV�VRFLDO�FULWLFV�DUJXH� IRU�DQ� LQWHU-pretation of religion that holds people, rather than inani-mate objects, sacred. In both cases, despite objections to

WKH�UXOLQJ�LGHRORJ\ȇV�VSHFLȴF�WHQHWV��IHZ�UHMHFW�WKH�HWKRV�itself.

Or consider Montreal, whose residents must navigate WKH�FLW\ȇV�WULFN\�OLQJXLVWLF�SROLWLFV��0RQWUHDO� LV�D�UHODWLYHO\�successful example of a city in which Anglophones and Francophones both feel at home, but language debates nonetheless dominate the political scene – and structure DQ�HWKRV�IRU�WKH�FLW\ȇV�UHVLGHQWV�

Hong Kong is a special case, where the capitalist way of life is so central that it is enshrined in the constitution (the Basic Law). Yet Hong Kong-style capitalism is not founded simply on the pursuit of material gain. It is underpinned by a Confucian ethic that prioritizes caring for others over self-interest, which helps to explain why Hong Kong has the highest rate of charitable giving in East Asia.

Paris, on the other hand, has a romantic ethos. But Pari-VLDQV�UHMHFW�+ROO\ZRRGȇV�EDQDO�FRQFHSW�RI�ORYH�DV�D�VWRU\�that ends happily ever after. Their idea of romance cen-ters on its opposition to staid values and predictability of bourgeois life.

In fact, many cities have distinctive identities of which their residents are proud. Urban pride – what we call “civicism” – is a key feature of our identities today. This matters in part because cities with a clear ethos can bet-WHU� UHVLVW� JOREDOL]DWLRQȇV� KRPRJHQL]LQJ� WHQGHQFLHV�� ΖW� LV�worrying when countries proclaim their timeless and or-JDQLF� LGHDOV��EXW�DɝUPLQJ�D� FLW\ȇV�SDUWLFXODULW\� FDQ�EH�D�sign of health.

SELF and the city

Urbanisation is blamed for a variety of modern social ills. But, thanks to their unique identity, cities all around the world can help KXPDQLW\�VXFFHVVIXOO\�RYHUFRPH�WKH�PRVW�GLɝFXOW�FKDOOHQJHV�RI�RXU�DJH��

Daniel A. Bell & Avner De-Shalit


OPINIONS

Chinese cities seek to counter uniformity via campaigns to recover their unique “spirit.” Harbin, for example, prides itself on its history of tolerance and openness to forei-JQHUV�� (OVHZKHUH�� 7HO� $YLYȇV� RɝFLDO�:HE� VLWH� FHOHEUDWHV��DPRQJ�RWKHU�DWWUDFWLRQV�� WKH�FLW\ȇV�SURJUHVVLYH� UROH�DV�D�world center for the gay community.

Urban pride can also prevent extreme nationalism. Most people need a communal identity, but it may well be bet-WHU�WR�ȴQG�LW�LQ�RQHȇV�DWWDFKPHQW�WR�D�FLW\�WKDQ�LQ�DWWDFK-ment to a country that is armed and willing to engage LQ� FRQȵLFW� ZLWK� HQHPLHV�� ΖQGLYLGXDOV� ZKR� KDYH� D� VWURQJ�sense of civicism can make decisions based on more than mere patriotism when it comes to national commitments.Cities with a strong ethos can also accomplish political

JRDOV�WKDW�DUH�GLɝFXOW�WR�DFKLHYH�DW�WKH�QDWLRQDO�OHYHO��&KL-na, the United States, and even Canada may take years to implement serious plans to address climate change. Yet cities like Hangzhou, Portland, and Vancouver take pride in their “green” ethos, and go far beyond national require-ments in terms of environmental protection.

Urbanization is blamed for a wide variety of modern so-cial ills, ranging from crime and incivility to alienation and anomie. But, by infusing us with their unique spirit and identity, our cities may, in fact, help to empower huma-QLW\�WR�IDFH�WKH�PRVW�GLɝFXOW�FKDOOHQJHV�RI�WKH�WZHQW\�ȴUVW�century.

3XEOLVKHG�RULJLQDOO\�E\�k3URMHFW�6\QGLFDWH

© Eric Austria, via Flickr

20 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

OPINIONS

The future of the global economy looks more and more knowledge-oriented: a cauldron of global and diverse multinationals and startups where talent is the new main variable in competitiveness. Competition for investment has already been replaced by competition for talent because, in the knowledge economy, investments follow inventions. In these conditions, cities, where the most innovation happens, have to compete in creating, retaining and attracting talent, be them entrepreneurs, highly skilled or creative people. The most successful a city is in establishing the right conditions to appeal to talents, the best it will thrive in the world economy.

But how can cities develop the right mix of ingredients to become (or remain) successful? The New European discussed this issue with Marcel Prunera Colomer, co-founder and Managing Partner of Imacity, a Barcelona-based consultancy company working in social and economic urban development in cities and regions around the world.

Could you describe Imacity’s work?

Imacity is a consultancy company. We work for cities, governments, multilateral organisations, private foundations, or any kind of organisation working for the general interest. In Imacity, we understand sustainable urban development as a complex process which must guarantee progress, opportunities and an adequate standard of living for the greatest possible majority. Our focus lies on cities development because they are the essential unit where development and growth happen and policies become concrete. Interculturality, economic development, social innovation, are all basically coming up in cities.

In terms of content, we are focused on economic and intercultural development. We help in creating concepts and programs, we evaluate policies, we design and assess projects and programs, and we also coordinate projects, as our main activities. Imacity works at the international level and we have done projects in Europe – from Ireland to Azerbaijan – and in America – US, Canada, Mexico and Colombia.

In today’s globalised economy, cities face the challenge of thriving or declining. Which are the main ingredients for a successful, smart and innovative city?

ΖW�LV�GLɝFXOW�WR�SRLQW�RXW�RQO\�RQH�FOHDU��ȴW�DOO�UHFLSH��ΖW�LV�PRUH�D�FRPELQDWLRQ�RI�LQJUHGLHQWV��VRPH�RI�ZKRP�DUH�HFRQRPLF�G\QD-mism, entrepreneurship, knowledge, intercultural wealth, globalised network, mobility, good social policies, balanced neighbou-UKRRGVȐ�ΖQGHHG��GHȴQLQJ�VXFFHVV�LV�QRW�HDV\��VRPH�PLJKW�FRQVLGHU�HFRQRPLF�DWWUDFWLYHQHVV�DV�RQH�NH\�GULYHU�RI�VXFFHVV��RWKHUV�social balance, others quality of life, others still a mix of those three drivers.

Imacity is based on the belief that not only integrating diversity is fair, but that is also economical-O\�VPDUW�DQG�SURȴWDEOH��:KDW�LV�GLYHUVLW\ȇV�HFRQRPLF�DGYDQWDJH"

We live in an increasingly complex world, and complexity is better accommodated through diversity. Especially entrepreneurship, the base of any dynamic economy, develops mainly in diverse societies. Cultural diversity brings assets to work in a globalised world. All successful cities – I would say even successful companies –, are diverse places: they host citizens of all kinds, students and entrepreneurs from far away, which in turn brings lots of visitors and attracts talents.

ΖQGHHG��WKLQN�DERXW�ZKDW�DUH�WRGD\ȇV�OHDGLQJ�HQWUHSUHQHXULDO�FLWLHV��6DQ�)UDQFLVFR��1HZ�<RUN��&KLFDJR��%RVWRQ�LQ�WKH�86��/RQGRQ��Berlin, Barcelona in Europe. They are all diverse or cosmopolitan cities, open to the world. Their added value is not only given by the fact that being diverse attracts talent, but also that diversity begets entrepreneurship among citizens. In general terms, in all cities immigrants represent a relevant percentage of their entrepreneurial dynamism.

«The key for cities’ success? High quality of life for all»

+RZ�ZLOO�FLWLHV�ORRN�LQ�WKH�IXWXUH"�+RZ�ZLOO�GLYHUVLW\�LPSDFW�WKHLU�GHYHORSPHQW"� A conversation with 0DUFHO�3UXQHUD� co-founder of urban consultancy ΖPDFLW\�


What are the common features you noticed in urban diversity management? Are there solutions that can be exported?

7KH�ȴUVW�DVSHFW�WR�SRLQW�RXW�LV�WKDW�HDFK�FDVH�VKRXOG�EH�PDQDJHG�LQ�D�XQLTXH�ZD\��PDJLF�IRUPXODV�GR�QRW�H[LVW��%XW�FHUWDLQO\��there are a lot of solutions that can be exported: cities that are balanced in terms of infrastructures, public spaces, education, economic activity, and are able to better manage their diversity.

For example, one of our most important products is to develop so-called anti-rumours policies, i.e. a series of projects aimed DW�FRPEDWLQJ�QHJDWLYH�DQG�XQIRXQGHG�UXPRXUV�DQG�VWHUHRW\SHV�WKDW�KDYH�DQ�DGYHUVH�HHFW�RQ�OLYLQJ�LQ�GLYHUVLW\��:H�KDYH�UHFHQWO\�FRQWULEXWHG�WR�WKH�FUHDWLRQ�RI�%DUFHORQDȇV�VXFFHVVIXO�DQWL�UXPRXUV�SROLF\�DQG�QRZ�ZH�DUH�KHOSLQJ�FLWLHV�LQ�(XURSH�DQG�$PHULFD�GHYHORS�VLPLODU�SROLFLHV��ΖQGHHG��DQ�DQWL�UXPRXU�SROLF\�LV�D�GLYHUVLW\�PDQDJHPHQW�VROXWLRQ�ZKLFK�FDQ�ZRUN�HHFWLYHO\�anywhere worldwide.

$OVR��ZKDW�LV�HDVLO\�H[SRUWDEOH�DQG�DGDSWDEOH�WR�GLHUHQW�UHDOLW\�LV�RXU�H[SHULHQFH�LQ�GHDOLQJ�ZLWK�FRPSHWLWLYHQHVV�VWUDWHJLHV��especially processes where there is participation or negotiation with social agents, or developing entrepreneurship programs in public health care systems and organisations.

How does Imacity imagine the cities of the future?

Future cities will be crowded, because population is dramatically concentrating in urban areas; they will be astonishing un-der our current perspective in terms of technology and service to citizens, but we hope no less human or comfortable. Me-dium-sized cities with all facilities or balanced neighbourhoods in big metropolitan areas will probably be the goal for eve-ryone. Quality of life will still be, at the end, the main driver to take into consideration.

:H�FDQQRW�JHQHUDOLVH��WKRXJK��7KHUH�ZLOO�EH�ORW�RI�GLHUHQFHV�EHWZHHQ�FLWLHV�GHSHQGLQJ�RQ�UHJLRQV��ΖQ�$IULFD�DQG�$VLD�ZH�VHH�WKH�KLJKHVW�XUEDQ�JURZWK�DQG�KRZ�WKHVH�FLWLHV�DUH�JURZLQJ�ZLOO�DHFW�WKH�EDODQFH�EHWZHHQ�GHYHORSPHQW�DQG�VRFLDO�FRKHVLRQ��Housing and transport policies, but also how to guarantee and equal access to “public goods” like education, health and culture are crucial. Furthermore, cities must foster social interaction, as this is a crucial aspect for social cohesion and interculturalism, but also for entrepreneurship and creativity.

In Europe, we think the debate will focus more and more on how to provide relevance to pedestrians, bicycles and public trans-port. In other words, on how to guarantee that density combine with neighbourhoods to have a good mix of services, houses, businesses, cultural centres, together with a high quality of public spaces. This requires, though, having a global approach to XUEDQ�GHYHORSPHQW�DQG�GHYHORSLQJ�ORQJ�WHUP�VWUDWHJLHV��1RW�DOO�WKH�FLWLHV�ZLOO�GR�WKLV�DQG�WKH�ȴUVW�WKLQJ�\RX�QHHG�LV�VRPH�political leadership that manages to have a more collaborative approach with civil society and is capable to build partnerships with the private sector to work together for a common goals.

Sadly, we will still see many segregated and disconnected areas where the most vulnerable citizens will concentrate, as a result of a lack of equal opportunities. Having ambitious policies to bring dignity and provide higher quality of life to all should be a key priority.

<RX�FDQ�ȴQG�PRUH�LQIRUPDWLRQ�RQ�ΖPDFLW\ȇV�SURMHFWV�RQ�WKHLU�ZHEVLWH��LPDFLW\�FRP

OPINIONS

© Wikimedia

The Ideal City as imagined by Italian Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca in 1470

22 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

WORLDVIEW

Few people outside of China know Foshan, a city of seven million located at the heart of the Pearl River Delta in sou-thern China. But this vibrant and economically progressive city – which Foreign Policy and the McKinsey Global Institute UDQNHG�ODVW�\HDU�DV�WKH�ZRUOGȇV��WK�PRVW�G\QDPLF�FLW\��EDVHG�on its projected GDP increase from 2010 to 2025 – embodies &KLQDȇV�TXHVW�IRU�D�KLJK�YDOXH�DGGHG��KLJK�LQFRPH�HFRQRP\�

With this in mind, about two years ago, a team of researchers (including us) launched a case study on Foshan. The city VWRRG�RXW��EHFDXVH� LWV�H[SHULHQFH�H[HPSOLȴHV�&KLQDȇV�SUR-gress over the last 35 years – as well as the structural challen-JHV�WKDW�WKH�FRXQWU\�QRZ�IDFHV��2QH�RI�WKH�ȴUVW�&KLQHVH�FLWLHV�WR�LPSOHPHQW�H[SHULPHQWDO�HFRQRPLF�UHIRUPV��)RVKDQ�ȴUVW�built itself up as a low-cost manufacturing center, and is now working to become a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economic powerhouse.

7KH�FDVH�VWXG\ȇV�VXFFHVV�GHSHQGHG�RQ�FULWLFDO�SDUWQHUVKLSV��A team of 24 researchers from the National Development and Reform Commission shared their extensive knowledge RI�&KLQDȇV�H[SHULHQFHV�DQG�SROLFLHV��$QG�ORFDO�H[SHUWV�IDFLOL-WDWHG�WKH�H[DPLQDWLRQ�RI��DVSHFWV�RI�)RVKDQȇV�JURZWK�RYHU�the last 35 years: industry, land, transport, electricity, water, ȴQDQFH��HPSOR\PHQW��JRYHUQDQFH��SODQQLQJ��SXEOLF�ȴQDQFH��education, housing, health care, and pensions.

This micro-institutional study of macro outcomes produced four surprises.7KH�ȴUVW�ZDV�)RVKDQȇV�HFRQRPLF�SHUIRUPDQFH��7KH�FLW\ȇV�SHU�capita GDP reached $14.828 in 2012 – higher than Shan-JKDL�RU�%HLMLQJ��DQG�ZHOO�ZLWKLQ�WKH�:RUOG�%DQNȇV�ȊKLJK�LQFR-me” category. Real-estate value per capita reached almost $50,000 in 2010 – more than four times per capita GDP that \HDU�Ȃ�RZLQJ�ODUJHO\�WR�VRDULQJ�SURSHUW\�SULFHV��$QG�)RVKDQȇV�

urbanization rate, supported by high-quality infrastructure and an advanced industrial sector, reached 94%.

Of course, Foshan is not the only such success story in Chi-na. Of 287 Chinese cities, 17 have populations of more than three million, with per capita GDP exceeding $12.000. To-JHWKHU�� WKHVH�FLWLHV�DFFRXQW� IRU��RI�&KLQDȇV� WRWDO�SRSX-lation and 30% of its GDP. While all of them hold important lessons for China as it attempts to avoid the middle-income WUDS��)RVKDQȇV�H[SHULHQFH�RHUV�SDUWLFXODUO\�XVHIXO�LQVLJKWV�This is because of the second surprise: beyond slightly easier access to international markets – a result of its proximity to +RQJ�.RQJ�DQG�KLVWRU\�RI�PXQLFLSDO�OHYHO�UHIRUP�Ȃ�)RVKDQȇV�success does not depend on some unique advantage. Thus, WKH�PDLQ�FRPSRQHQWV�RI�)RVKDQȇV�HVFDSH�IURP�SRYHUW\�FDQ�be replicated in other Chinese cities. These include:

- Private-sector-led growth. The private sector contributed ��RI�)RVKDQȇV�*'3�LQ��ZLWK�RQH�SULYDWH�HQWHUSULVH�IRU�every 20 residents.

- Production for domestic marketV�� )RVKDQȇV� QHW� H[SRUWV�GHFOLQHG� IURP��RI�*'3� LQ�� WR�� LQ�� UHȵHF-ting a much earlier shift to domestic markets than occurred in other Chinese manufacturing cities like Wenzhou (25% of GDP), Dongguan (32%), and Shenzhen (37%).

- Globally connected, specialised markets. Foshan has more than 30 specialized market towns with sophisticated industrial clusters and local supply chains linked to interna-tional markets.

- High-quality migrant labour. 0RUH� WKDQ�KDOI�RI�)RVKDQȇV�population and two-thirds of its workforce are migrants, who have access to the same social services as locals, owing

Foshan’s 4 SURPRISES

The little known Foshan, China, is a perfect example of a city successfully growing IURP�D�PDQXIDFWXULQJ�KXE�WR�D�ȊSDUDGLVHȋ��ΖWV�FDVH�RHUV�DGYLFH�RQ�KRZ�DFWLYH�DQG�

well-managed cities can irradiate innovative forms of economic development.

Andrew Cheng & Xiao Geng Fung Global Institute


WORLDVIEW

to reforms in vocational training, health care, housing, and social security.

- Greater local autonomy. %\� GHOHJDWLQJ� VLJQLȴFDQW� ȴVFDO�and management responsibility to county, township, and YLOODJH� RɝFLDOV�� )RVKDQȇV� JRYHUQPHQW�ZDV� DEOH� WR� VWRS� DF-ting as a substitute for the market, and begin facilitating and supporting market growth.

- Decentralisation of social services. The delegation of so-cial services to more than 1,000 industry associations and non-government entities improved delivery and reduced the EXUGHQ�RQ�SXEOLF�ȴQDQFHV�

The third surprise was why only Foshan took these six steps, HYHQ�WKRXJK�RWKHU�FLWLHV�FRXOG�KDYH�GRQH�VR�HDVLO\��7KH�FLW\ȇV�mayor, Liu Yuelun, explained that Foshan “had to rely on the market to get the people, capital, resources, infrastructure, technology, and sales for its growth.” After all, Foshan is not a special economic zone; it is not under the direct control of the central or a provincial government; and it is not rich in natural resources. In other words, the market – not the state – played a key role in resource allocation.

7KH�ȴQDO�VXUSULVH�ZDV�WKDW�WKH�NH\�HFRQRPLF�FKDOOHQJHV�ID-cing Foshan today – such as local-government debt, credit access for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), and pollution – are identical to those facing China as a whole.ΖQ��)RVKDQȇV�GHEW�VHUYLFH�FRVWV�Ȃ�ȴQDQFHG��DV�LQ�RWKHU�Chinese cities, largely through extra-budgetary land sales –

DPRXQWHG� WR� ��RI� LWV� ȴVFDO� UHYHQXH��%XW� )RVKDQ� LV� LQ� D�reasonably strong position to manage its local-government GHEW��EHFDXVH�LWV�ȴ[HG�FDSLWDO�LQYHVWPHQWV�VLQFH��KDYH�amounted to roughly 30% of GDP, compared to 70% for some other local governments.

The problem of credit access for local SMEs will be more dif-ȴFXOW� WR� UHVROYH��$V� LW� VWDQGV�� ORFDO�60(V�DUH� IRUFHG� WR�SD\�shadow-banking interest rates exceeding 20%, which retard their growth and limit their ability to innovate and create jobs. This suggests that macroeconomic policies, though QHFHVVDU\�� DUH� LQVXɝFLHQW�ZLWKRXW� SDUDOOHO� LQVWLWXWLRQDO� UH-forms in planning, regulation, and bankruptcy procedures to enforce credit discipline for all borrowers, regardless of whether they are in the private sector or state-owned.

On pollution, the obvious prescription is for Foshan to move to cleaner industries. But, unless nearby cities do the same, VXFK�HRUWV�ZLOO�KDYH�PLQLPDO�LPSDFW��$�PRUH�HHFWLYH�DS-proach would entail collective action to improve standards, expand public education, promote innovation in science DQG�WHFKQRORJ\��DQG�HQIRUFH�UXOHV�PRUH�HHFWLYHO\�

These four surprises highlight the need for China to move beyond mainstream economics, which emphasizes top-down macro policies, at the expense of the micro, institu-tional, and municipal-level reforms. But it is precisely such reforms that will determine whether China reaches the next stage of development.

Published originally by ©Project Syndicate

© Anne Roberts via Flickr

Bridge in the Liang Yuen gardens, Foshan

24 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

WORLDVIEW

Reviving Motor City

Detroit, the US automotive capital, has grown to symbolise urban failure. A city that RQFH�ZDV�ȵRULG�QRZ�VHHPV�EURNHQ��$Q�DOOLDQFH�RI�SROLF\�PDNHUV��EXVLQHVVPHQ�DQG�NGOs has come up with an original proposal to foster urban revival: immigration.

Giovanni Collot

© Wikimedia

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Detroit, Michigan, has in recent years come to epito-mise urban failure. The city that in the Fifties used to be NQRZQ� DV� WKH� Ȇ$UVHQDO� RI�'HPRFUDF\ȇ�� WKH� VDFUHG� FDSLWDO�of the American automobile, hosting the headquarters of Chrysler, General Motors and Ford, has now turned into a ghost town, prey to extreme poverty and abandonment.

1XPEHUV�VKRZ�WKH�GHSWK�RI�'HWURLWȇV�SUREOHPV��DIWHU�UHD-ching its population peak in the 1950 census at over 1,8 million people, it started a steady decline, reaching just over 700.000 residents in 2010 - a total loss of 61% of the population. A major change in the racial composition of the city also occurred over that same period; from 1950 to 2010 the black/white percentage of population went from 16,2%/83,6% to 82,7%/10,6%. Furthermore, as if depopulation and ghettoisation were not enough, unem-ployment skyrocketed: according to data made available by the US Department of Labor, of the 50 largest cities in the country Detroit has the highest unemployment rate, at ��'HWURLWȇV�SUREOHPV�DUH�QRWKLQJ�QHZ��%XW�WKH\�KDYH�

been made even more serious by the economic crisis: the LPDJHV�RI�WKH�FLW\ȇV�WKRXVDQGV�RI�DEDQGRQHG�KRXVHV�PDGH�the headlines around the world, vividly symbolising the ef-fects of recession. Projects of “shrinking” the city, tearing down entire neighborhoods to relocate services closer to the FHQWUH��KDYH�EHFRPH�LQFUHDVLQJO\�SRSXODU��$V�D�GHȴQLWLYH�IDOO�from grace, in July 2013 Detroit, prostrated and unable to SD\�LWV�GHEWV��ZDV�IRUFHG�WR�ȴOH�IRU�EDQNUXSWF\��WKH�ODUJHVW�city in American history to do so.

Such a situation could seem beyond repair. How could such D� GRRPHG� FLW\� EH� NHSW� IURP� ȴQDOO\� GURZQLQJ"� $FFRUGLQJ�WR� 6WHYH� 7RERFPDQ�� D� IRUPHU� 6SHDNHU� DW�0LFKLJDQ� 6WDWHȇV�House and currently directing Global Detroit, a solution can be found in using immigration as a development tool. “Im-migration alone cannot save Detroit”, Mr Tobocman argues, “but if carefully managed in the context of a broader econo-mic development strategy, immigration may be a promising WRRO�IRU�ERRVWLQJ�'HWURLWȇV�HFRQRPLF�SURVSHFWV�ȋ

Indeed, the potential of immigration clearly appears from an overview of data. According to a research carried out


WORLDVIEW

E\�*OREDO�'HWURLW�LQ��PLJUDQWVȇ�FRQWULEXWLRQ�LV�DOUHDG\�more than proportional: while immigrants make up only 12,5 percent of the U.S. population, 5,95 percent of Michi-JDQȇV� SRSXODWLRQ� DQG� �� SHUFHQW� RI�PHWUR� 'HWURLWȇV� SR-pulation, they disproportionately contribute to economic growth. “Migrants in Michigan are more likely to be highly educated, with around 40% of Michigan immigrants having a college degree, which is one and a half time more than the native-born population, at 22%”, points out Mr To-bocman. “Furthermore, not only are they more educated; they are also more entrepreneurial: between 1995 and 2005, 32.8% of the hi-tech companies that were founded in Michigan started with at least one immigrant founder, and this was at a time when our foreign born population was between 5 and 6% of the whole population. Such a pattern is evident not only in hi-tech companies, but also across the board: immigrants in the US, from 1995 to 2006, started a business at three times the rate of the non-immi-grant population”.

It is in view of fostering this development that Global De-troit has in recent years started a series of initiatives aiming on the one hand, at developing the entrepreneurial spirit RI�WKH�FLW\ȇV�PLJUDQW�SRSXODWLRQ�DQG��RQ�WKH�RWKHU�KDQG��DW�pushing the regeneration of disfavoured neighbourhoods by empowering their communities. “In our initiatives, we IROORZ� WZR�PDLQ�JXLGHOLQHV�� WKH�ȴUVW� LV� WKDW� WKH\�KDYH� WR�

be focused not only on immigrants but also on incumbent communities, looking on how incumbent communities EHQHȴW�IURP�LPPLJUDWLRQ��6HFRQGO\��RXU�SURMHFWV�DUH�FRP-munity-driven: it is not Global Detroit imposing its view. Communities are invited to come up with their own solu-tions. And they do: we are successfully proposing tools to DGGUHVV� VSHFLȴF� LVVXHV�� UDQJLQJ� IURP� D� PLFURHQWHUSULVH�programme to more classical problems, such as poor VFKRROV�DQG�ȴJKWLQJ�DEDQGRQPHQWȋ��

Global Detroit is just one planet of a galaxy of organisa-tions and individuals advocating for migration as a tool to reverse the decline of Motor City. A series of ambitious SURMHFWV�WR�UHODXQFK�WKH�FLW\ȇV�HFRQRP\�DQG�ȴQDOO\�SURSHO�it from a struggling post-industrial reality to a successful new economy hub have been proposed in recent years. “Indeed, the city has a huge potential in research and de-velopment”, Mr Tobocman points out. “And even after the crisis, Detroit is still the automotive capital of the country. We just have to innovate. There are plenty of hi-tech, VNLOOHG�MREV�WR�ȴOOȋ��7KH�SUREOHP�OLHV�LQ�ȴOOLQJ�WKHVH�MREV�LQ�D�declining city. Skilled migrants, in this respect, could bring a solution, bringing in the necessary knowledge from out-side.

The idea has supporters even from the highest levels of the political hierarchy. Last January, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder presented a grand plan: attracting 50.000 VNLOOHG�PLJUDQWV�RYHU�ȴYH� \HDUV�XVLQJ�D� VSHFLDO� 9LVD�SUR-JUDP��(%��ZKLFK�LV�RHUHG�HYHU\�\HDU�WR�OHJDO�LPPLJUDQWV�who have advanced degrees or show exceptional ability in VSHFLȴF�ȴHOGV��0RUH� VSHFLȴFDOO\�� WKH� SODQ� ZRXOG� LQYROYH� �� YLVDV� LV-VXHG� GXULQJ� WKH� ȴUVW� \HDU�� ZLWK� �� HDFK� \HDU� LQ� WKH�QH[W�WKUHH�\HDUV�DQG��LQ�WKH�ȴIWK�DQG�ODVW�\HDU��7KH�programme, targeted to individuals both wanting to settle in the US and already in the country, also tries to appeal to more than 25.000 international students currently stu-dying at universities in Michigan to stay there after their VWXGLHV��D�WRRO�WR�ȴJKW�ȆEUDLQ�GUDLQȇ��

The proposal of Governor Snyder, a successful business-PDQ�KLPVHOI�EHIRUH�UXQQLQJ�IRU�RɝFH��KDV�UHFHLYHG�SUDLVH�IURP�'HWURLWȇV�EXVLQHVV� FRPPXQLW\� DQG��RI� FRXUVH�� IURP�advocacy groups such as Global Detroit. After all, as their VD\LQJ�JRHV��'HWURLW�RHUV�SOHQW\�RI�IUHH�VSDFH�IRU�HQWUH-preneurial individuals to develop their ideas, at a bargain SULFH��Ȋ:KHUH�HOVH�LQ�WKH�86�FRXOG�\RX�ȴQG�D�KRXVH�RU�D�ORW�IRU�WKH�SULFHV�\RXȇUH�JRLQJ�WR�ȴQG�KHUH"ȋ�7KH�LGHD�ORRNV�GD-ring enough to be successful: resuscitating a city declared dead through a jolt of immigrant energy.

1RW� WKDW� 6Q\GHUȇV� SODQ�GRHV�QRW� RHU� UHDVRQV� WR�GRXEW��7KH� PDLQ� GLɝFXOW\� LV� WKDW�� QRWZLWKVWDQGLQJ� DOO� LWV� RSWL-misms and good proclaims, immigration policy belongs to the federal government. Which means, Detroit does not have the freedom to issue Visas; in practice, the Go-YHUQRUȇV�SURSRVDO� LV�ȊDVNLQJ�WKH�3UHVLGHQW�WR�XVH�KLV�H[H-cutive power as an urban revaluation tool, allowing immi-JUDQWV�WR�VHWWOH�LQ�WKH�FLW\�RI�'HWURLW�RQ�D�ȴYH�\HDU�SHULRGȋ��

Steve Tobocman, Director at Global Detroit

© Global Detroit

26 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

WORLDVIEW

© Wikimedia

ΖQ�SXUSOH��$VLD�3DFLȴF�&RXQWULHV��

FRQȴUPV�7RERFPDQ��6XFK�D�PHDVXUH��WKRXJK��OHDGV�XV�WR�ask some VHULRXV�TXHVWLRQV�� LI�HYHU�WKH�3UHVLGHQW�ȴQDOO\�decided to bypass Congress and act through an executive order, why should his action be limited only to one, even if relevant, city? Why favour Detroit over other declining cities such as Saint Louis, Missouri, or Cleveland, Ohio?

One way to avoid the potentially discriminatory ap-SURDFK� RI� D� ȆRQH� FLW\ȇ� VROXWLRQ� ZRXOG� EH� WR� LQVWLWXWLR-nalise it. According to Angelo Paparelli, a Detroit-born immigration lawyer, a viable solution to reconcile local development and equality of chances would be to use for immigrants the same form of competition existing in schools: states could submit economic revival proposals to the government to apply for a larger share of work visas for foreign skilled workers and entrepreneurs.

Notwithstanding the feasibility and political opportunity of such plans, one thing remains true: Detroit is ready to serve as a pioneer for urban revival. “If an action by the

:KLWH�+RXVH�ZLOO�HYHU�RFFXU��Ζ�GRQȇW�WKLQN�WKDW�WKH�IRFXV�of it should necessarily be on Detroit”, acknowledges Mr Tobocman. “It could be focused on broader issues, may-be it could include the demands of the tech economy. 7KH� LPSRUWDQW� WKLQJ� LV�� JLYHQ� 'HWURLWȇV� H[WUHPH� FRQGL-WLRQV� RI� SOLJKW� DQG� XQHPSOR\PHQW�� LW� PLJKW� RHU� WKH�most challenging test for immigration as a revitalisation tool: we have the opportunity to be brave and try some radical solutions, thus becoming a laboratory”.

ΖQ�WKH�HQG��WKH�PRVW�LPSRUWDQW�ZD\�WR�UHYHUVH�'HWURLWȇV�decay would be for it to rediscover the entrepreneurial drive that made it big at the beginning of the 20th cen-tury. Talented people came from all over the US and abroad to participate to the collective endeavour of inventing and building the best cars in the world. Can immigration alone bring the same spirit back to Lake 0LFKLJDQȇV�VKRUHV"�*OREDO�'HWURLW��*RYHUQRU�5LFN�6Q\GHU�and many others are ready to prove that it can, indeed.

'HWURLWȇV�VN\OLQH��D�ZLWQHVV�WR�JORU\�SDVW��


SOLUTIONS

Towards intercultural cities

The evolution of European society begins from a new paradigm. Through the intercultural approach, European cities are increasingly becoming

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Irena Guidikova Council of Europe

The rate of international migration dramatically changes the cultural make-up of cities and societies across the wor-ld. While there are certain costs associated with accommo-GDWLQJ�PLJUDQWV��WKH�RYHUDOO�FRVW�EHQHȴW�EDODQFH�RI�PLJUD-tion is positive, at least in developed countries. However, the rapid rate and large scope of migration and xenophobic political discourse fuel identity fears and threaten the cohe-sion and stability of societies. Since stopping migration is not an option – nor is it an explicit goal – for most deve-ORSHG�FRXQWULHV��HHFWLYH� LQFOXVLRQ�DQG�GLYHUVLW\�PDQDJH-ment strategies become essential.

In the past, migrant integration policies have not been sys-tematically accompanied by diversity management policies – in a way, the “hardware” of integration was expected to work without an adequate software. Migrants were either expected to stay at the margins of society, as guest-wor-kers, and then leave, or blend in with the rest of society and leave their cultural baggage behind (in assimilation approaches). Multiculturalism was an attempt to reconcile cultural freedom of minorities with equal access to politi-cal and social rights – but without taking into account the need to address the fears and needs of the host commu-nity, avoid ghettoisation, maintain the integrity of the social fabric and build trust between locals and newcomers.

In the words of Canadian philosopher Will Kymlicka, under multiculturalism «the cultures of non-dominant minority groups are accorded the same recognition and accommo-dation that are accorded to the culture of the dominant JURXS}��7KHUH�DUH�VLJQLȴFDQW�GLHUHQFHV�LQ�WKH�ZD\�WKLV�JH-QHUDO�SDUDGLJP�LV�DSSOLHG�LQ�GLHUHQW�FRXQWULHV��ZLWK�VRPH�countries operating constitutional multiculturalism with legal protection of minorities. In some cases, multicultu-ralism adopts structural policies to tackle inequalities and discrimination of minorities.

Integration policies have achieved much in terms of nominal PLJUDQWVȇ�VRFLDO�ULJKWV��HPSOR\PHQW�DQG��LQ�VRPH�FRXQWULHV��civic rights – even though real access to rights may be pro-blematic for many. To simplify, the assumption behind these policies has been that migrants are fundamentally either vulnerable groups that need to be protected or enabled, or a potential threat to public order. Interculturalism adopts many aspects of multiculturalism, from the celebration of diversity to the emphasis on integration and social inclusion. But it places a strong emphasis on intercultural dialogue and interaction, fostering a sense of common purpose and cohesion, unlike multiculturalism which has been accused of nourishing cultural divides and isolation.

Interculturalism has been most authoritatively conceptua-lised by the 2008 Council of Europe White Paper on Inter-cultural Dialogue. “It proposes a conception based on in-dividual human dignity (embracing our common humanity and common destiny). If there is a European identity to be realised, it will be based on shared fundamental values, res-pect for common heritage and cultural diversity as well as respect for the equal dignity of every individual. Intercultu-ral dialogue has an important role to play in this regard. It allows us to prevent ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural divides. It enables us to move forward together, to deal with RXU�GLHUHQW�LGHQWLWLHV�FRQVWUXFWLYHO\�DQG�GHPRFUDWLFDOO\�RQ�the basis of shared universal values.”

These principles and values have been operationalised at the local policy level by the ground-breaking Intercultural ci-ties programme which developed and helped apply in over 60 cities a policy paradigm based on the notion of “diversity DGYDQWDJHȋ�� 7KH�QRWLRQ�� ȴUVW�PHQWLRQHG� LQ� WKLV� FRQWH[W� E\�Phil Wood and Charles Landry, refers to the principle that PLJUDQWV�VKRXOG�EH�UHJDUGHG�ȴUVW�DQG�IRUHPRVW�DV�SHRSOH�

28 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

with resources (knowledge, experience, languages, skills) and that integration policies should help identify these re-sources and support their inclusion in the productive sys-tems. The key operational elements of interculturality are SRZHU�VKDULQJ�EHWZHHQ�SHRSOH�IURP�GLHUHQW�EDFNJURXQGV�but also between public institutions and civil society; foste-ring cultural mixing and interaction in institutions and the public space; making institutions culturally competent, re-ceptive to innovation through diverse inputs and resilient WR�FXOWXUDO�FRQȵLFW��

What is the intercultural integration paradigm about?

The value of interculturalism lies in its positive impact on both economic development and social cohesion, without the need for additional investment or public resources.

As an approach, interculturalism deals with the symbolic aspects of managing diversity as much as with policy-ma-king and institutional aspects. In many of the liberal, social-ly-minded European countries, newcomers and their des-FHQGDQWV�EHQHȴW�IURP�JHQHURXV�ZHOIDUH�VXSSRUW�DQG�DFFHVV�WR�SXEOLF�VHUYLFHV��+RZHYHU��WKHVH�EHQHȴWV�DUH�RIWHQ�VHW�R�by a negative public attitude to migrants as a drain on pu-blic resources and as individuals with a very low potential to contribute to society economically, socially and culturally. 7KHVH� SHUFHSWLRQV�� UHȵHFWHG� LQ� WKH� SROLWLFDO� GLVFRXUVH� DQG�media, create alienation and discourage migrants from ma-NLQJ�DQ�HRUW�WR�JHW�GHHSO\�HQJDJHG�ZLWK�WKHLU�KRVW�VRFLHW\��The lack of cultural reciprocity – for instance in terms of re-FRJQLVLQJ� WKH� YDOXH� RI�PLJUDQWVȇ� RZQ� ODQJXDJHV� Ȃ� LV� D� NH\�obstacle to inclusion.

People who do not speak the host country language well are perceived as unintelligent, even though they may be very ZHOO� HGXFDWHG� DQG� TXDOLȴHG�� 6XFK� VWHUHRW\SHV� FDQ� EHJLQ�

to be broken only through personal encounters, enabling SHRSOH�WR�ȴQG�RXW�DERXW�HDFK�RWKHUȇV�JHQXLQH�TXDOLWLHV��Unfortunately, such stereotypes are also embedded in the public institutions and policies.

Education in the intercultural city: give every child the chance to succeed

Take the case of education. According to educational re-VHDUFK��WHDFKHUVȇ�H[SHFWDWLRQV�GHWHUPLQH�WR�D�JUHDW�H[WHQW�D�FKLOGȇV�VXFFHVV� LQ�VFKRRO��7HDFKHUV�KDYH�JHQHUDOO\� ORZHU�expectations for children of migrant background, in parti-cularly if they have a limited knowledge of the host country language or a modest background, which explains to some extent the lower achievement of migrant children in many FRXQWULHV��7KH�LPSRUWDQFH�RI�WHDFKHUVȇ�DWWLWXGHV�LV�ZHOO�LO-lustrated by the following story:

“When I came to the United States from Mexico with my parents as D�VHYHQ�\HDU�ROG�FKLOG��Ζ�GLG�QRW�ȴW�LQWR�P\�m(QJOLVK�RQO\}�VFKRRO�system. In my new homeland, others rarely took the time to see WKH�ZRUOG�WKURXJK�P\�H\HV�RU�WR�OHDUQ�DERXW�PH��P\�FXOWXUH��DQG�P\�IDPLO\��7KH\�RIWHQ�SHUFHLYHG�PH�DV�PXWH�RU�DV�KDYLQJ�SK\VL-FDO�RU�SV\FKRORJLFDO�SUREOHPV��2QO\�ZKHQ�D�WHDFKHU��0UV��(OGHU��UHDFKHG�RXW� WR� JHW� WR� NQRZ�PH�GLG� VRPHRQH� UHDOL]H� WKDW� Ζ� MXVW�GLGQȇW�NQRZ�(QJOLVK��0UV��(OGHU�WRRN�VWHSV�WR�OHDUQ�DERXW�P\�ZRU-OG�� YLVLWLQJ�PH� DQG�P\� JUDQGSDUHQWV� LQ� RXU� KRPH�� 6HHLQJ� WKDW�ZH�OLYHG�LQ�D�RQH�URRP�KRXVH�Ȃ�D�FRQYHUWHG�JDV�VWDWLRQ�ZLWK�QR�LQGRRU�EDWKURRP��QR�DSSOLDQFHV��DQG�D�ZRRG�VWRYH�Ȃ�0UV��(OGHU�UHVSRQGHG�ZLWK�HPSDWK\��VDFULȴFLQJ�KHU�DIWHUQRRQV�WR�WHDFK�PH�(QJOLVK��:KDWȇV�PRUH��LQ�VHHNLQJ�WR�FUHDWH�D�VLPLODULW\�EHWZHHQ�XV��VKH�EHJDQ�RXU�OHVVRQV�E\�DVNLQJ�PH�WR�WHDFK�KHU�6SDQLVK��7KXV�ZH�EHFDPH�WHDFKHU�VWXGHQW�DQG�VWXGHQW�WHDFKHU�� Ζ�DP�VXUH�WKDW�LI�0UV��(OGHU�KDG�QRW� IRVWHUHG�WKLV�HTXLWDEOH�HQYLURQPHQW�� LI�VKH�KDG�QRW�VRXJKW�WR�VHH�WKH�ZRUOG�WKURXJK�P\�H\HV��Ζ�ZRXOG�QRW�EH�D�SURIHVVRU�DW�3LW]HU�&ROOHJH�WRGD\�ȋ

SOLUTIONS

© Council of Europe


SOLUTIONS

The key aspects of the intercultural approach to education are: the mixing of pupils from diverse backgrounds com-bined with educational activities to enhance contacts, mu-tual understanding and recognition of diversity as an asset; the employment of teachers with diverse backgrounds to enhance both cultural sensitivity and provide role models; intercultural competence training of teachers; close links and interaction between the school and the diverse local community – involving migrant parents as partners in the educational process.

Take, for example, the Netherlands. The Dutch system of schooling is quite distinctive since schools are established as the initiative of private individuals or groups rather than WKH� 6WDWHȇV�� $� FULWLFDO� PRPHQW� LQ� 'XWFK� FKLOGUHQȇV� VFKRRO�educational experience is the transition from primary to secondary school. Many migrant children experience pro-EOHPV�LQ�WKH�ȴUVW�WZR�\HDUV�RI�VHFRQGDU\�VFKRRO��ZLWK�D�KLJK�risk of drop out. In one of the impulse neighbourhoods – a scheme established in Tilburg to support districts with a high concentration of poverty and unemployment, which are usually ethnically diverse, a Community School was created with primary and secondary school in the same building, and with special attention paid to pupils from 10 to 14: every Sunday, extra lessons are given to migrant FKLOGUHQ�IDFLQJ�HGXFDWLRQDO�GLɝFXOWLHV��/HVVRQV�WDNH�SODFH�in the premises of Tilburg University which encourages children to aspire to get a university degree. Creative acti-YLWLHV�DUH�DOVR�RQ�RHU�DV�D�PHDQV�WR�VWLPXODWH�VRFLDELOLW\�and communication. A special team searches for trainee posts for migrants since, in the Dutch system, no access to traineeships seriously compromises school graduation and job prospects.

$QRWKHU� VFKRRO� LQ� 7LOEXUJȇV� 6WRNKDVVHOW� QHLJKERXUKRRG� Ȃ�called Rainbow school – has more than 70% of its pupils coming from a visible ethnic minority background. Stokhas-selt is the home to over 70 nationalities and most are repre-sented amongst its 200 pupils. The largest minority groups are from Somalia, Turkey, Morocco and Sierra Leone. The GLVWULFW�KDV�ZLWQHVVHG�ZKLWH�ȵLJKW��E\�WKH�SUHYLRXVO\�HVWDEOL-shed working class families, to other parts of the city.

Rainbow dispels the stereotype that schools with high pro-SRUWLRQ�RI�PLJUDQW�FKLOGUHQ�VFKRROV�DUH�RI�ORZ�TXDOLW\��2ɝ-cial inspections have declared it to be of an excellent stan-dard and one of the best performing schools in the south of the Netherlands. This success is the result of bold lea-dership with strong ethical standards, a vision and a highly motivated teaching community. On the basis of its multi-lingual pupil intake, the school received an extra subsidy, ZKLFK�DOORZV�LW�WR�RHU�D�WHDFKHU�SXSLO�UDWLR�RI�DERXW��which evidently produces results. The headmaster prefers WR�FDOO� WKH�VFKRRO� ȆFRORXUIXO�DQG�H[FHOOHQWȇ� UDWKHU� WKDQ�WKH�GHURJDWRU\� ȆEODFNȇ�� 7KH� LQMHFWLRQ� RI� DGGLWLRQDO� PHDQV�� LQ�addition to recruiting experienced headmasters and tea-chers, have been keys to helping diverse schools in poor neighbourhoods achieve excellence in other countries too, such as Norway, Sweden and Portugal. The ‘Educate to-JHWKHUȇ� VFKRROV� LQ� ΖUHODQG� DUH� D� EROG� H[DPSOH� RI� KRZ� DQ�open, dynamic, modern educational philosophy, and a pro-vision for constant learning exchanges between teachers, can deliver excellent results in culturally diverse schools.

Interestingly, Rainbow and another school (-all Muslim), share the same roof. Originally, it had been hoped that the two schools might integrate their curricular activity but compromise has not been possible. Now, they coexist and share some common facilities such as a gymnasium and a playground. Recent reports show that growth in Muslim schools in Tilburg has now reversed, following a series of bad inspectorate reports on the quality of teaching, and many Muslim parents are now turning back to mainstream schools.

7KLV� VFKRROȇV� SULQFLSOHV� DUH� FXOWLYDWLQJ� WUXVW� EHWZHHQ� WHD-chers and parents as partners and learning to learn to-gether and placing the student at the centre of a process including the family and the wider community, understan-GLQJ�WKDW�WKH�FKLOGȇV�HGXFDWLRQ�FDQQRW�EH�XQGHUVWRRG�ZLW-KRXW�UHIHUHQFH�WR�WKH�ZLGHU�LQȵXHQFHV�XSRQ�LW�

Successful culturally diverse schools share many common features and principles, but do not necessarily apply the same methods. For instance in an ethnically-mixed school in the Groenewoud district in the Netherlands, the head-master made it a matter of policy not to display any mate-rial or to teach anything referring to the countries of origin of the children. This was regarded as an impediment to integration in Dutch society. The headmaster of Rainbow WRRN�D�YHU\�GLHUHQW�YLHZ�DQG�EHOLHYHG�LW�ZDV�HVVHQWLDO�IRU�kids to retain their knowledge of parental culture as part of a rounded education. A successful school in Oslo is also XVLQJ�DUW�ZRUN�DQG�RWKHU�DUWHIDFWV�IURP�D�UDQJH�RI�GLHUHQW�countries in order to acknowledge the diverse origins of its pupils and mark its inclusive identity.

The inclusive approach in education has paid dividends in another aspiring intercultural area, the Neukölln district LQ� %HUOLQ�� ΖQ� $SULO� �� 1HXN¸OOQȇV� GLVWULFW� DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ�was alerted that a rapidly increasing number of children of 5RPDQLDQ� RU� %XOJDULDQ� RULJLQV� ȵRFNHG� DUULYHG� LQ� WKH� ORFDO�schools. The number was increasing with more than new 20 children each month. Besides not speaking German, these children had a weak preparedness for school and were WKHUHIRUH�QRW�DEOH�WR�IXOȴO�PLQLPXP�UHTXLUHPHQWV��VXFK�DV�sitting quiet on a chair for 45 minutes. In response to the WHDFKHUVȇ�UHTXHVW�IRU�KHOS��WKH�GLVWULFW�DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ�KLUHG�Romanian-speaking teachers in order to support the schools and facilitate communication. It was also evident that Roma-nian parents simply did not know that they were eligible to send their children to school. The right of every child to at-tend school was considered particularly important in order to prevent educational alienation. While between 2011 and 2014 the number of children doubled from 550 children to more than 1000, there were still many families that did not know about the right of formal education for their children.

These families are now being supported through special programmes, such as summer schools held for two weeks EHIRUH�WKH�RɝFLDO�VFKRRO�\HDU�VWDUWV��7KHVH�VXPPHU�VFKRROV�give children the chance to get used to the new structures of VFKRRO�OLIH��$W�WKH�ȴUVW�VXPPHU�VFKRRO��WKUHH�NLGV�DWWHQGHG�WKH�ȴUVW�GD\��2QH�ZHHN�ODWHU��FKLOGUHQ�SDUWLFLSDWHG��7RGD\��many parents keep on asking about possibilities to partici-pate in the next summer school.

30 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

SOLUTIONS

What future for the intercultural approach?

Interculturalism is a holistic approach to diversity manage-ment and inclusion which encompasses urban governance (in particular access to passive and active local citizenship ULJKWV�IRU�IRUHLJQ�UHVLGHQWV�DQG�WKH�LQWURGXFWLRQ�RI�VSHFLȴF�SODWIRUPV�LQVWLWXWLRQV� IRU� GLYHUVLW\� PHGLDWLRQ� DQG� FRQȵLFW�resolution), and most local policy areas, including urban planning, business development, arts and sport, education, health, transport etc. Its adequate implementation by cities requires to abandon the silo thinking and develop a culture of joint-up strategic working.

The adoption of interculturalism is a long-term process which involves action at the symbolic, policy and structural levels. City leadership can gain credibility and make an im-portant symbolic gesture in favour of diversity and inclusion Ȃ� IRU�H[DPSOH�ZKHQ� WKH�0D\RU�RI�/LVERQ�PRYHG�KLV�RɝFH�from the seafront Mayoral Palace to the diverse and poor neighbourhood of Moraria, or when the Mayor of Stavanger started organising regular lunches with migrants to encou-rage citizens to get closer to their neighbours.

Quick wins are sometimes necessary to create a local coa-OLWLRQ�RI�LQWHUFXOWXUDO�VXSSRUWHUV�DQG�NLFN�R�D�SURFHVV��WKH�transformation of perceptions and institutional practice takes time. What is important is to maintain momentum, embed the intercultural commitment in a strong partnership with civil society actors, including business and academia, and combine quick wins with a strategic approach. The sus-

tainability of the intercultural approach is best guaranteed through law, as in Neuchâtel and Mexico City, or in special strategic documents as in Botkyrka, Limerick, Reggio Emilia, Barcelona and many other cities.

Adopting interculturalism as a paradigm of urban policies poses a wide range of challenges. Some have to do with ef-fectively communicating to citizens the diversity advantage concept and engaging the “silent majority” without limiting WKHLU�LQFOXVLYH�LGHQWLW\�WR�VXSHUȴFLDO�EUDQGLQJ��7KH�FKDOOHQJH�of political sustainability across electoral cycles is a real one and successful strategies include building a strong support network in civil society and relevant agencies and services, as well as a broad political coalition around the diversity ad-vantage as a policy principle.

The adoption of interculturalism at the national level is slowed down by inertia, by the excessively partisan nature of national debates about migration and diversity, but also by a very real urban – rural divide. Cities, particularly those ZLWK�D�FRVPRSROLWDQ�LGHQWLW\��XQGHUVWDQG�WKH�EHQHȴWV�IURP�diversity. Rural areas, as a rule much less culturally diverse are more sensitive to the risks of migration and diversity, conveyed in political and media discourse. But rural votes in most countries still determine national majorities.

Despite these and other challenges, intercultural integra-tion has gained momentum in cities across Europe and beyond and is rapidly imposing itself as the policy para-digm to foster prosperity, cohesion and inclusion in the be-ginning of 21st century.

© John Morgan, via Flickr


SOLUTIONS

The immigration innovators

How European cities are inventing pragmatic approaches to immigration.

Meghan BentonMPI

8QOLNH� FRXQWULHV�� FLWLHV�GRQȇW�KDYH�ERUGHUV�� IHQFHV�RU� FRDVW-guards. But they do have a huge stake in who comes to live within their territory. Immigration has considerable potential for local economic development. With the right injection of human capital—the skills and know-how of residents—cities can become thriving tech clusters or global beacons for bu-siness.

Yet cities generally have almost no say over immigration poli-cy and remain at the mercy of national policymakers to make decisions on bringing in workers from outside the European Union. Selection systems are blunt instruments to identify VNLOOV� JDSV�� DQG�DUHQȇW� DOZD\V�ZHOO� DWWXQHG� WR� ORFDO� FRQWH[WV�or up to date with recent economic trends—especially in the case of global cities like London and Paris with skills needs in a GLHUHQW�OHDJXH�WR�WKH�UHVW�RI�WKH�FRXQWU\��+LJK�SXEOLF�DQ[LHW\�about immigration can mean that pragmatic immigration re-forms are extinguished by political disagreement; and many national governments are seeking to reduce the numbers of migrant admissions. Across the Atlantic, frustration with sta-gnant immigration reform has made Silicon Valley a vocal ad-vocate for removing caps on skilled worker visas.

It is not economic arguments alone that compel cities to want greater involvement in immigration matters. Cities are also leading innovations that seek to make the most out of non-economic migrants. Several cities have sought to brand themselves as islands of inclusion amidst hard-lined immi-gration or integration policies, such as by allowing unautho-rized residents to access city services with no questions as-ked. Others are leading as employers of people with diverse EDFNJURXQGV��HQVXULQJ�WKDW�FLW\�LQVWLWXWLRQV�UHȵHFW�WKH�SRSX-lations they serve. And some cities have even been exploring ZD\V�WR�PDNH�FLW\�ȆFLWL]HQVKLSȇ�ERWK�PHDQLQJIXO�DQG�LQFOXVLYH��IRU�H[DPSOH�E\�RHULQJ�LGHQWLW\�FDUGV�HYHQ�WR�WKRVH�ZKR�DUH�unauthorized residents (Turin, Italy, and across the Atlantic, New York and Los Angeles), or by developing a notion of local LGHQWLW\�WKDW�LV�H[SOLFLWO\�RSHQ�WR�SHRSOH�RI�GLHUHQW�QDWLRQDOL-ties (Rotterdam and Amsterdam, for example).

Over recent months, the Migration Policy Institute has been examining how cities in Europe and North America are brea-king away from national governments in the way they attract and integrate immigrants. As cities jostle for place on an

© Carsten Frenzl, via Flickr

32 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

ever-more-crowded global stage, their success in recruiting migrants with the skills they need — and integrating them — will be critical to their competitiveness. So what would more devolution of immigration policy look like?

Immigration and cluster development: the example of London

London is considered by many to be the premier destination IRU�ZRUOG�FODVV�XQLYHUVLWLHV��ȴQDQFH�DQG�IDVKLRQ��%XW�LW�KDV�QRW�been as successful in its attempts to conquer the tech indus-WU\��.QRZQ�FROORTXLDOO\�DV� Ȇ6LOLFRQ�5RXQGDERXWȇ�ȃ�D�W\SLFDOO\�British nickname that combines self-deprecation with boast ȃ�/RQGRQȇV�ȵHGJOLQJ�WHFK�FOXVWHU�KDV�IDLOHG�WR�PDWXUH�DV�IDVW�as some hoped, despite considerable government investment and a rebranding exercise.

According to Max Nathan, an economist who works on urban policy and diversity, immigration policies have been a factor in WKH�FOXVWHUȇV�VOXJJLVK�GHYHORSPHQW��Ȋ7KH�DYDLODELOLW\�RI�VNLOOHG�workers—along with cheap space, social amenities, access to WKH�UHVW�RI�/RQGRQ�DQG�JHQHUDO�ȆEX]]ȇ�ȃ�LV�RQH�RI�7HFK�&LW\ȇV�main selling points… but visa restrictions make hiring the right ZRUNHUV�GLɝFXOWȋ��1DWKDQ�VD\V��

ΖWȇV� WKH�FKDUDFWHULVWLFV�RI� WKH� WHFK� LQGXVWU\� LQ�SDUWLFXODU� WKDW�make ordinary immigration rules especially constrictive. Tech companies are usually too small to take advantage of relaxed rules on intercompany transfers, and red tape and

ZDLWLQJ� WLPHV� DUH� XQDRUGDEOH� OX[XULHV� IRU� PDQ\� VPDOO�businesses — especially those trying to stay ahead of the game. And despite a commitment to entrepreneur and in-vestor routes, UK visas are not especially well designed for start-ups, since they have high investment thresholds and UHTXLUH�SHRSOH� WR�HLWKHU�EH�DQ� ȆLQYHVWRUȇ� RU� ȆHQWUHSUHQHXUȇ�— when many are both. For entrepreneurs trying to decide between London, New York and Berlin, visa policies can PDNH�WKH�GLHUHQFH�EHWZHHQ�EHLQJ�ȴUVW�WR�PDUNHW�RU�PLV-sing the boat.

2QH�VROXWLRQ�WKDW�KDV�EHHQ�WRXWHG�E\�/RQGRQȇV�PD\RU��%RULV�-RKQVRQ�� LV� WR� KDYH� Ȇ/RQGRQ�9LVDVȇ�ȃ�TXRWDV� UHVHUYHG� IRU�London, for high-growth industries such as tech, fashion DQG�GHVLJQ��$FFRUGLQJ�WR�5RXG\�6KDȴH��3ULQFLSDO�3ROLF\�2ɝ-cer from the Greater London Authority (GLA), a regional visa for the greater London region makes sense because London LVQȇW�FRPSHWLQJ�ZLWK�HOVHZKHUH�LQ�WKH�8QLWHG�.LQJGRP��EXW�ZLWK�6LOLFRQ�9DOOH\�RU�%HUOLQ��$�/RQGRQ�YLVD�ZRXOG�DOVR�RHU�symbolic advantages: helping the city show that it is open for business as well as counter the national narrative about reducing net immigration numbers. “We do not necessarily want to drive down numbers if we are talking about inter-national masters students, and we do not necessarily want less migrants if we are talking leading fashion designers of WKH�IXWXUHȇ��6KDȴH�VDLG�GXULQJ�D�UHFHQW�SXEOLF�SUHVHQWDWLRQ�

MPI research on regional immigration policies suggests that the design of these programmes is hard to get right. Lessons from Australia and Canada, which have delegated some de-

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cision-making to subnational jurisdictions, show that these programmes work best for low- and middle-skilled workers — since high-skilled workers have no incentive to apply for visas that restrict their mobility — and for destinations that do not otherwise attract many immigrants. As Madeleine 6XPSWLRQ��GLUHFWRU�RI�UHVHDUFK�IRU�03ΖȇV�ΖQWHUQDWLRQDO�3UR-gramme, explains, employer-sponsored immigration pro-grammes work best for the high-skilled as “national policies that rely on employer sponsorship implicitly respond to ORFDO�GHPDQG�E\�VHQGLQJ�ZRUNHUV�WR�ȴOO�VSHFLȴF�YDFDQFLHV�in the places where their skills can be used most produc-WLYHO\ȋ��%XW�VKH�FRQFHGHV�WKDW�LQ�WKH�FDVH�RI�LQHɝFLHQW�QD-tional systems with oversubscribed numerical limits, there may be an argument for carefully crafted subnational pro-grams as an interim measure.

While London looks unlikely to get its own visa anytime soon, its powerful international brand continues to make it a top destination for Chinese and Russian billionaires, ga-mes designers, international tourists, intra-EU movers and PhD students alike. Immigration is an integral part of this brand, and one that other cities are trying to borrow from as they seek to make their diversity an asset.

Rotterdam’s urban citizens

This diversity has happened somewhat rapidly in Rot-WHUGDP�� ZKLFK� H[SHULHQFHG� VLJQLȴFDQW� VRFLDO� FKDQJH� LQ�D� VKRUW� WLPH�� 7RGD\�� KDOI� WKH� FLW\ȇV� UHVLGHQWV� KDYH� D� GL-verse background. As a longstanding port and so-called Ȇ*DWHZD\� WR� (XURSHȇ�� 5RWWHUGDP� KRSHV� LW� FDQ� GHYHORS�DQ� LQWHUQDWLRQDO�EUDQG� WKDW�� OLNH�/RQGRQȇV�� FRQYH\V�ERWK�being open to international business yet inclusive to its existing population.

To communicate this message, Rotterdam has sought WR� GLHUHQWLDWH� LWVHOI� IURP� QDWLRQDO� SROLFLHV�� ZKLFK� KDYH�increasingly emphasised the need for Dutch residents WR� IXOȴO� FHUWDLQ� VRFLDO� DQG� FXOWXUDO� FULWHULD�� ΖQVWHDG�� 5RW-WHUGDP� KDV� GHYHORSHG� WKH� LGHD� RI� ȆXUEDQ� FLWL]HQVKLSȇ�� D�form of local belonging that highlights participation and reciprocity, while making clear that someone will be a member from day one — regardless of their nationality, ethnic background or cultural attributes. Rotterdam has DOVR� LQYHVWHG� KHDYLO\� LQ� ȆPDLQVWUHDPLQJȇ� FLW\� VHUYLFHV�ȃ�making sure that they are accessible to a diverse popu-lation — and sought to employ people at all levels of city JRYHUQPHQW�IURP�GLHUHQW�FXOWXUDO�EDFNJURXQGV�

But challenges remain. A new report by Han Entzinger and Godfried Engbersen of Erasmus University, Rotterdam: $�/RQJ�7LPH�3RUW�RI�&DOO�DQG�+RPH�WR� ΖPPLJUDQWV��ȴQGV�WKDW�5RWWHUGDPȇV�QHLJKERXUKRRGV�FRQWLQXH�WR�EH�GLYLGHG�across ethnic and socioeconomic lines, despite a series of housing and urban planning interventions by the city government. Much of the white Dutch population lives in the suburbs or the north and east, while the city centre contains areas of concentrated poverty and poor hou-

sing. And concern about segregation and social exclusion is high: the party Leefbaar Rotterdam (Livable Rotterdam) won the 2014 municipal elections in part on an anti-immi-gration ticket. Since Leefbar now leads the coalition — in-cluding holding the integration portfolio — it remains to be VHHQ�KRZ�5RWWHUGDPȇV�ȆEUDQGȇ�ZLOO�HYROYH�

City-level innovations in immigrant integra-tion

&LWLHV� DFURVV� (XURSH� DUH� OHDGLQJ� HRUWV� WR� HPSOR\� GL-verse groups and build intercultural competences among employees, counter public anxiety about immigration through anti-xenophobia campaigns and ensure services are accessible to the populations they serve. As such, they are on strong footing to maximise their human capital as a tool for innovation and growth.

A number of additional innovations could help cities in their quest to support new and existing populations. First, cities could be better mentors to immigrant entre-preneurs. Foreign-born residents often face an array of challenges — from a short credit history in their country of settlement to limited institutional knowledge of how to navigate bureaucratic regulations. Cities could help re-cent arrivals overcome these hurdles by providing seed funding, business support and networking, for example.

Second, cities are not yet capitalising on the rich oppor-WXQLWLHV�WKDW�VPDUWSKRQH�DSSV�RHU�IRU�QHZO\�DUULYHG�LP-migrants, who tend to be high users of mobile phones. Policymakers are beginning to see the potential in lan-guage and vocational training apps, which facilitate on-WKH�JR� OHDUQLQJ��&LWLHV�FRXOG�DOVR�FUHDWH�D� ȆRQH�VWRS�DSSȇ�to consolidate access to city services, help new arrivals negotiate the labyrinth of programs and services, and re-ceive advice on housing or utilities.

)LQDOO\�� ZKLOH� FLWLHV� DUH� DKHDG� RI� WKH� JDPH� LQ� HRUWV� WR�mainstream immigrant integration (ensure that all policy areas serve integration objectives), they have not syste-matically mainstreamed integration into urban planning. Outstanding questions include how to redesign transport V\VWHPV�WR�FRXQWHU�WKH�QHJDWLYH�HHFWV�RI�UHVLGHQWLDO�VH-gregation, create public spaces that are both accessible to diverse groups and provide opportunities for cultural exchange, and better use big data to understand the be-havioural trends of diverse populations.

Realistically, cities are unlikely to get more control over immigration policies anytime soon. Most non-EU immi-JUDWLRQ�WR�(XURSHȇV�FLWLHV�FRQWLQXHV�WR�EH�IDPLO\�PHPEHUV�of existing residents, hence national governments — let alone cities — have little control over shaping immigra-tion for economic development. The real innovators will therefore be cities that are able to get the most out of their population, whoever they are, rather than checking SHRSOHȇV�VNLOOV�DW�WKH�FLW\�JDWHV�

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34 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

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Cities as inclusive employers

Policy making is not the only tool cities have to foster integration. $V�HPSOR\HUV�DQG�VHUYLFH�SURYLGHUV��WKH\�FDQ�GLUHFWO\�GULYH�PLJUDQWVȇ�LQFOXVLRQ� into the workforce. Here is an overview of particularly successful experiences.

Anna LIsa BoniEUROCITIES

Major European cities have extensive experience in inte-grating migrants and people with migrant backgrounds into local economic life and enabling them to contribute to a dynamic society. This involves preventing discrimination, promoting equal opportunities and encouraging civic parti-cipation. But it also means carrying these principles through to their roles as employers, service providers and buyers of goods and services.

EUROCITIES represents the local governments of over 130 of (XURSHȇV� ODUJHVW�FLWLHV�DQG��SDUWQHU�FLWLHV��JRYHUQLQJ��PLOOLRQ� FLWL]HQV� DFURVV� �� FRXQWULHV��2XU�ZRUN� LQ� WKLV� ȴHOG�is led by our working group on migration and integration, chaired by Helsinki, with Milan asVice Chair. The group re-gularly gathers cities together to exchange good practices, build knowledge and inform about the European debate on migration and integration.

Integrating Cities Charter

In 2010, we launched our Integrating Cities Charter, a set of commitments for cities as policy makers, employers and providers and buyers of goods and services. It has been signed so far by 33 European cities, including 15 capitals. 7KURXJK�WKH�FKDUWHU��WKH�PD\RUV�RI�VRPH�RI�(XURSHȇV� ODU-gest cities demonstrate the commitment of their cities to the integration of migrants and migrant communities, and to the promotion of well-managed migration in increasingly diverse cities. It also stresses the importance of ensuring HTXDO�DFFHVV�WR�VHUYLFHV�DQG�WKH�LGHD�WKDW�D�FLW\ȇV�ZRUNIRUFH�VKRXOG�UHȵHFW�WKH�GLYHUVLW\�RI�WKH�ORFDO�SRSXODWLRQ�DW�DOO�OH-vels.

The charter states that, while migrants bring with them HFRQRPLF��FXOWXUDO�DQG�VRFLDO�EHQHȴWV��WKH\�DUH�RIWHQ�VRPH�of the poorest members of the population. This inequality

QRW�RQO\�PDNHV� LW�GLɝFXOW� WR�UHDOLVH� LQ�IXOO� WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�immigration, but can also be a barrier to integration.

Home to 80% of the European population, European cities have a long history of receiving newcomers in. More and more migrants are choosing to settle in urban areas, ma-king large cities the frontrunners in managing the diversity brought on by migration. Consequently, this means cities DUH�DOVR�DW�WKH�IURQWOLQH�RI�VRPH�RI�(XURSHȇV�PRVW�SUHVVLQJ�challenges. From unemployment to poverty and exclusion, it is in cities that these challenges are concentrated, and in cities that solutions are found. They play a central role LQ�PDNLQJ� LQWHJUDWLRQ�ZRUN��DQG�FDQ�KHOS�VKDSH�HHFWLYH�national and European integration policies.

Cities managing diversity and promoting equality

As part of our ImpleMentoring project, we developed the Integrating Cities toolkit on ‘Managing diversity and pro-PRWLQJ�HTXDOLW\�LQ�FLWLHVȇ�DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ�DQG�VHUYLFH�SURYL-VLRQȇ�LQ�-XQH��ΖW�DGGUHVVHV�FLWLHVȇ�UROHV�DV�HPSOR\HUV��service providers and contractors of services for their local populations from external providers. The toolkit covers not only the management of diversity, where cities have the administrative responsibility, but also the part they can play in promoting equal opportunities in services that may be provided by agencies under the control of the central government, NGOs or private organisations, like health, education or employment support.

5HȵHFWLQJ� WKH� GLYHUVLW\� RI� RXU� SRSXODWLRQ� LQ� WKH�PXQLFL-pal workforce and service delivery is not only an ethical issue, but it can also lead to better service design and de-livery. Cities are doing this in a variety of ways, ensuring WKDW�VWD�UHFHLYH� IDLU�DQG�HTXDO� WUHDWPHQW�DQG� WKDW� WKH\�


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understand and respect diversity. They do so despite mul-WLSOH� FKDOOHQJHV� WKDW� RIWHQ�KDPSHU� WKHLU� HRUWV�� VXFK� DV�legal requirements on the recruitment of public servants, D�FLW\ȇV�OLPLWHG�DELOLW\�WR�FROOHFW�GLYHUVLW\�VWDWLVWLFV��RU�IUR]HQ�recruitment due to budget cuts.

(XURSHDQ�FLWLHV�DOO�RSHUDWH�LQ�GLHUHQW�FRQWH[WV��ZLWK�YHU\�distinct roles and competences in some areas, such as edu-cation and labour market access. Some are constrained by national rules and policy frameworks or approaches, while others have to share responsibilities with relevant bo-GLHV� DFURVV�GLHUHQW� OHYHOV� RI� JRYHUQDQFH��1HYHUWKHOHVV��cities are eager to demonstrate their commitment, take leadership and engage in open and fruitful dialogue with migrant communities to change the way services are deli-vered or how employment policy is implemented.

In Barcelona, for example, a comprehensive intercultu-

rality plan adopted in 2010 is designed to ensure social FRKHVLRQ�ZKLOVW�WDNLQJ�DGYDQWDJH�RI�WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�FXOWX-ral diversity. Diversity management relies on a proactive attitude, and the principles of equal opportunities and QRQ�GLVFULPLQDWLRQ�DUH�HPEHGGHG�LQ�%DUFHORQDȇV�SODQ��7KH�city authorities are also keen to promote the added value WKDW�FXOWXUDO�GLYHUVLW\�RHUV�WR�FRPSDQLHV��

&RSHQKDJHQȇV� Ȇ6WUDWHJ\� IRU� HTXDO� WUHDWPHQWȇ�� DGRSWHG� LQ�2013, aims to give migrants equal access to city services and the workplace. The city participated in our ImpleMen-WRULQJ�SURMHFW�WR�LPSURYH�WKH�ZD\�LW�UHȵHFWV�GLYHUVLW\�ZLWKLQ�its own administration and to learn from other European cities. Consulting migrant communities is an important way of VKDSLQJ�SROLFLHV�WKDW�PHHW�PLJUDQWVȇ�QHHGV��ΖW�DOVR�PHDQV�WKDW� SUREOHPV� DUH� LGHQWLȴHG� DQG� UHVROYHG�PRUH� TXLFNO\��Municipal districts and agencies in Oslo have to report annually on how they have consulted local community groups to gain feedback on their services. In Vienna, the social housing provider, Wohnpartner, makes sure its teams are as diverse as the clients they serve: in age, gen-der, cultural origin, professional experience, education, and language skills.

In most European cities, there are higher unemployment rates among migrants than established residents. Employ-ment and training services are therefore essential for in-cluding migrants in society. Most cities work with agencies DW�GLHUHQW�OHYHOV�RI�JRYHUQDQFH��VXFK�DV�QDWLRQDO�HPSOR\-ment agencies, to deliver these services. While this can PDNH� LW� GLɝFXOW� WR� IXOO\� JUDVS� WKH� ODERXU�PDUNHW� DFFHVV�needs of people with migrant backgrounds, local autho-rities have many initiatives in place to adapt their support services and develop partnership-based programmes together with other organisations. These measures help improve the migrant employment rate by strengthening skills and competences, particularly for those making the transition from school to work. Cities as employers

City administrations are often among the largest employers DW�FLW\�OHYHO��7KH�FLW\�RI�+HOVLQNL��IRU�LQVWDQFH��LV�)LQODQGȇV�ODU-gest employer, with 40.000 employees. Cities can therefore VHW�DQ�H[DPSOH�DV�HPSOR\HUV��E\�FRPPLWWLQJ�WR�UHȵHFW�WKH�diversity of their populations, ensure equal treatment of VWD�DQG�JXDUDQWHH�UHVSHFW�IRU�GLYHUVLW\��

Diversity management within a city administration means HQVXULQJ�WKDW�DOO�VWD�HPSOR\HG�E\�WKH�FLW\�RU�LQYROYHG�LQ�GH-livering its services are trained in diversity competences, and WKDW�WKH\�GHPRQVWUDWH�DZDUHQHVV�RI�WKH�FLW\ȇV�FRPPLWPHQW�to diversity and eliminating discrimination. This implies a commitment at political level, but also means dedicating re-VRXUFHV�IRU�VWD�WUDLQLQJ�DQG�GHYHORSPHQW�WR�SURYLGH�FXOWX-rally sensitive public services. It involves continuous aware-QHVV�UDLVLQJ� WRZDUGV� KXPDQ� UHVRXUFHV� VWD� WR� NHHS� WKHP�updated on relevant anti-discrimination legislation and diversity management. In Munich, 3.500 employees within the city administration have completed awareness-raising

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SOLUTIONS

WUDLQLQJV�RQ�DQWL�GLVFULPLQDWLRQ�LVVXHV��ΖGHDOO\��PLJUDQW�VWD�or external actors should be involved in the planning and GHOLYHU\�RI�WKLV�VWD�GHYHORSPHQW�

Some cities provide tailored support for migrants within their administration, through language training, mentoring, buddying, and work shadowing schemes. These help ensure equal opportunities in terms of personal development and promotion to senior and management level. Copenhagen has a special training programme focusing on ethnic mi-norities at management level, while Bilbao has a scheme ZKHUH� VWD�RI�PLJUDQW�RULJLQ� DFW� DV� WXWRUV� IRU�QHZFRPHUV�ZLWKLQ�WKH�FLW\�DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ��5HȵHFWLQJ�GLYHUVLW\�DQG�SUR-PRWLQJ�D�GLYHUVH�VWD�LQWHUQDOO\�FDQ�EH�VXEMHFW�WR�GLYHUVLW\�targets, which is the case in Helsinki, Munich and Oslo. It can be achieved also through anonymous recruitment: Oslo pi-loted this within selected city departments in 2010. It also launched a new human resources policy in 2013 to target imbalances in the composition of its workforce, especially in management positions and those requiring higher qua-OLȴFDWLRQV� �H�J�� WHDFKHUV��HQJLQHHUV��'HGLFDWHG�UHFUXLWPHQW�campaigns to promote migrant employment can also be a solution, and one that is being used in Tampere, which is promoting migrant role models in its internal and external communication, expanding the breadth of its recruitment channels, and opening up temporary vacancies.

*DWKHULQJ� VWD� IHHGEDFN� WKURXJK� VDWLVIDFWLRQ� VXUYH\V� DQG�reporting systems for discrimination can also be central to FLWLHVȇ� VWUDWHJLHV�� 0DQFKHVWHUȇV� Ȇ(TXDO� 2SSRUWXQLWLHV� 6WDWH-PHQWȇ� LQIRUPV�DQG�KHOSV� HQVXUH� HTXDO� RSSRUWXQLWLHV� LQ� DOO�HPSOR\PHQW� SUDFWLFHV�� ZKLOH� &RSHQKDJHQȇV� FLW\� RPEXGV-man has a mandate to guarantee the city does not discrimi-nate against citizens or employees.

7KHVH�FLWLHV�DUH�UHFRJQLVLQJ�WKHLU�GLYHUVLW\�JDSV��DQG�ȴQGLQJ�practical and proactive strategies to close them.

Cities as buyers and providers of services

Public procurement is an important means for cities to address social inclusion and diversity issues. The Integra-ting Cities Charter encourages cities to apply clear policies on equality and diversity in their procurement processes for municipal contracts, fostering a diverse supplier base and ensuring migrant-owned businesses have equal chances of bidding for municipal tenders. The charter also aims to SURPRWH�WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�GLYHUVLW\�WR�EXVLQHVVHV�DQG�VHUYLFH�providers in the city.

Traditionally, diversity has not been an important factor in procurement and tendering for many European cities. Most of them are more familiar with green rather than social pro-curement. The slow pace of development in this area is in large part due to the interpretation of national and EU legis-lation, with little information reaching procurement depart-ments on how to achieve diversity in procurement.

Nevertheless, cities can use their diversity plans to set goals for equal access to services, and sub-contractors can contri-bute to these by enabling more migrants to access their services. Procurement and tendering policy can be used to

ensure compliance with equal opportunities. Developing a wider supplier base means the range of providers is more OLNHO\�WR�UHȵHFW�WKH�FXVWRPHUV�DQG�FOLHQWV�WKH\�VHUYH��ΖW�DOVR�leads to new employment opportunities for migrants in GLHUHQW�ȴHOGV�RI�ZRUN��

Cities are busy promoting and designing new ways of conveying the principles of equality and diversity to their contractors. A vast majority of Integrating Cities Charter si-gnatories apply these principles to their procurement and tendering processes, but developing a wider supplier base remains a challenge. More and more cities are using anti-dis-crimination clauses in municipal tenders, like Ghent and 0DOPR��ZKLOH� RWKHUV� KDYH� FHUWLȴFDWLRQV� DQG� ODEHOV� DV� SUH-conditions for doing business in the city, which is the case in London, Manchester, Nantes and the Brussels Capital Re-gion. The French cities of Nantes and Lyon are pushing to develop anti-discrimination clauses in public procurement; and in Oslo, a new city diversity provision means companies contracted to deliver public services will have to comply with the same diversity and discrimination rules as municipal services. Copenhagen, meanwhile, uses a clause in procure-ment contracts requiring companies to incorporate diversity management practices into their human resources strate-gies.

Cooperating with businesses and business associations to UDLVH�DZDUHQHVV�DERXW�WKH�EHQHȴWV�RI�GLYHUVLW\�DQG�SURPRWH�migrant entrepreneurship are other ways of developing a diverse supplier base, as is done in Malmö and Copenha-gen. The Hague works with external partners such as school boards and sports clubs to encourage diversity on boards and associations so they more accurately represent society LQ�WKHVH�ȴHOGV��

Copenhagen has its own diversity charter, signed by more than 500 local businesses and civil society organisations. It also created the Copenhagen Diversity Board, inviting bu-siness and community leaders to support the city in its goal of becoming the most open and inclusive major city in Eu-rope. Cities can also adapt their business support services to allow those people with a migrant background to make the most out of them.

Our members are in dialogue with migrant associations, business representatives and migrant entrepreneurs to tap into the entrepreneurial spirit of migrants. They do so through EUROCITIES and through other European and inter-national organisations focusing on the link between cities, businesses and migrant populations.

Our Integrating Cities Charter provides a framework for FLWLHV� WR� UHDOLVH� WKHLU�DPELWLRQV�RI� UHȵHFWLQJ�GLYHUVLW\� LQ�DOO�DUHDV�RI�SXEOLF�OLIH�DQG�FDSLWDOLVLQJ�RQ�LWV�EHQHȴWV��7KURXJK�our projects, publications and continuous dialogue within the Integrating Cities process, our working group and the wi-der network, our members share ideas and knowledge that help turn their commitments into reality.

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POLICY VIEWS

OXLOcity branding through diversity

Having the right brand is increasingly important for cities to establish their image. Diversity and openness can be precious tools in this respect:

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Toralv Moe City of Oslo

While many cities in Scandinavia and Europe are struggling with integration and diversity policies, those of the city of 2VOR� VXFFHHG�� 7KH� FLW\ȇV� OXLO brand means Oslo Extra Large. The political message is that the city shall be a struc-ture of opportunities, extra-large, accommodating newco-mers and their inherent diversity.

Oslo, the capital of Norway, is a city with 634.000 inha-bitants. It has been, by tradition, a city of migration for Norwegians from the rest of the country, and more recent-ly, from the Nordic neighbours and Europe and the world beyond.

The OXLO Business Charter was launched at the Oslo 2013 Global Mobility Forum by Hallstein Bjercke, Vice-Mayor for &XOWXUDO� $DLUV� DQG� %XVLQHVV� 'HYHORSPHQW�� 7KH� &KDUWHU��stating that diversity is a resource, creates a forum and a network for collaboration between the city and the bu-siness community, making migrants visible as a resource for business and economic growth. In 2013, the City Government renewed its commitment to GLYHUVLW\��WKH�&LW\�&RXQFLOȇV�GHFLVLRQ�RQ�ȊDiversity’s opportu-nities – on OXLO, Oslo Extra Large”, made the principles of the European Charter for Integrating Cities the basis for in-tegration and diversity work in Oslo.

Three principles are central to the implementation of the OXLO policy:

ȫ� &RRSHUDWLRQ�ZLWK� EXVLQHVVHV�� XQLYHUVLWLHV� DQG� FROOHJHV��and civil society

ȫ�&RQVXOWDWLRQ�ZLWK�PLQRULW\�RUJDQLVDWLRQV

ȫ�ΖQWHUFXOWXUDO�SULRULWLHV�LQ�WKH�DOORFDWLRQ�RI�IXQGV�WR�FXOWXUH��sports and voluntary work

7KH�SROLF\�UHQHZDO�FRQȴUPV�WKDW�LQWHJUDWLRQ�DQG�GLYHUVLW\�strategies increasingly are becoming local and city-based. Migrants seek opportunities in work and education, and largely pay for migration themselves, learning the language and adapting to new ways of life. Businesses, universities, YROXQWDU\�ZRUN�RUJDQL]DWLRQV�DQG�WKH�FLW\�ȴQDQFH�WKH�UHVW��The Norwegian State guards the borders, protects the wel-fare system and passes laws. The City manages integration through governance and partnerships with businesses and the civil society.

Jobs and the opportunity to earn a living draw migrants to Oslo. In 2013, some 20.000 people migrated to Oslo, mainly from Europe. Half of them came for work, one in eight came to study, and most of the others joined a husband or a wife. Today, some 30 % of the population in Oslo has a diverse ethnic background. One in two among youth and children is an immigrant, or has got a parent or a grandparent who migrated to Norway.

The minority populations are visible in the everyday city life – in several roles, places and positions. Most of them work in the urban economy, providing the citizens with food, health, entertainment and transportation. The young individuals with a migrant background and higher educa-WLRQ�DUH�ZRUNLQJ�LQ�WKH�ȴHOGV�RI�FXOWXUH�DQG�VSRUWV��UHVHDUFK�and hi-tech companies, and are visible in media and public GHEDWH�� (WKQLF�PLQRULWLHVȇ� SDUWLFLSDWLRQ� LQ� SROLWLFDO� 3DUWLHV�and representation in the City Council is high. 16 of 59 of the representatives - 27 % - in the Council have a migrant cultural background.

The OXLO policy

Oslo Extra Large is embedded in the City Charter “Oslo – a city for all”, adopted by the City Council in 2001. The Char-

38 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

POLICY VIEWS

ter states that all citizens equals, no matter their ethnical, cultural or religious backgrounds. They all have the same basic rights, duties and responsibilities.

Although citizens with an international background are considered an asset to the city, migrants often experience discrimination because of their skin colour, ethnicity or reli-JLRQ��DQG�WKHLU�TXDOLȴFDWLRQV�DUH�RIWHQ�YDOXHG�WRR�ORZ�

The City Council adopted the Charter in 2001. The cataly-tic event that pushed its creation was the racist murder of a teenager with both a Norwegian and an African back-grounds in an ethnically diverse suburb of Oslo. There was a need to reinstate the democratic and egalitarian values of the Norwegian society in a city experiencing rapid immi-gration.

In 2014, the City Government turned the policy into an action program, consisting of a media and an informatio-nal strategy, a strategy for equal municipal services and a plan for counteracting racism and discrimination. As of 2001, an action plan for equal treatments and an increased recruitment of people with migrant backgrounds t was taken. Later, these polices have been supplemented with City Council decisions on education and social mobility, language teaching in kindergartens, programmes for the unemployed, and equal access to housing.

The Scandinavian model

The story of OXLO and Oslo as an intercultural city, is clo-sely linked to values intrinsic to the Norwegian society and to the development of a welfare state, internationally known as the Scandinavian model. While the city is open to new ideas and new people, diversity in terms of language,

ethnicity, culture and religion require commitment to com-mon values such as democracy, equality and individual li-berty. In Oslo, this complies with three basic values, related with equality:

ȫ�Equal treatment of all, regardless of social backgrounds DQG�ȴQDQFLDO�VLWXDWLRQV�

ȫ�Equal opportunities and social mobility engineered by \RXU�RZQ�HRUWV�

ȫ�Equality between genders

Family and gender roles in the population with a migrant background are changing. Over time and across genera-tions, income, education and family patterns are becoming similar to the ethnic Norwegian majority. Young women with a migrant background now take part in education and in employment, and they marry and have children later than their mothers.

7KH�HPSOR\PHQW�UDWH�LQ�2VOR�LV��DQG�WKH�PLJUDQWVȇ�HP-ployment rate is 61 %. The unemployment rate is 3 % in the native-born and 8 % in the foreign-born population. Most FLWL]HQV�� LQFOXGLQJ� PLJUDQWV� RZQ� WKHLU� ȵDW� RU� KRXVH�� 7KH�children of immigrants are overrepresented in prestigious SURJUDPV�DW�WKH�FLW\ȇV�XQLYHUVLWLHV��

The foreign-born population, though, has higher propor-tions of families and individuals in a vulnerable economic situation than the rest of the population. Too few immi-grant women participate in the labour market. The num-ber of minority pupils failing in at school is still too high. 'LHUHQFHV�LQ�HGXFDWLRQ��HPSOR\PHQW�DQG�IDPLO\�SDWWHUQV�among young adults of diverse origins, are small. Immi-

© Mariano Mantel, via Flickr

A view of Oslo from the Opera House


POLICY VIEWS

grant youth with higher education are as likely as majority \RXWK�WR�ȴQG�D�MRE�DV�QDWLYH�\RXWK��

Diversity’s opportunities

According to the OXLO policy, the City Government of the Norwegian capital has made integration and . Urban society is understood as a structure of opportunities and the city manages integration through governance and partnerships that optimise the freedom of choice, based on common in-terests with the business community and the civil society.

Integration requires innovation and adaption, and the city acknowledges the need for leadership and urban develop-ment. Ethnic equality is best promoted through measures that motivate migrants to make use of their resources and UHDOLVH�WKHLU�SRWHQWLDO��2;/2ȇV�SROLF\�H[FKDQJHV�WKH�ZHOIDUH�policy approach with a business development approach, buttressed by a very practical view on equality and human rights.

Discrimination and prejudice limit both freedom and the span of choices citizens may opt for (work and careers, edu-cation, where to live, whom to meet and connect with,…) . Such limitations on freedom is a loss to the individual ci-tizen, and to a larger extent, is a loss to society and its fu-WXUH��DQG�ȴQDOO\�WR�WKH�HFRQRP\��'LVFULPLQDWLRQ�LV�EDG�IRU�business.

This understanding has led to a range of initiatives involving partnerships and co-opted projects in business, culture, sports and civil society. Key stakeholders lead their own ini-tiatives to best tackle the challenges inherent to diversity, and back solutions based on their persobal need to engage and involve minorities. In addition to the OXLO Business Charter, the City supports programs such as Alarga and Global Future, mentoring promising global talents towards top positions in Norwegian companies, and the Top 10 pro-gramme, celebrating such talents.

Through the Oslo Knowledge Partnership with Universi-ties and Colleges, the city supports the Oslo Global Talent Career Fair, opening up job opportunities for international students and academics with an intercultural background. In 2014, the city has launched its own OXLO Mentor Pro-gramme�� ZKHUH� 0DVWHU� VWXGHQWV� DUH� RHUHG� PHQWRUVKLS�and the opportunity for short-term internships.

The campaign Born and Raised in Oslo celebrates intercultu-ral youth in schools, sports clubs, libraries and youth clubs. As of 2012, funding has been provided for school news-papers, school and youth club twinning and cultural acti-vities.

Lately, the city has initiated discussions with the Oslo Mela Festival, creating an arena for cooperation and joint pro-jects. Jobs and education attract migrants to Oslo, but so-cial networks, work place communality and the pleasures of sports and culture are what creates a sense of belonging. Through programs like Fair play, Say no to Racism, stan-dards for working with diversity and tolerance in sport have been set by the Oslo Sports Federation and the Norwegian Football Association.

7KLV�\HDU��WKH�&LW\�*RYHUQPHQW�VWDJHG�WKH�ȴUVW�&RQIHUHQFH�on Religious Dialogue, mobilising Christian, Atheist, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Buddhist and Hindu congregations against fundamentalism, intolerance and rumour-mongering on the Internet. Later this year, the City Council will debate on a new action plan on LGBTQI-rights, introducing a yearly conference on OXLO and Human Rights.

Walking the talk, Oslo expects to introduce a new guide on delivering equal services to a diverse population by 2015, demonstrating in detail how the European Charter on Integrating Cities may be implemented in schools and kindergartens, social services and child protection, health and care for the elderly.

The OXLO brand

Oslo is very proud out its top ranking in the Council of (XURSHȇV� ΖQWHUFXOWXUDO�&LW\� ΖQGH[��DQG�WKH�EHQFKPDUNLQJ�H[HUFLVHV�RI�(XURFLWLHVȇ�ΖQWHJUDWLQJ�&LWLHV�The City Government wants Oslo to be a city of talents, and the OXLO brand is now used as one element in the FLW\ȇV� LQWHUQDWLRQDO� PDUNHWLQJ�� DWWUDFWLQJ� LQWHUQDWLRQDO�students, entrepreneurs and migrants of knowledge and competence.

On the 25th of July2011, the city was the victim of a far-right terrorist attack, motivated by xenophobia and white supremacy that killed eight people in the city and sixty-nine in the nearby rural retreat of Utøya. The Rose de-monstration of 200.000 people at the City Hall Square showed that the city is united to reject violence, extre-mism and hatred spread..

In Oslo, immigrants are considered to be citizens of Oslo, regardless of their ethnicity or nationality. The re-newal for the OXLO policy demonstrates that Oslo is mo-ving towards becoming an intercultural city with broad contacts between minority and majority across ethnic and religious divisions. This commitment by business, FXOWXUH�DQG�YROXQWDU\�RUJDQL]DWLRQV�LV�2VORȇV�VWUHQJWK�DV�an intercultural city, and provides a solid foundation for cooperation and alliances between the municipality and other civic stakeholders.

© OXLO

3ULPDU\�VFKRRO�FKLOGUHQ�GHSLFWLQJ�2VORȇV�GLYHUVLW\�

40 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

POLICY VIEWS

Crossroad of Europe, Belgian melting pot

%UXVVHOV�LV�RIWHQ�QLFNQDPHG�DV�WKH�Ȋ(XURSHDQ�FURVVURDGȋ��%XW�GRHV�LW�UHDOO\�GHVHUYH�LW"� 7KH�1HZ�(XURSHDQ discussed the issue of migrant inclusion and diversity in the capital

of Europe with Mohamed Ouriaghli, alderman at the City of Brussels.

Jérémy jenard

A long-standing political background

Mohamed Ouriaghli is not a newbie, here at the City of Brussels commune. He was elected member of the Com-munal Council of the City of Brussels, making him one if LWV� �� UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV�� %XW�2XULDJKOLȇV� ERXQG� WR� SROLWLFV�and citizen activism is a long-standing love story.

“Even though my motivations have evolved throughout my life and professional experiences, what mainly shaped them, were the people I had the chance to meet. Yes, that is what made me consider running a political career”.

When he was still a student, Mohamed Ouriaghli was very involved in community life. “I would often meet up some friends at a Youth Centre in Molenbeek (neighbourhood in the North of Brussels, typically known for its ethnically diverse inhabitants)”, he remembers. The Centre carried a very innovative project: they wanted to put youth repre-sentatives in the Participation Council of the commune. To cut a long story short, he was elected by his friends and was to represent them in the Administration Board. Ȋ7KDW�ZDV�P\�ȴUVW�H[SHULHQFH�LQ�SROLWLFV�DQG�LQ�PDQDJLQJ�a Youth Centre, where I had to work with other people who were, then, way older than me”.

In 1991, riots stroke in some neighbourhoods –especially those of Forest and of Molenbeek. This was the catalyst needed by Ouriaghli and the Youth Centre he was res-ponsible for to think through on why such tragic events can happen in our societies and on how to better integrate these youngsters, mostly with a migrant background, into society. Together with another Youth Centre (based in Forest), they eventually came up with a ground-breaking

project: they would meet people from other places and see how things are dealt with elsewhere. It is in that very framework that they went to Paris, in the neighbourhood RI�WKH�*RXWWH�Gȇ2U��HDVW�RI�0RQWPDUWUH�DQG�LQ�WKH��WK�DU-rondissement, known for its migrant population) to meet young people. Ouriaghli acknowledges: “that is when it all ȆFOLFNHGȇ��Ζ�NQHZ�Ζ�ZDQWHG�WR�JHW�LQYROYHG�LQ�SROLWLFVȋ�

All of a sudden, it became obvious that criticising poli-tical bodies was not the way forward, but enrolling to a party was. “It was going to help me genuinely act and be the spokesperson of my cause, of what I wanted to ȴJKW� IRUȋ�� 8SRQ� KLV� UHWXUQ� IURP� WKDW� VRXO�� VKDSLQJ� WULS�in Paris, his involvement and activity within the PS, the Belgian Francophone socialist party, got more and more QRWLFHDEOH��ȴUVW�DW� WKH�JUDVVURRWV� OHYHO� LQ�KLV�FRPPXQH��Laeken and then at the City of Brussels. Ouriaghli poli-WLFDO�VXFFHVV�VWRU\�RɝFLDOO\�VWDUWHG�LQ��ZKHQ�KH�ZDV�elected local councillor in the City of Brussels, one of the \RXQJHVW�HYHU�� 5DSLGO\��DQG�PRYHG�E\�KLV�DHFWLRQ� IRU�Brussels, he decided to get even more active. From 1995 to 2006 he was appointed Communal Advisor and from 2000 to 2006, he was President of the Foyer Bruxellois (political organ of the City of Brussels aiming at facilita-ting the access to social housing to those in need). “I have always been sensitive to social housing –I lived in public housing, even after my election. I made it a specialty, my warhorse. I consider myself lucky to be in a party where SHRSOH�DUH�LQ�FKDUJH�RI�D�ȴHOG�WKDW�WKH\�PDVWHU��:KLFK�LV�not necessarily the case in other parties.”

Later, in 2006, he was entrusted of housing management and land governance as an alderman in the City of Brus-sels. This untiring jack-of-all-trades is, since 2012, Pre-


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sident of three new and trans-jurisdictional committees that are very dear to his heart: the Consultative Coun-cil for Cultural Diversity (formerly known as CBOE), the Consultative Council for Gender Equality and the Consul-tative Council for Disabled People.

A melting pot of cultures

On the crest of his colourful personal background, Moha-med Ouriaghli explained The New European that he and his brothers are very familiar to immigration. Their father immi-JUDWHG�WKUHH�WLPHV�LQ�KLV�OLIH��ȴUVW�IURP�WKH�5L�+LJKODQGV�WR�Tangier (Morocco), which at that time was an international and cosmopolitan city; then the second time due to economic problems caused by the Moroccan independence, he had to move to Hasselt in the Belgian Limburg –where the Ouriaghli EURWKHUV�ZHUH�ERUQ��$QG�ȴQDOO\��WKH\�PRYHG�IURP�+DVVHOW�WR�Brussels, since their parents wanted them to learn French, convinced that –as many migrants at that time– they were going to return to Morocco. “I am a child of a multiple immi-JUDWLRQ��KHQFH�P\�GHȴQLQJ�P\VHOI�DV�D�PHOWLQJ�SRW��%HOJLDQ�history has been marked by migration waves, in this sense; we all are a melting pot.”

%ODFNZHOO�6RFLRORJ\�'LFWLRQDU\�GHȴQHV�WKH�PHOWLQJ�SRW�DV�EHLQJ�a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more ho-PRJHQHRXV�� WKH�GLHUHQW� HOHPHQWV� mPHOWLQJ� WRJHWKHU}� LQWR�a harmonious whole with a common culture made up with

WKH�PLJUDQWVȇ�DQG�WKH�DXWRFKWKRQHVȇ�FXOWXUDO��UHOLJLRXV�DQG�OLQ-guistic backgrounds.

Fully taking advantage of his colourful background, Ouriaghli does not consider himself as being somewhat restrained by them. On the contrary, it is something he has always been ge-QXLQHO\�SURXG�RI��ȊΖ�HPEUDFH�P\�GLHUHQW�FXOWXUDO�DQG�OLQJXLV-tic backgrounds –I speak French and Arabic at home– for they have shaped me and for they are my biggest assets.” Multicul-turalism is a means to develop oneself both personally and professionally. Unfortunately, some people are fairly reluc-tant to migrants and little incline to advocate for equality of chances and inclusion. Discriminations are sadly an inherent part of our societies, especially when it comes to the access to employment and housing –amidst many others.

7KH�SUDLVH�RI� ȆWKH� VXFFHVVIXO� EURWKHU�� XQFOH� DQG� IDWKHUȇ� KDV�died out over the last decades and the younger generations can no longer look up to them. “Society has changed” pities Ouriaghli “because of the crisis, people of my generation, no matter how brilliant they are, had to face the lack of job op-portunities and have, yet again, been confronted to the ine-quality of chances when it comes to job access. This is sadly why engineers with a migrant background ends up being a taxi driver”. Yet, one must not mourn times of yore and VKRXOG� UDWKHU� IRFXV�RQ� WKH� FXUUHQW� VLWXDWLRQ�DQG�ȴQG�ZD\V�WR�NHHS�WKDW�ȵDPH�RI�ZLOO�WR�WDNH�XS�WKH�JDXQWOHW�RI�ȊJHWWLQJ�through it all” burning.

© Giorgio Galeotti via Flickr

Brussels as seen from the Atomium

42 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

Brussels council for cultural diversity

Created in the late seventies, the CBOE (Comité des Bruxel-ORLV�Gȇ2ULJLQH�(WUDQJªUH��ZDV�RQH�RI�WKH�ȴUVW�$GYLVRU\�%RDUG�dealing with immigration. Although, we can no longer talk DERXW� ȆELJ�ZDYHVȇ� RI� LPPLJUDWLRQ� WRGD\�� LPPLJUDWLRQ� UH-mains a part of our reality, and always will. Society has changed, so have our priorities and views on migration. 5HIHUULQJ� WR��Vȇ�RU��Vȇ�PLJUDQWV�DV� ȆLPPLJUDQWVȇ� LV�RXW-dated. “What is the point of calling an immigrant someone who has lived in Brussels for twenty, thirty, or in my case 47 years?” reminds us Ouriaghli. This is why a brand new name, embodying intergenerational migrants, was nee-GHG�Ȃ�VR�ZDV�ERUQ�%UXVVHOVȇ�&RXQFLO�IRU�&XOWXUDO�'LYHUVLW\�

Through hard work, four annual plenary sessions, seve-ral group works and the launching of various prevention FDPSDLJQV�� WKLV� &RXQFLO� KDV� LPSOHPHQWHG� GLHUHQW� SR-licies facilitating and advocating for equality of chances. People with a migrant background can, from now on, be-QHȴW� IURP�GLHUHQW�ZRUNVKRSV� DW� WKHLU� GLVSRVDO� WR� KHOS�WKHP�WDFNOH�WKH�JDS�EHWZHHQ�ȆWKHPȇ�DQG�WKH�QDWLYH�ERUQ��better blend in and become key players of the evolution towards a better, more sustainable and fairer society.

%HQHȴWWLQJ�IURP�WKH�(XURSHDQ�ΖQVWLWXWLRQV�VHWWOHG�LQ�WKH�Belgian capital, Brussels is certainly not the bottom of the class when it comes to welcoming “new Belgians”. “A lot of initiatives have been implemented, in spite of the rather complicated political situation taking place in Belgium: I do believe that both at the Communal and at the Regional levels, great initiatives have been taken for cultural diver-sity and equality of chances” says Ouriaghli “even if a lot more can be done”. &KDQJH� OLHV� DW� WKH� JUDVVURRWV� OHYHO�� KHQFH� WKH� &RXQFLOȇV�focus on youngsters, for “they are the future of our so-ciety”. Through the establishment and the management RI� Ȋ$WHOLHUV� GȇDLGH� ¢� OD� U«XVVLWHȋ� �ZRUNVKRSV� WKDW� KHOS�people in need be more successful in life and overco-me their respective challenged: education, training,…) in GLHUHQW�VFKRROV�� WKH�&RXQFLO� IRU�&XOWXUDO�'LYHUVLW\�DLPV�at touching people from all nationalities and raise aware-ness among both adults and younger generations. These workshops are supervised by dedicated professionals who help newcomers catch up on their lack of education: ODQJXDJHV��VFLHQWLȴF�FRXUVHVȐ�

It is common knowledge that sometimes the gap between people and the institutions –be they regional, commu-nal or even European– is striking. One may then ask how people could be aware of what has been set up for them. :HOO�� %UXVVHOȇV� &RXQFLO� IRU� &XOWXUDO� 'LYHUVLW\� KDV� PDGH�communication and information spreading its working OHLWPRWLY��2Q�WRS�RI�XVLQJ�WKH�&LW\�RI�%UXVVHOVȇ�FRPPXQL-cation tools: such as a regularly updated website and a monthly magazine (of which 80.000 copies are distributed

per month on DYHUDJH�� FDOOHG� Ȋ%UX[HOOHLUȋ�� WKH� &RXQFLOȇV�communication network is way broader than that.

This Consultative Council is very active and its members DUH�JHQXLQH�DGYRFDWHV�IRU�%UXVVHOV�$VVRFLDWLRQV�WKDW�ȴJKW�for social cohesion and a better way of living together.

The Council for Cultural Diversity reaches people in many GLHUHQW� ZD\V�� )RU� H[DPSOH�� RQFH� D� \HDU� LW� RUJDQLVHV�a great event called DiverCity whose purpose is to keep Brussels citizens updated on the Council for Cultural Di-YHUVLW\ȇV�DFWLYLWLHV��SOXV�WKH�HPSKDVLV�LV�SXW�RQ�D�QRW�WR�EH�neglected collaboration with many associations. Ouriaghli strongly believes that, despite the lack of funding that as-sociations are dealing with, it is through them that most actions can be taken and awareness risen.

Towards an embracement of multicultura-lism

m:H�VKRXOGQȇW�EH�DIUDLG�RI�GLYHUVLW\��7KLV�IHDU�RI�WKH�ȆRWKHUȇ��RI�ZKDW�LV�GLHUHQW�LV�RXU�PDLQ�REVWDFOH��ΖI�ZH�FRXOG�JHW�ULG�of it, it would be a great victory for us. We should be driven E\�WKH�VDPH�VLPSOH�PRWWR��ȆGLHUHQW�\HW�HTXDO}�

Becoming more and more cosmopolitan, Brussels is moving towards an embracement and an acceptance of its multicul-tural backgrounds. It is inevitable, like a natural transition. Brussels, just like every city in the world, is made up with dozens of cultures, each and every one with a common de-nominator that binds us together: the will to live together and the feeling of belonging to a country, to a Nation, to a united people.

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© City of Brussels

Mohamed Ouriaghli


ARCHITECTURE SPECIAL

Planning Diversityand Multiculturalism

'LYHUVLW\�KDV�D�YLVLEOH�HHFW�RQ�FLWLHV��VLQFH�LW�FKDQJHV�WKH�ZD\�WKH\�ZRUN�� $UFKLWHFWXUHȇV�WDVN�LV�WR�UHFRQFLOH�WKH�LQQHU�VRXO�RI�VRFLHW\�ZLWK�LWV�DSSHDUDQFH��

Starting from this assumption, architect Gabriele Pitacco guides us through an overview of some urban projects that have successfully represented diversity.

Gabriele Pitacco

They [the Germans] will soon so outnumber us that [despite] all the advantages we have, we will, in my opinion, not be able to preserve our language, and even our Government will become precarious.Benjamin Franklin, 1753

Imagine spending your time in an oppressive, dark space or instead enjoying the amazing light of a luxurious open space. What would you choose?

/LNH�LW�RU�QRW��DUFKLWHFWXUH�DHFWV�XV�DOO��ΖW�KDV�D�JUHDW�LPSDFW�RQ�RXU�OLIH��GHȴQLQJ�WKH�HQYLURQPHQW�DURXQG�XV��7KH�GHVLJQ�RI� WKH�RɝFH�EXLOGLQJ�ZKHUH�ZH�ZRUN�� WKH�XUEDQ� OD\RXW�RI�the neighbourhood we come back to, the organisation of the space inside our house and the view we have from it, the design of the park where our kids run on Sundays; all this can make us free to act and move, inspire or oppress XV��LQȵXHQFH�RXU�PRRG��VWLPXODWH�RXU�VHQVH�RI�EHORQJLQJ��)URP�D�ZLGHU�SHUVSHFWLYH��WKH�GHVLJQ�RI�WKH�FLW\��WKH�GHȴQL-tion of its public spaces, infrastructures and development DUHDV�DHFWV�KRZ�ZH�OLYH��7KH�ZD\�RXU�FLW\�LV�SODQQHG��WKH�way we can or cannot move or act inside them, what they inspire or recall to us, are important choices that we (our parents or grandparents before us have) have made in or-der to change – and hopefully increase – the quality of our life. Indeed, we have a huge power: the power to imagine a better future and to choose how to get there.

As a collectivity, as a group or as individuals we can - di-rectly or indirectly - choose what surround us: the places we live in, where we work, stay, relax. Architecture turns a ZRUOG�RI�LQȴQLWH�SRVVLELOLWLHV�LQWR�D�FRQFUHWH��XQLTXH�FKRLFH��A single choice that will last for years, decades and, some-times, centuries. The cities we all live in bear physical wit-nesses to the layering of such multiple choices. Biennale

curator and Prizker Prize laureate Rem Koolhaas would say that “where there is nothing, everything is possible. Where there is architecture, nothing (else) is possible”

Architecture, furthermore, consists of a choice that involves losing one aspect in return for gaining another one. Scarce resources have to be invested in one solution instead of another, and for this reason it is necessary to evaluate prio-rities and options in order to choose the most suitable so-lution.

In architectural projects, the evaluation of a design solution LQYROYHV�PDQ\�ȴHOGV�DQG�PDQ\�SHRSOH��$UFKLWHFWXUH�FDQ�EH�used as a tool for cultural, economic, political and sociolo-JLFDO�SXUSRVHV��WR�PHQWLRQ�RQO\�D�IHZ��ΖW�LQYROYHV�GLHUHQW�VWDNHKROGHUV��'LHUHQW�SHRSOH�WKDW�VWULYH�IRU�GLHUHQW�RE-jectives, such as clients, users, architects, politicians, tou-ULVWV�PD\� GHVLUH� FRPSOHWHO\� GLHUHQW� WKLQJV� DFFRUGLQJ� WR�their values.

'HVLJQ�VROXWLRQ�FDUHIXOO\�WDLORUHG�IRU�D�VSHFLȴF�XVHU�RU�WLPH�can be perceived negatively only a decade later. Take the mega-structures so popular in the Seventies: Forte Quez-zi in Genoa, Corviale in Rome, Rozzol-Melara in Trieste staying in Italy, or Bijlmermeer in Amsterdam, Candilis Josic and Woods in Paris have turned from vanguard solutions to background for riots. On the other way round, deeply FULWLFL]HG�SURMHFWV��OLNH�3LDQR�DQG�5RJHUVȇ�%HDXERXUJ��KDYH�turned to be the most interesting and discussed ones. The buildings have not changed; it is their social, monetary, en-vironmental, artistic values that have clashed, aligned or, simply, changed.

7KH�SRLQW�LV��GLHUHQW�VWDNHKROGHUV�JLYH�D�GLHUHQW�ZHLJKW�to the same design solution, according to their ideas and

44 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��


YDOXHV��(YHU\RQH� LV�DHFWHG�DQG�DW� WKH�VDPH� WLPH�FRQWUL-butes to the success of a project talking about it, criticizing it, persuading people about it, giving feedback. The correct XQGHUVWDQGLQJ�RI�HDFK�SHUVSHFWLYH�DQG�LWV�VSHFLȴF�FRQWULEX-tion is crucial to understand and evaluate a design solution. And evaluation becomes tougher and tougher as we reach for sensitive topics like multiculturalism and diversity.

The term diversity has a variety of meanings. Susan Fains-tein, Harvard University, reminds us that among urban de-signers it refers to mixing building types and uses, creating thus an expanded public realm, with multiple social grou-pings exercising their “right to the city”. Among urban plan-ners it may mean both mixed uses and class and racial-eth-nic heterogeneity; to sociologists and cultural analysts, the word primarily takes on the latter meaning. Some focus on only one of these interpretations; many, however, see each type of diversity as linked to the others.

Looking at cities, diversity ranges from the appealing rich-QHVV�RI�6LOLFRQ�9DOOH\ȇV�*RRJOH3OH[�DQG�FUHDWLYH�FODVV�WR�WKH�ethnic enclaves and riots in French banlieues. Multicultu-UDOLVP�DQG�GLYHUVLW\�UHVW�RQ�WKH�WKHRU\�WKDW�GLHUHQFH�DQG�variety may be both valuable and problematic. Diversity is, one way or another, the new hot topic of contemporary ci-ties. Architecture has been moving away from the ortho-doxy and segregation of homogeneous districts to meet new needs and turn diversity into new opportunities. But why is diversity so important for contemporary cities?

According to architectural theorist Roemer van Toorn, the city as handed down to us in history no longer exists. The PHGLHYDO� FLW\� FRQVLVWHG� RI� D� KLHUDUFK\� RI� VSHFLȴF� VLWHV�� D�clear separation between holy and profane, protected places and open ones, apt at symbolising the dualism of life on heaven and life on earth. The modern city, revol-ving around work, career and family, is as good as dead. 7RGD\ȇV�FLW\� LV�D�QHWZRUN�RI� LQIRUPDWLRQ�ȵRZV��7KLV�XQGH-ȴQHG�PHWURSROLV�FRQVLVWV�RI�D�GLXVH�QHW�RI�HYHQWV�LQ�DFWLYH�ȵX[��WKHVH�PD\�EH�LQGLYLGXDO�RU�FROOHFWLYH��WUDQVQDWLRQDO�RU�economic, and they may involve service industries or the PHGLD�� $W� D� ȴUVW� VLJKW�� VXFK� D� FLW\�PLJKW� VHHP�H[WUHPHO\�chaotic, because we do not have any concept yet for gras-ping this highly complex urban order.

Increased economic interdependence has set the stage for the growing mobility of highly-skilled labour in the global economy. Highly-skilled labour migration is a key global-ur-ban process which creates, maintains and transforms ur-ban areas and, therefore, provides an alternative interpre-tation of global cities. The presence of skilled human capital fosters innovation and generates greater economic acti-vity. Companies take advantage of the face-to-face contact DQG�ȆEX]]ȇ�SURYLGHG�E\�DJJORPHUDWLRQ�HFRQRPLHV�LQ�XUEDQ�areas. Nevertheless, markets transcend the borders and in-terests of nation states to the point that the more national states fade in their role, the more cities will emerge as a driving force. What is emerging is “a community of cities”, WXUQLQJ�WKH�XUEDQ�VSDFHV�LQWR�D�ȴQDQFLDO�NH\�IDFWRU��8UEDQ�areas are therefore competing with each other for people, goods, capital, ideas and other inputs of economic activity. Creating a world-class knowledge base has become vital for achieving global economic success and a comparative

advantage to other places. In this context, planning has to face the challenge given by the time necessary to realize long term transformation in a situation of growing volatility RI�FDSLWDO�DQG�ȵH[LELOLW\�RI�GHPDQG�

:LWKLQ� WKLV� FRQWH[W� 5LFKDUG� )ORULGDȇV� ZRUN� RQ� WKH� FUHD-WLYH� FODVV� KLJKOLJKW� WKH� EHQHȴWV� RI� GLYHUVLW\�� Ȋ'LYHUVLW\� DW-tracts human capital, encourages innovation, and ensures fairness and equal access to a variety of groups. The com-petitive advantage of cities, and thus the most promising approach to attaining economic success, lies in enhancing diversity within the society, economic base, and built envi-ronment. Diversity and creativity work together to power innovation and economic growth”.

Nevertheless, while the creative class favours openness and diversity, to some degree it is a diversity of élites, limited to highly educated, creative people, demanding the most ad-vanced, utterly innovative design and urban solutions. A lot RI�DWWHQWLRQ�KDV�EHHQ�JLYHQ�WR�1HZ�<RUNȇV�+LJK�/LQH�3DUN��%URRNOLQȇV� %ULGJH� 3DUN� RU� 6HRXOȇV� 3UDGD� 7UDQVIRUPHU�� %XW�what happens when architecture is asked to intervene on more sensitive spots? Let us look at two projects that really improved their cities.

2QH�RI�&RSHQKDJHQȇV�PRVW�GLVDGYDQWDJHG�QHLJKERXUKRRGV�(with a high crime rate and the biggest riots in Denmark) is Nørrebro. In 2004, the public-private partnership between the Copenhagen City Council, real-estate businesses and Realdania, a private fund, started a regeneration process. 7KH� QHLJKERXUKRRGȇV� ROG� KRXVHV� KDYH� EHHQ� UHIXUELVKHG�with a participatory process that involves part of the po-pulation, but there is an even more colourful and “famous” part of the project: a public space connecting the whole DUHD�� 7KH� GHVLJQHUV� �DUFKLWHFWXUDO� ȴUP�Big, landscape ar-chitecture group Topotek1 and Superflex artists) divided the area of the former railway line “SuperKilen” (Big Wedge) into three zones: the Red Square, the Black Market and the Green Park; a modern urban space with cultural and sport facilities, a marketplace and a park for sports, picnics and walks. The heterogeneity of the local population (counting 57 nationalities) is represented by a collection of urban fur-niture from all around the world, crossing the whole site like «a sort of surrealist collection of global urban diversity WKDW� LQ�IDFW�UHȵHFWV�WKH�WUXH�QDWXUH�RI�WKH� ORFDO�QHLJKERX-rhood», according to the designers. Public meetings held during the conception process together with a ‘sugges-WLRQ�ER[ȇ�DOORZHG�ORFDOV�WR�VXEPLW�WKHLU�LGHDV�IRU�WKH�XUEDQ�proposal (for instance expanding the green section due to community demand).

Another interesting example, winner of a competition orga-QL]HG�E\�0DGULGȇV�&LW\�+DOO�DQG�&R�IXQGHG�E\�WKH�(XURSHDQ�Union (LIFE-2002) is the Eco-boulevard in Vallecas district. This urban planning project, designed by Ecosistema Ur-bano, is part of an ambitious enlargement operation. The boulevard is lined by blocks of social housing, with almost QR�FRPPHUFLDO�VSDFH�RQ�JURXQG�ȵRRU��7KH�XUEDQ�UHF\FOLQJ�operation inserts three large cylinders called “air tree-social dynamiser” over an existing urbanization area. The cylinders serve as catalysts of public life, thereby improving the gene-rally poor quality of public space with two main objectives: a social one, aiming at generating activity and integration



for the multicultural inhabitants of the neighbourhood, and an environmental one, the bio-climatic adaptation of an outdoor space, achieved with a system of passive air conditioning based on evapo-transpiration. Each tree is meant to facilitate a series of leisure and recreation DFWLYLWLHV��(DFK�ȆDLU�WUHHȇ�KDV�LWV�RZQ�ELR�FOLPDWLF�IXQFWLR-ning: a metal structure that can be taken apart is lined on the outside with a transpiring thermal screen and on the inside with climbing plants. A crown of photovoltaic panels, wind sensors and atomizers make it possible to regulate the temperature and humidity conditions of the SODFH�� 7KH�REMHFWLYH� LV� WR�PDNH�XS� IRU� WKH� VHULRXV�GHȴ-ciencies of certain forms of uncontrolled planning. Accor-ding to the designers, “public spaces belong to everyone and they should act as supports for a number of activities and events, beyond what can be planned, spaces where citizens can act in freedom and spontaneously”. Easy to take apart and moved about, these objects can be put up wherever a regeneration of urban activity is in order.

But how can we evaluate these projects? Are numbers able to express the social and cultural improvement of these areas and the life of their multicultural users? Un-der the cultural economic framing, evaluation depends RQ�VWDNHKROGHUVȇ�JRDOV�DQG�WDUJHWV��ZKHUH�ERWK�WDQJLEOH�and intangible feature are inputs, contributions to their values. Design conveys a meaning, it communicates, incorporates and co-creates values shifting the public discourse, forcing changes, being an active agent in the change of the cultural perception or a tool of the power to shape the world. Design can thus be seen as a form of currency that we exchange for social acceptance; in other words, to create social networks. It is a shared construc-tion of identity and consensus, a co-creation of value where everyone is involved in its creation, critics and experts together with users and everyone who is (even partially) interested in it. The value of architecture gets UHDOLVHG�RQO\�ZKHQ�WKH�GLHUHQW�VWDNHKROGHUVȇ�YDOXHV�DUH�involved into the design. Their involvement contributes to promote the design into the architectural debate.

According to architectural historian Joseph Rijkwert, the city is a human construction. We must consider the city as a constellation of artefacts wanted, designed and made by human beings. Artefacts that convey a meta-phoric and symbolic desire and, at the same time, are consciously manipulated by individuals representing authorities or powers. Evidence and main token of this SURFHVV�LV�WKH�SK\VLFDO�VWUXFWXUH�RI�WKH�FLW\��0DQKDWWDQȇV�skyline and skyscrapers for instance not only express and embody the power and success of their builders, but they gather the energy and initiative spirit that fed the Ame-rican dream.

Each city is a collective production and, at the same time, DQ� DJJUHJDWH� RI� LQGLYLGXDO�� ȴQDQFLDO� DQG� VRFLHWDO� GHFL-VLRQV�� 7KH� FLW\ȇV� DSSHDUDQFH� DQG� WKH� ZD\� LW� ZRUNV� DUH�neither totally imposed by economic and political direc-tives given from above, nor they are completely deter-mined from below or by obscure forces impossible to identify and control. Apparently, impersonal historical and economic forces have always been the organic out-come of individual choices. They can be represented as

Pictures of the Superkilen area in Nørrebro, Copenhagen

© Gabriele Pitacco

46 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��


WKH� UHVXOWLQJ�YHFWRU�RI� WKH�DFWLRQV� WDNHQ�E\�DQ�XQGHȴQHG�QXPEHU�RI�IRUFHV�PRYLQJ�LQ�GLHUHQW�GLUHFWLRQV��DQ\�YDULD-tion of their alignment produces a deviation (although as UHOHYDQW�DV�LWV�IRUFH�LV��LQ�WKH�YHFWRUȇV�WUDMHFWRU\��

Even if no city will ever be exactly how we desire it, never-theless the way it appears, the way it works and the way we can or cannot live it are determined by people like you and me: no matter how small and irrelevant our actions can ap-pear – adding a fence to my garden or choosing who to vote for on the administrative level – all of them add up to the mosaic of forces that compose the physical form of the city. What appears as an impersonal force is often a vector like those described above, the outcome of all of our decisions: LWV� WUDMHFWRU\�DQG� LWV� LPSDFW�SRLQW�DUH� LQHYLWDEO\�PRGLȴHG��even imperceptibly, by our daily activities.

Every one of us has a certain space of freedom to confront our own reasons with the others – and is thus free to act in D�FHUWDLQ�ZD\��HYHQ�WR�DFW�GLHUHQWO\��ΖW�LV�EHFDXVH�RI�WKHVH�reasons that irrationality and judgement errors are inevi-WDEOH�IDFWRUV�LQ�WKH�KLVWRU\�RI�XUEDQ�GHYHORSPHQW��ȴQDQFLDO�events, industrial economy transformations and, in a more H[SOLFLW� ZD\�� WKH� VWRFN� H[FKDQJH� FRPPHUFH� FDQ� DHFW� LQ�an unpredictable way out living environment. Despite the far-sightedness or the absurdity of the outlook, the conse-quences of any action can correspond or not to the desires and the expectations, but can also drive to completely GLHUHQW�GLUHFWLRQ� IURP�ZKDW� FRXOG�KDYH�EHHQ�SUHVXPHG�by anyone.

All this points to one general truth: the success of a city FDQQRW�EH�PHDVXUHG�LQ�WHUPV�RI�PHUH�ȴQDQFLDO�JURZWK�RU�according to the market shares it was able to gain, neither it can be according to the role it assumed within the globa-lization process. It depends indeed on the intrinsic force of

its urban texture and on the power of this texture to let the social forces shape the life of their inhabitants.

A city is never completely passive: there is a constant inte-raction between society and urban texture. We cannot af-fect our cities without intervening on their related societies. Every change in the former implies a change in the latter. The built environment cannot be reduced to a simple sum of functional and aesthetic features, but has to be conside-red a representation – and therefore even an evaluation – of the values of a society and its functioning system. The meta-phoric force of a city is its social representation. In spite of aesthetics, the metaphor can constitute the argument for a UDWLRQDO�GLVFXVVLRQ��5HSUHVHQWDWLRQ� UHIHUV� WR� UHȵHFWLRQ�� WR�the intention and, in this contest, to a design: a project.

The metaphoric faculty is a fundamental feature of our way to inhabit the world: if metaphors work so perfectly in the language it is exactly because they are part of our inborn conceptual heritage. Only metaphors can provide us with the keys to our transaction with the built environment. It is DUFKLWHFWXUHȇV�GXW\��DQG�WR�D�FHUWDLQ�H[WHQW�HYHQ�RI�WKH�RWKHU�arts, to engage and involve this faculty. Not all creations are able to achieve it with equal mastery, but it is right when the popular interpretation and understanding of a building coincide with the metaphorical desire of its creator that the architect really achieved its goal.

7KH�DUFKLWHFWȇV�PDLQ�GXW\��LWV�WUXH�DUW��FRQVLVWV�LQ�ȊVKDSLQJȋ�the way the building and the city work. Making them work is QRW�WKDW�GLɝFXOW��EXW�WKH�VHFUHW�RI�WKH�NQRZOHGJH�DQG�DELOLW\�of the architect is to infuse this functioning with a readable shape and to be able control the metaphorical intensity of these shapes, thus to make the spectator able to recupe-rate part of the resource that the artist or architect invested in it.

9DOOHFDVȇ�ȆDLU�WUHH�VRFLDO�G\QDPLVHUȇ��0DGULG

© Gabriele Pitacco


MEET THE NEW EUROPEANS

Giving migrants a voice

Nazek Ramadan, a New European based in the UK, is the founder of Migrant Voice, a migrant-led online magazine. She shared her story with The New European to show

KRZ�PLJUDQWV�FDQ�VXFFHVVIXOO\�ȴJKW�GLVFULPLQDWLRQ�E\�WDNLQJ�PDWWHUV�LQWR�WKHLU�RZQ�KDQG��

Laura Baeyens

A New European’s journey

mΖW� LV� DOZD\V�GLɝFXOW� WR�PDNH� WKH�GHFLVLRQ� WR� OHDYH�\RXU�country, to move on and live somewhere else. You take your children and leave your home, family, all your memo-ries and your previous life behind you and look for a new life, a new beginning.» Ms Nazek Ramadan, a New Euro-SHDQ�VRFLDO�HQWUHSUHQHXU��UHFDOOV�KHU�GLɝFXOW�GHFLVLRQ�WR�ȵHH�D�/HEDQRQ�WRUQ�E\�FLYLO�ZDU�LQ�WKH��V�IRU�D�QHZ�OLIH�in the United Kingdom.

For many migrants who have settled in Europe, it is a challenge to be well-adapted and well-represented in a new environment where they are often regarded as mino-rities and are given little attention or priority in political, economic, cultural, and social matters that concern them.

1D]HN�5DPDGDQ�KDV�D�ȴUVW�KDQG�H[SHULHQFH�DV�D�PLJUDQW�and as a civil war refugee on how migrants are being dis-FULPLQDWHG� DQG� WKH� GLɝFXOWLHV� WKH\� H[SHULHQFH� ZKLOH� OL-ving, studying, working, or doing business in Europe.

m7KH�MRXUQH\�IURP�/HEDQRQ�WR�WKH�8.�ZDV�QRW�WRR�GLɝFXOW�for me. It was the decision before that was the hard part, as everybody else forced to leave their home would tell you.» Originally from Lebanon, she was born and raised in Beirut. While the country was being torn apart by a civil war, Ms Ramadan opened her Beirut home to many re-IXJHHV��$V�WKH�FRQȵLFW� LQ�KHU�EHDXWLIXO��EHORYHG�/HEDQRQ�ZRUVHQHG��VKH�HYHQWXDOO\�ȵHG�WR�/RQGRQ�LQ��ZLWK�KHU�family.

«The biggest barrier for me was the language. I had to learn English. I also had to learn about my new home, the culture, the people, the way of life, the system. I needed to understand more about this country which is going to be my home for the unforeseeable future. 28 years later I am still here.»

Ms Ramadan has been living in the United Kingdom for 28 years and has dedicated her life to enriching the lives of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and ethnic minorities in the country for many years. Aside from being a social entrepreneur, she is also a devoted wife to a journalist husband and a loving mother to her son and daughter.

mΖW�ZDV�D�GLɝFXOW� WLPH�DW� WKH�EHJLQQLQJ� IRU�DOO� RI�XV�EH-cause we were away suddenly from our family, friends, and our familiar surroundings. We left Lebanon and suddenly everything was completely new: new country, new culture, and new language. Everything is new. Eve-U\WKLQJ�LV�GLHUHQW��$QG�LW�FDQ�EH�VFDU\�DW�WKH�EHJLQQLQJ}��While learning English, she started doing volunteer work soon after arriving in the UK as a way to engage with the local community and get to know other people: from hel-SLQJ�RXW�LQ�SODQQLQJ�DFWLYLWLHV�DQG�ȴHOG�WULSV�IRU�KHU�FKLOG-UHQȇV�VFKRRO�WR�MRLQLQJ�ORFDO�RUJDQLVDWLRQV�WKDW�FDWHUHG�WR�migrants.

Despite having motherhood, volunteering, and learning English on her plate, she managed to complete her BA Ho-nours in Politics in the UK after she was forced to stop her university education in Lebanon due to the war.

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Migrant Voice: migration and the power of the media

«Before the last general elections in the UK in 2010, the debate on migration became very negative. Migration was presented in the UK as a problem. Everyone was talking about migrants: the politicians, the media, and the public. Everyone was talking about migrants except migrants themselves. So my colleagues and I decided that maybe LWȇV� DERXW� WLPH� ZH� HQJDJH� LQ� WKH� GHEDWH� RQ� PLJUDWLRQ��0D\EH� LWȇV�DERXW� WLPH�ZH�EHFRPH�SDUW�RI� WKLV�FRQVHUYD-tion taking place about us but without us.»

In 2010, Ms Ramadan and her colleagues founded Migrant Voice, a migrant-led organisation that gives migrants a voice through the media and encourages them to become more active citizens in Britain. She is also the editor-in-chief for WKH�RUJDQLVDWLRQȇV�QHZVSDSHU�DQG�WKH�IRXQGHU�RI�WKH�YHU\�ȴUVW�UHIXJHH�QHZVSDSHU�LQ�/RQGRQ��The New Londoners.

Earlier on, Ms Ramadan saw the power of the media in shaping public opinion. This is the reason why Migrant Voice has its own newspaper which they distribute to the public. «This is us initiating the conversation with the Bri-tish public and politicians, so they could hear about our issues directly from us.»

Many media establishments in the UK often quote politi-cians, so-called experts, academics, and the British public on stories about migration, instead of migrants themsel-ves. «Before the last European elections, we spent three to four months conducting research on the media coverage of migrant issues in the UK. We looked at all the stories WKDW�HLJKW�GLHUHQW�PHGLD�VRXUFHV�ZURWH�DERXW�PLJUDWLRQ��And we discovered that only one in eight stories about mi-grants had the migrant speaking, or quoted, in the story. This is what told us migrants themselves are absent from stories about them.» But, according to her, this is now slowly changing because more and more people are now


Nazek Ramadan

© Migrant Voice


challenging how the media portrays migrants in the UK.«We trained ourselves in talking to the media, how the media works, and how to get started in the media. We started contacting and building a relationship with jour-QDOLVWV��:H�VWDUWHG�WR�EXLOG�RXU�FRQȴGHQFH�DQG�GHYHORSHG�our strategy to engage with the public, the media, and po-licy makers. We thought this was the only way to change things, to become active and to talk about us.»

Her work with Migrant Voice involves providing the organi-VDWLRQȇV�PHPEHUV�ZLWK�WUDLQLQJV�WKDW�GHYHORS�WKH�VNLOOV�DQG�FRQȴGHQFH�WKH\�QHHG�ZKHQ�LW�FRPHV�WR�XWLOLVLQJ�PHGLD�IRU�informing, educating, and encouraging both migrants and native Brits to discuss about issues that concern migrants and the British community. «We have seen many migrants DUH�EHFRPLQJ�PRUH�FRQȴGHQW�LQ�VSHDNLQJ�ZLWK�WKH�PHGLD��engaging with politicians, and participating in debates.»

Empowering New Europeans in the community

Upon arriving in the UK 28 years ago, Ms Ramadan saw the YDOXH�RI�FRPPXQLW\�DQG�KRZ�LW�EHQHȴWV�WKH�OLYHV�RI�ERWK�PL-grants and locals. This is one of the core principles of Migrant Voice. «We set up to empower migrants and to equip them ZLWK�WKH�ULJKW�VNLOOV�DQG�FRQȴGHQFH�WR�HQJDJH�LQ�WKH�GHEDWH�on migration and with the media and to change and positively LQȵXHQFH�SXEOLF�DWWLWXGH��7KH�UHDVRQ�ZH�DUH�GRLQJ�WKLV� LV�WR�create a better understanding and better community cohe-sion.»

Ms Ramadan perceives the integration of New Europeans to their new community as an opportunity that not only bene-ȴWV�PLJUDQWV�SHU�VH��EXW�DOVR�ORFDOV�DQG�WKH�FRXQWU\�WKH\�KDYH�made their new home. «For us integration is about living, wor-king, and contributing in the community, being part of it, and speaking its language. As migrants we contribute. We work YHU\�KDUG��7KH�8.�EHQHȴWV�ODUJHO\�IURP�XV��:H�NHHS�D�QXPEHU�of sectors very healthy and alive.»

Her life-long goal to create positive change in the lives of mi-grants and in the communities they belong to has spread throughout the UK in the last two decades. Her four-year-old RUJDQLVDWLRQ� QRZ� KDV� RɝFHV� LQ� /RQGRQ�� %LUPLQJKDP�� DQG�Glasgow. She has partnered with the European Union and other organisations in the UK and in other European coun-tries in several international projects and initiatives.

«At the end of the day we want migrants need to feel part of the community. This is why we stress on the importance of engagement with the communities because if you are to be

part of the community, you have to engage with that com-munity. You need to come forward, speak up, and try to SRVLWLYHO\�LQȵXHQFH�DQG�VKDSH�WKH�FRPPXQLW\�\RX�OLYH�LQ�}

%HFDXVH�RI�KHU�JHQXLQH�FRQFHUQ�DQG�HRUWV�IRU�EHWWHULQJ�the lives of New Europeans in the UK, Ms Ramadan was DZDUGHG�WKH�YHU\�ȴUVW�0LJUDQW�DQG�5HIXJHH�:RPDQ�RI�WKH�<HDU�Award in 2012.

Diversity as the future of Europe

«The United Kingdom is one of the most diverse countries in the world. There is a richness about multiculturalism. I think diversity is what makes a country or city more interesting, more exciting». Ms Ramadan believes in the potential of New Europeans and diversity in contributing to productive growth in Europe, especially in cities such as London. «The more di-verse a city is, the more successful a city is».

Diversity is harmonised by the integration of locals and mi-grants. But Ms Ramadan stresses that integration is not about DVVLPLODWLRQ��ΖW�GRHV�QRW�PHDQ�WU\LQJ�WR�ȴW�LQWR�WKH�QRUP�DQG�FKDQJLQJ�RQHȇV�RZQ�LGHQWLW\�IRU�DQRWKHU��m6RPHWLPHV�\RX�DUH�expected to forget about who you are or some of your way RI� OLIH�DQG� MXVW�ȴW� LQ�D�YHU\�QDUURZ�GHȴQLWLRQ�RI� LQWHJUDWLRQ��It is not about changing and following only one way of life. It LV�JRRG�WKDW�\RX�NHHS�VRPHWKLQJ�GLHUHQW��:H�GRQȇW�KDYH�WR�all look exactly the same. I think I am fully integrated in the UK. But I still have a lot of my Lebanese roots. Part of my Le-banese identity is still with me. It does not contradict with my new British identity. It makes it richer, more interesting, more exciting, more colourful.»

Home is where the heart is. For Ms Ramadan, being Lebanese and a New European are both close to her heart. Lebanon and the UK are her two homes. She sees the integration of New Europeans to their country of residence as an opportu-nity for a better, more inclusive Europe.

When asked what goals she still have for New Europeans in the UK that have not yet been realized: «what I like us to ac-complish is to reach a stage where migrants have equal op-portunities to speak up and talk with the media where they are heard and that they are seen as members of the commu-nity. At the end of the day, the UK is our new home. We are part of it. We need to be seen as part of it.»

<RX�FDQ�ȴQG�PRUH�LQIRUPDWLRQ�DERXW�0LJUDWLRQ�9RLFH�RQ�WKH�ZHEVLWH�PLJUDQWYRLFH�RUJ


50 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

BUSINESS BEYOND BORDERS

«In a company, an inclusive culture improves services

and productivity»Jean Michel Monnot, Vice President of Group Diversity and Inclusion at Sodexo,

talks to 7KH�1HZ�(XURSHDQ�DERXW�KRZ�FRPSDQLHV�FDQ�EHQHȴW�IURP� the correct management of a diverse workforce.

Jean Michel Monnot © Sodexo

Diversity management is an increasingly im-portant part of companies’ strategies. Why is diversity so important for business?

At Sodexo, our approach to Diversity and Inclusion has always been strong for a twofold reason. First, it is part of our DNA: we believe the success of an organization should be shared with everyone regardless of age, gen-der, experience, sexual orientation, culture or personal background.

Second, we understand the business case: in the market-place, the face of our 75 million consumers is changing and we must resemble it; we need to understand the mar-NHW� DQG�GHVLJQ� WKH� UHOHYDQW�SURGXFWV� RU� VHUYLFHV�� ȴWWLQJ�with the needs of our clients and consumers. In the work-place, it helps us attract and retain the best talent across the world and achieve our strategy and growth objectives. $Q�LQFOXVLYH�FXOWXUH�LV�D�VLJQLȴFDQW�GULYHU�RI�HQJDJHPHQW�and improved customer service and productivity. Let us take an example with cars: knowing that purchasing de-cisions are mainly made by women, would it make sense to have only men designing cars? Same thing in catering, ZKHUH�RXU�PHQXV�QHHG�WR�UHȵHFW�WKH�GLYHUVLW\�RI�FXOWXUHV��habits and tastes.

Which sectors or activities is Sodexo’s diver-sity strategy aimed to: employees, mana-gers, products, customers?

Sodexo employs 428.000 people in 80 countries working in 35.000 clients sites, and 75 million consumers use our services on a daily basis. For us, being diverse and inclu-VLYH�PHDQV�ȴUVW�KDYLQJ�HPSOR\HHV�ZLWK�WKH�EHVW� OHYHO�RI�



engagement, because we know that engagement drives performance. And we are convinced that in order to be engaged, our HPSOR\HHV�ZDQW�WR�EH�UHVSHFWHG�DQG�YDOXHG�IRU�ZKR�WKH\�DUH��WKLV�LV�WKH�GHȴQLWLRQ�RI�LQFOXVLRQ��:H�KDYH�WKH�VDPH�DSSURDFK�with our clients and customers: everyone is unique and wants to be considered as such! So Diversity and Inclusion cuts across all our work: diverse workforce, diverse clients and customers with diverse quality of life services!

A diverse workforce can bring more innovation and growth, but also it can cause some misun-derstandings and “cultural clashes”. How can companies maximise the results while minimising the risks?

First of all, managers are committed to acting in an inclusive way: through the 15 golden behaviors put in place within the *URXS��WKH\�DUH�DZDUH�RI�WKHLU�RZQ�ELDVHV��SUHIHUHQFHV�DQG�ȆWUXWKVȇ��DQG�KRZ�WKH\�PD\�DHFW�GHFLVLRQV�DQG�EHKDYLRU�WRZDUGV�FROOHDJXHV��HPSOR\HHV�DQG�DSSOLFDQWV��7KH\�FKDOOHQJH�WKHPVHOYHV�WR�WKLQN�RXWVLGH�RI�WKHVH�ȆER[HVȇ�DQG�GRQȇW�KHVLWDWH�WR�DVN�their manager when they are not sure. They act and react as a D&I ambassador, fostering inclusive behaviors amongst their HPSOR\HHV��FROOHDJXHV�DQG�SDUWQHUV��ΖW�LV�DEVROXWHO\�WUXH�WKDW�D�GLYHUVH�WHDP�RXWSHUIRUPV�D�KRPRJHQHRXV�RQH��DV�LWȇV�EHHQ�demonstrated by research, but only if well managed. Indeed research conducted by Professor Katherine Phillips at Columbia University has shown that majority groups become more innovative as they increase minority involvement, producing bet-WHU�DYHUDJH�RXWFRPHV�LQ�PRUH�GLYHUVH�HQYLURQPHQWV��3URIHVVRU�3KLOLSV�H[SODLQV��m:H�ȴQG�WKDW�SHRSOH�ZKR�DUH�LQ�WKH�VRFLDO�PDMRULW\�ZLOO�DFWXDOO\�WKLQN�PXFK�PRUH�FULWLFDOO\�DERXW�WKH�SUREOHPV�WKDW�WKH\ȇUH�ZRUNLQJ�RQ�ZKHQ�WKH\ȇUH�LQ�D�GLYHUVH�JURXS��ΖQ�D�GLYHUVH�DQG�LQFOXVLYH�HQYLURQPHQW��LQGLYLGXDOV�H[SHFW�WKHUH�WR�EH�GLHUHQFHV�LQ�SHUVSHFWLYHV��WKH\�UHFRJQL]H�WKDW�WKRVH�SHUVSHFWLYHV�VKRXOG�H[LVW��DQG�WKH\�ZRUN�KDUGHU�WR�DVVLPLODWH�GLHUHQW�LGHDV��2Q�DYHUDJH��RXU�VWXGLHV�VKRZ�WKDW�WKH�UHVXOWV�generated by the diverse teams are better than they are for the homogenous groups.»

Managing diversity is a skill that requires awareness and training; this is why we have invested considerably in training for VRPH�\HDUV�QRZ��PRUH�WKDQ��RI�RXU�PDQDJHUV�KDYH�EHHQ�WUDLQHG�ZLWK�RXU�ZRUNVKRS�ȆVSLULW�RI�LQFOXVLRQȇ�WKDW�ZH�DGDSW�WR�HDFK�FRXQWU\��:H�KDYH�GHYHORSHG�SURJUHVVLYHO\�D�ODUJH�RHU�RI�GLYHUVLW\�WUDLQLQJV�FRYHULQJ�DOO�GLPHQVLRQV�RI�GLYHUVLW\��VXFK�DV�I-Gen on Generations, Gender Work or the Cultural Navigator that is accessible to all.

Sodexo is on the frontline of managing diversity. What are the reasons that pushed it in this direction?

We have strong values putting people at the heart of everything we do, so respecting each and everyone is obvious. But it is also very clearly a question of performance as we know that diversity & Inclusion improves the engagement and the loyalty of our employees, it makes us attractive for future employees, consumers and clients, and it gives a competitive advantage. :H�RHU�TXDOLW\�RI�OLIH�VHUYLFHV�WR�RXU�FOLHQWV�DQG�FXVWRPHUV��EXW�ZH�DUH�FRQYLQFHG�WKDW�WKLV�LV�RQO\�SRVVLEOH�LI�ZH�SURYLGH�WKH�best quality of life to our employees. It is extremely important to measure the impact of our actions; this is why we have an engagement survey to understand how our employees perceive their company and their personal commitment to its success. We are very pleased to see that engagement is continuously growing over the years, despite the tough economic environment, and the best progression we see is the satisfaction on Diversity. Our employees see the seriousness of our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion and feel respected and valued.

What are the most successful practices implemented by Sodexo?

SWifT LV�SUREDEO\�WKH�PRVW�LPSRUWDQW�DQG�YLVLEOH�RQH��6RGH[R�:RPHQȇV�ΖQWHUQDWLRQDO�)RUXP�IRU�WDOHQW�ZDV�FUHDWHG�LQ��E\�our CEO Michel Landel, and is an advisory board leading the Gender strategy at Sodexo along with objectives to achieve quanti-tative targets. This group of 35 senior leaders from 15 nationalities work together to make concrete propositions to our Group ([HFXWLYH�&RPPLWWHH��ΖWȇV�EHHQ�YHU\�VXFFHVVIXO�ZLWK�WKH�FUHDWLRQ�RI��JHQGHU�QHWZRUNV��D�ELJ�GHYHORSPHQW�RI�RXU�PHQWRULQJ�programs, ie more than 1.000 women have been mentored and work-life balance initiatives. But the most important impact is the progression of gender balance in our managing teams. Today, women represent 41% of our managers, 43% of our Group Executive committee, and 38% of our Board of Directors.

6RGH[R��EHLQJ�D�PXOWLQDWLRQDO�FRPSDQ\�DFWLYH�LQ�ȴYH�FRQWLQHQWV��KDV�D�VSHFLȴF�QHHG�WR�LQYHVW�LQ�diversity. On the other hand, it has also the resources to enact a comprehensive strategy. But is GLYHUVLW\�DQ�DVVHW�WR�LQYHVW�LQ�DOVR�IRU�60(V"

%HLQJ�DQ�LQFOXVLYH�DQG�GLYHUVH�HPSOR\HU�LV�DQ�DVVHW�IRU�DOO�VL]HV�RI�FRPSDQLHV��EXW�LW�LV�WUXH�WKDW�60(V�GRQȇW�KDYH�WKH�VDPH�resources. Large companies can help smaller ones, through employer organizations, and NGOs aiming to share best practices. We do it a lot, not only because we want to share, but also we learn from their perspectives. SMEs are also our clients, this is YHU\�WUXH�IRU�RXU�%HQHȴWV��5HZDUGV�EXVLQHVV��DQG�ZH�GR�RXU�EHVW�WR�VXSSRUW�WKHP��

52 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��


ΖQ�6HSWHPEHU�6RGH[R�DQQRXQFHG�LWV�RɝFLDO�&RPPLWPHQW�WR�$FWLRQ�DW�WKH��WK�&OLQWRQ�*OREDO�ΖQLWLDWLYH�$QQXDO�0HHWLQJ�LQ�1HZ�York. The commitment supports the growth of small to medium sized enterprises (SME) with a pledge to purchase products and services totaling $1 billion by 2017.

&DQ�D�FRPSDQ\�OLNH�6RGH[R��WKDQNV�WR�LWV�SUDFWLFHV��DOVR�LQȵXHQFH�WKH�EHKDYLRU�RI�WKH�RWKHU�HQ-tities it deals with (customers, suppliers, associates…)?

6RGH[R�LV�WKH�ȴUVW�)UHQFK�SULYDWH�HPSOR\HU��WKH�IRXUWK�(XURSHDQ�RQH�DQG�WKH�HLJKWHHQWK�LQ�WKH�ZRUOG��ZH�DUH�YHU\�YLVLEOH��DQG�LW�LV�REYLRXV�WKDW�WKH�ZD\�ZH�DFW�DQG�EHKDYH�KDYH�DQ�LQȵXHQFH��7KLV�LV�WUXH�ZLWK�RXU�YDOXHV��EXW�DOVR�ZLWK�RXU�FRPPLWPHQW�WR�Diversity & Inclusion. Being ranked #1 for D&I in the USA, or #1 in France for gender Balance sends a positive message not only to our employees and clients, but also to the communities in which we leave. We are also active with our suppliers, with our Supply Chain Inclusion Program.

How much is the presence of a more diverse workforce in one place compared to others a factor in companies deciding on where to settle?

It is not a matter of the presence of a more diverse workforce that will make Sodexo settle in one place but a matter of bu-siness. Once we operate in a place, we do it guided by our fundamentals: our mission, values, ethical principles and history.

Sodexo is the community of its clients, consumers, employees and shareholders. We recognize that the best way to respond to the expectations of all of our stakeholders is through steady growth. We also believe it is important that our work is mea-ningful to all who contribute to it and thus we remain faithful to our mission, our core values and the ethical principles that have guided us since 1966.

© Fotolia


TTIP What will the benefits for SMEs be?

The TTIP, the EU-US trade agreement currently being negotiated, will have a strong and ODVWLQJ�LPSDFW�RQ�ERWK�HFRQRPLHV��%XW�ZKLFK�HHFWV�ZLOO�LW�KDYH�RQ�(XURSHDQ�60(V"�

7KH�(XURSHDQ�&RPPLVVLRQȇV�QHJRWLDWLQJ�WHDP�FODULI\�WKH�WUHDW\ȇV�DGYDQWDJHV��


A year and a half ago, Presidents Barroso, van Rompuy and Obama launched negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP. A deep and comprehensive free trade deal in generic terms, but it is much more than that from political, commercial and social perspectives. We have now held seven formal negotiating rounds, and it is time to re-state the importance of this deal for European businesses and in particular SMEs, the backbone of the Eu-ropean economy accounting for over 99% of all companies and more than two thirds of private sector jobs in the EU.7KH�RYHUDOO�ȴJXUHV�DUH�LPSUHVVLYH��7KH�(8�DQG�WKH�86�WUDGH�goods and services worth around 2 billion Euros every day, and together we make up roughly one third of global trade and half of the world GDP. An independent assessment in-GLFDWHV�WKDW�ERWK�VLGHV�VWDQG�WR�JDLQ�VLJQLȴFDQWO\�LQ�WHUPV�RI�additional GDP per year (up to 120 billion Euros in the EU, 90 billion Euros in the US) – and equally so does the rest of the world (100 billion Euros). Such opportunity for growth is not to be missed in a time of hesitant economic recovery.

%XW�WKHVH�PDFUR�ȴJXUHV�GR�QRW�WHOO�WKH�ZKROH�VWRU\��7KH�(8�and the US have much more in common than our trade rela-tionship. We share values: on democracy, on human rights and freedoms, and on a global rules-based trading system. Each of us enjoys a vibrant civil society and business sector, DQG�EURDG�SROLWLFDO� GHEDWH�RYHU� WKLQJV� WKDW�PDWWHU�� 77Ζ3ȇV�potential to deliver results depends very much on our ability as negotiators to meet the interests of all our stakeholders.That is why we are looking at three distinct areas: market

access, regulatory cooperation and trade rules. Market ac-FHVV� LV� D� WUDGLWLRQDO� HOHPHQW�RI� WUDGH�QHJRWLDWLRQV�� 7DULV�between the European Union and the United States tend to be low in general with around 4% on average but are still very high on certain important products, such as dairy and WH[WLOHV��(YHQ�IRU�SURGXFWV�WKDW�KDYH� ORZHU�WDULV��VXFK�DV�FKHPLFDOV�� WKH� YROXPH�RI� WUDGH� LV� VR� ODUJH� WKDW� WKH� WDULV�DGG�XS�WR�D�VLJQLȴFDQW�H[WUD�WD[�RQ�EXVLQHVV��

Getting results on market access for our services industries is also important. Both the EU and the US have very strong VHUYLFHV�VHFWRUV��UDQJLQJ�IURP�ȴQDQFH�DQG�FRPPHUFLDO�VHU-vices, via the professions such as doctors and architects, to transport and environmental services. TTIP would help our world-class industries to be able to establish themselves and work in the US without many of the restrictions that they face today.

)XUWKHUPRUH��(8�ȴUPV�DUH�KLJKO\�FRPSHWLWLYH�LQ�PDQ\�RI�WKH�things that governments need to buy: for example energy services, rail transport equipment, aircraft, pharmaceuticals and textiles. TTIP could open up more public tendering by the US federal government and US states, generating new FRQWUDFWV�DQG�MREV�IRU�(XURSHDQ�ȴUPV�

Market access is not everything, however. From a global perspective, the regulatory parts of TTIP are, at least, of equal importance. In that part of the negotiations we are looking at how the EU and the US could cooperate better

Jan Schmitz & Martina LodrantEuropean Commission

54 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��


tilateral debate in a positive direction for traders, workers and consumers worldwide.

Our ambition is to make TTIP a trade partnership that widely opens our markets for goods, services and public procurement, that provides a framework for us to coo-SHUDWH�RQ�UHJXODWRU\�LVVXHV�DHFWLQJ�WUDGH��DQG�WKDW�VHWV�KLJK�VWDQGDUGV�DFURVV�D�UDQJH�RI�JOREDOO\�VLJQLȴFDQW�HFR-nomic issues.

60(V� VWDQG� WR� EHQHȴW� VLJQLȴFDQWO\� IURP� WKLV� DJHQGD��There are already over 600.000 good exporting SMEs in WKH�(8��HTXDOOLQJ�WR�PRUH�WKDQ��RI�DOO�H[SRUWLQJ�ȴUPV��They make up for a third of all EU exports and employ more than 6 million workers. We know that many of the SMEs founded by Europeans with a migrant background are particularly strong when it comes to international bu-VLQHVV��1HYHUWKHOHVV��VLJQLȴFDQW�SRWHQWLDO�VWLOO�UHPDLQV�IRU�small companies to increase their role in international trade and investment through agreements such as the 77Ζ3�� 7KLV� LV� EHFDXVH� 60(V� DUH� GLVSURSRUWLRQDOO\� DHF-ted by trade barriers given that they produce and trade VPDOOHU�YROXPHV�DQG�KDYH�IHZHU�KXPDQ�DQG�ȴQDQFLDO�UH-VRXUFHV�WR�RYHUFRPH�WUDGH�EDUULHUV�WKDQ�ODUJHU�ȴUPV��7KH�cost for SMEs to export or invest outside the EU, inclu-GLQJ� WKH�86��PD\� RXWZHLJK� WKH� JDLQV��2IWHQ� ȴQGLQJ� WKH�necessary information about regulatory and other requi-UHPHQWV�LV�DOUHDG\�HQRXJK�RI�D�KXUGOH�WR�VWRS�VPDOO�ȴUPV�from selling or investing abroad.

together in the future on new regulations, for example in breakthrough industries such as medical devices. We are DOVR�ȴQGLQJ�ZD\V�WR�DOLJQ�H[LVWLQJ�UHJXODWLRQV��IRU�H[DPSOH�WR�VWRS�XQQHFHVVDU\��XQMXVWLȴHG�GXSOLFDWLRQ�RI�WHVWV��RU�WR�UHPRYH�EDUULHUV�WR�WUDGH�FDXVHG�E\�WZR�GLHUHQW�ZD\V�RI�achieving the same result. Reducing these trade irritants ZRXOG�JLYH�D�VLJQLȴFDQW�ERRVW�WR�WUDQVDWODQWLF�WUDGH��ΖI�WKH�authorities of both sides work together from the early stages, we could avoid problems for businesses, share our limited regulatory resources and probably produce better outcomes. It is important to underline that this is not about lowering standards. Where we agree with each other we will see what can be achieved together; where we do not, we will continue with our own approach.

Given the economic heft of the US and EU, any shared standards, policies or practices that we can agree in TTIP ZRXOG�DOPRVW�FHUWDLQO\�KDYH�VSLOO�RYHU�HHFWV�RQ�WKH�UHVW�of world trade. Producers in developing countries would not have to choose between US and EU market requi-rements – they would be able to start selling to any of the two without incurring extra regulatory costs. The LQȵXHQFH�RI� VWURQJ�86�DQG�(8�VWDQGDUGV�ZRXOG�PDNH� LW�more worthwhile for other countries to develop their own policies based on the transatlantic model. In areas such as trade in raw materials, high environmental and labour standards, the role of state-owned enterprises and the importance of intellectual property rights, a strong tran-satlantic statement of intent would help to steer the mul-

© Wikimedia


tic trade, for example with regards to fostering linkages EHWZHHQ�UHJLRQDO�FOXVWHUV��DFFHVV�WR�ȴQDQFH�DQG�GRPHVWLF�regulation. Second, the chapter aims at committing each side to develop comprehensive, web-based information and resources to help SMEs using the TTIP and unders-tand what they need to do to expand or start transatlantic EXVLQHVV�� ΖQ� WKLV� FRQWH[W�� WKH� &RPPLVVLRQȇV� QHJRWLDWRUV�are arguing for an online tool that would allow SMEs to retrieve free on-line information about all the necessary requirements for exporting its product to the other party with just a few mouse clicks. Third, the TTIP should have an SME committee that would engage with the small bu-siness community and monitor the implementation of the agreement to make sure that it lives up to the promises for SMEs.

Finally, it is important to keep in mind that TTIP will not MXVW�EULQJ�EHQHȴWV�IRU�GLUHFW�H[SRUWHUV�EXW�DOVR�WKH�PDQ\�SMEs that, while not trading across the Atlantic themsel-ves, participate as suppliers in value chains of companies that export to the US or other international markets. Also, SMEs will have more choice of input for their production to manufacture competitive products.

After seven rounds, negotiators have been making steady SURJUHVV� Ȃ� EXW� LW� ZRQȇW� EH� HDV\�� 0DQ\� RI� WKHVH� WKLQJV�are deeply intertwined and we need to work hard to get the right results for our citizens and businesses. This is a complicated choreography to work with: Member States and US states, EU and US regulators, EU and US legisla-WXUHV��WUDQVDWODQWLF�EXVLQHVV�DQG�FLYLO�VRFLHW\��7KDWȇV�D�ORW�of voices to bring together. A key element to success is making sure that we listen to all concerns and interests of our stakeholders.

European SMEs have a major role to play in advising the European Commission how TTIP can be brought to a success when it comes to bringing down the trade bar-riers they face. To this end, two representatives of asso-ciations representing SMEs are in the advisory board to the EU chief negotiator. Negotiators also keep regular contact with SME representatives in bilateral meetings, conferences and other public events on SMEs and TTIP, DV�ZHOO�DV�WKH�UHJXODU�77Ζ3�VSHFLȴF�&LYLO�6RFLHW\�'LDORJXHV��Moreover, the Commission is currently conducting an on-line survey to collect information from SMEs concerning the types of barriers they encounter when doing business with the US.3 The survey runs until 15 December 2014 and gives every small business or entrepreneur a chance to shape the content of the TTIP agreement so that it tackles their needs. The survey results will directly support the HRUWV�RI�WKH�&RPPLVVLRQȇV�QHJRWLDWRUV�DV�ZHOO�DV�IHHGLQJ�into an independent assessment of the sustainability im-pact of the TTIP.

7KURXJK� D� FRPPRQ� HRUW� LQYROYLQJ� QHJRWLDWRUV� DQG�stakeholders on the EU side we can make sure that TTIP is a success for European citizens and businesses of all sizes.

The EU and the US have made it a key joint objective of the TTIP to help SMEs seize the opportunities of the tran-satlantic market. Provisions across all three pillars of ne-gotiations – market access, regulatory cooperation and UXOHV�Ȃ�PDWWHU�JUHDWO\� IRU�VPDOO�ȴUPV�H\HLQJ�EXVLQHVV� LQ�WKH� WUDQVDWODQWLF� PDUNHWSODFH�� (OLPLQDWLRQ� RI� WDULV� ZLOO�ERRVW� (XURSHDQ� VPDOO� PDQXIDFWXUHUVȇ� FRPSHWLWLYH� SRVL-tion in the US market. Sectors mainly populated by SMEs such as textiles, footwear or food and beverages are ex-SHFWHG�WR�JDLQ�PRVW� LQ�WKLV�UHVSHFW�EHFDXVH�RI�86�WDULV�peaks in these areas. Similarly, small services providers, from accounting to IT and engineering, have an interest in greater legal certainty and new market access that the 77Ζ3�ZLOO�GHOLYHU��ΖQ�(XURSH�VPDOO�ȴUPV�DOVR�DFFRXQW�IRU�D�substantial share of the goods and services purchased by governments. A more open public procurement market in the US could therefore mean new business for small sup-pliers across a broad range of industries from construc-tion material to consulting services.

7KH�HRUWV�LQ�77Ζ3�RQ�WKH�UHJXODWRU\�IURQW�ZLWK�WKH�DLP�RI�enhanced transparency and compatibility of regulations are even more important for SMEs than for larger compa-nies. The cost of complying with regulatory requirements GRHVQȇW� FKDQJH�ZLWK�VFDOH�DQG�VPDOO�ȴUPV�DUH� OHVV� OLNHO\�WR�ȴQG�LW�SURȴWDEOH�WR�DGMXVW�WKHLU�SURGXFWV�RU�REWDLQ�DG-GLWLRQDO�FHUWLȴFDWLRQV�WR�EH�DOORZHG�WR�H[SDQG�WKHLU�VDOHV�overseas. SMEs in many sectors, including food, phar-maceuticals, chemicals, electrical equipment as well as SURIHVVLRQDO�VHUYLFHV��FXUUHQWO\�ȴQG�WKHPVHOYHV�LQ�WKLV�VL-tuation. The more TTIP can thus reduce the divergences in the way EU and US regulate to achieve the same level of health, safety and environmental protection, and eli-minate duplicative testing, the better for SMEs in services and manufacturing sectors alike.

6LPSOLȴFDWLRQ� RI� FXVWRPV� IRUPDOLWLHV� ZLOO� DOVR� EH� SDUWL-cularly valuable for small producers, as well as retailers, ZKROHVDOH�� WUDQVSRUW�DQG� ORJLVWLFV�ȴUPV��ZKLFK�FDQ� LOO�DI-IRUG�VSHQGLQJ�WLPH�DQG�UHVRXUFHV�ȴOOLQJ�LQ�SDSHUZRUN��

7R�EH�DEOH�WR�FRPSHWH��60(V�UHO\�RQ�D�OHYHO�SOD\LQJ�ȴHOG�both in the transatlantic and third country markets, which is what the rules dimension of TTIP strives to underpin. To give just one example, as leaders in innovation, SMEs need strong intellectual property protection especially be-cause they are also highly vulnerable to related infringe-ment.

)XUWKHUPRUH��DQG�IRU�WKH�ȴUVW�WLPH�DV�IDU�DV�(8�)7$V�DUH�concerned, the TTIP will feature a dedicated SME chapter DLPHG�DW�DGGUHVVLQJ�WKRVH�VSHFLȴF�FRQVWUDLQWV�WKDW�PLJKW�otherwise still get in the way of SMEs taking full advantage of the improved TTIP market access. Three components of this chapter are currently being discussed, while fur-WKHU�LVVXHV�RI�LQWHUHVW�WR�VPDOO�ȴUPV�PD\�VWLOO�EH�DGGHG�DV�we continue our dialogue with the SME community. First, building on a robust record of past EU-US cooperation on SME issues, negotiators are putting in place a mechanism for the two sides to work together and exchange informa-tion on best practices to enhance SMEs competitiveness. This will increase their ability to participate in transatlan-


56 | Autumn 2014 | THE NEW (8523($1�ȏ�Ζ668(��

EUROVIEWS

«The secret of success lies in cities»

Interview with Professor Edward Glaeser, Harvard University.

In your book ‘Triumph of the City’, you state that cities are man’s best invention. Why?

Because it is through collaboration that all other inven-tions take place. I think the theme of the book is that hu-PDQNLQGȇV�EHVW�DVVHW� LV� WKH�DELOLW\� WR� OHDUQ� IURP�RQH�DQR-ther, sometimes through consultation, sometimes through explicit collaboration. We can do miraculous things when we are connected to one another. This is essentially what ci-ties are about. Look at the Renaissance in Europe: 15th Cen-tury Florence is the perfect example of a city providing light to its whole century, essentially because Brunelleschi knew Donatello and they both knew Masaccio, and that created a chain of genius where innovative people met each other.

Is this connection still valuable today, in our technolo-gically advanced era, when location seems to have be-come irrelevant?

I have done research on the topic for over 20 years and ZKHQ�Ζ�ȴUVW�VWDUWHG�WKLQNLQJ�DERXW�WKH�WRSLF�LQ��WKHUH�was already the idea that technology was going to make ci-ties obsolete. Looking at it today, though, the contrary has proven real: if anything, technology has strengthened the role of cities, rather than weaken them. It is generally true that we can work with people from all around the world, but we need to remember the other thing that technolo-gy does: most importantly, it creates a world which is more and more information intensive; a world where ideas are more valuable than ever; a world in which complicated ideas continually go around.

Now, if technology is more important than ever, we be-FRPH�VPDUW�E\�EHLQJ�DURXQG�RWKHU�VPDUW�SHRSOH�� Ζ�GRQȇW�think Harvard has anything to worry from e-Learning, even if they produce the same product as we. But nothing com-petes with throwing an 18-year old in a maelstrom of ac-tive intelligence. At the same time, nothing competes with being in a big city in terms of exposing you to an extraordi-nary amount of new ideas and knowledge. The more com-SOLFDWHG�DQ�LGHD�LV��WKH�HDVLHU�LW�JHWV�ȆORVW�LQ�WUDQVODWLRQȇ��

Nevertheless, not all cities are the same: for every vibrant New York there is a declining Detroit. What are WKH�PDLQ�UHDVRQV�IRU�WKHVH�GLHUHQFHV�DPRQJ�FLWLHV"

The success of cities is very much tied to the skills of their population. If you look at the US, the income level of cities is closely tied to the rate of college degrees, and this stays true also for Europe and across the world. The skill base does not come only from the ability of a city to educate its citizens, but also from its success in attracting skilled people, which comes from a combination of whether or QRW�LW�LV�D�SODFH�ZKHUH�\RX�FDQ�ȴQG�DQ�H[FLWLQJ�IXWXUH��DQG�the physical layout of the city. Think about the place of Eu-ropean cities in the global urban environment: there is so much beauty in those cities, it is a tremendous asset! I have always been a critic of protecting the past too much at the H[SHQVH�RI�WKH�IXWXUH��EHFDXVH�WKDW�PDNHV�LW�WRR�GLɝFXOW�WR�SURYLGH�QHZ�KRXVHV�DQG�DRUGDELOLW\��%XW�LQ�VRPH�FDVHV�the truth is that cities like Paris or Florence look good, and that is a huge asset when you compare it to Hong Kong or 6KDQJKDL��7KDW�LV�SDUW�RI�WKLV�GLHUHQFH��

Another aspect that you show in the book as funda-mental in a city’s success is diversity, in all its aspects:

Edward Glaeser is the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard, where he also serves as Director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston. He studies the economics of cities, and has written scores of articles on urban issues, including the growth of cities, segregation, crime, and housing markets.

To these topics he has dedicated a book, Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier. The New European talked to him about the role that geographic proximity can play in creating knowledge, innovation and development.


EUROVIEWS

Edward Glaeser

© Becker Friedman Institute

not only in its people, but also in its production of goods and services.

Monocultures, such as Detroit, decline; reinvention brings resilience. One of the factors of having multiple industries is simply a portfolio fact: if you are depending on one in-dustry, then in negative quarters you are in trouble. A se-cond advantage of diverse cities with multiple industries is that they help to attract people who are not sure on what they want to do yet. If you moved to Detroit in the Seven-ties you knew that you were going to make cars. That limits D�FLW\ȇV�DSSHDO�ZLWK�FHUWDLQ�SHRSOH�

Nevertheless, the most important thing about multiple industries is that new ideas are made by combining old ideas; as a matter of fact, the best new ideas occur in di-verse industries, in which people can easily move from one sector to another. My favourite example of this is the sto-ry of Michael Bloomberg, who is basically an information technology billionaire. He was successful not because he came out of information technology, but because he had ZRUNHG� LQ� WKH�ȴQDQFLDO� WUDGLQJ�ZRUOG�� WKXV�KDYLQJ�D�NLQG�of knowledge that the people in information technology would never have: he knew what traders needed at their GHVNV��DQG�WKDWȇV�ZKHUH�WKH�%ORRPEHUJ�DGGHG�YDOXH�FDPH�from.

Cities, notwithstanding their wealth and development, are all around the world the destination of choice of both skilled and unskilled migrants from the country-side, or even from abroad. What is the reason for this attractiveness?

Cities are usually built for poor people, not because they make people poor, but because they attract poor people. The reasons for that are multifold. Sometimes it can be a previous ethnic network: ethnic links can provide a safe haven for people who are coming from somewhere else, being surrounded with people who know their language DQG� FDQ� NQRZ�ZKHUH� WKH\� FDQ� ȴQG� D� QHZ� MRE�� 6HFRQGO\��cities usually have more developed social services than in

the countryside. Third, cities have infrastructures that al-low people to get around without a car. This means that you can live in the city and not buy a car for going to work, ZKLFK�PDNHV� OLIH�PRUH� DRUGDEOH� IRU� WKH�SRRU�� 7KLV� KDV�been shown in research: poverty rates actually go up near bus and subway stops. Of course, this is not a sign that the subway is impoverishing people; on the contrary, the subway is providing something that poor people want, which is good access to public transportation.

Europe as a continent has a huge tradition of urban culture. All main European innovations have been de-veloped in cities. Can this urban tradition still be an asset for Europe in competing on the global economy?

7KHUH� DUH�PDQ\� ZD\V� LQ� ZKLFK� (XURSHȇV� XUEDQ� WUDGLWLRQ�FDQ� EH� YHU\� KHOSIXO�� 2QH� LV� (XURSHȇV� H[SHUWLVH� LQ� XUEDQ�technology. For example, when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and a portion of city went underwater, New York took inspiration from the Dutch, whose urban civilization has EHHQ�ȴJKWLQJ�ZLWK�VHD�OHYHOV�IRU�FHQWXULHV��$�VHFRQG�SRLQW�of strength of its historical heritage: take for example the fashion designers of Milan, who made a centuries-old city the European capital of design. A third point of strength is urban management. If you think about the developing world, it is becoming urban, but its cities are not pleasant. On the other hand, Europe really led the way to deliver livable cities. $�JHQHUDO�SURRI�RI�(XURSHDQ�FLWLHVȇ�UHVLOLHQFH�LV�WKDW�HYHQ�people who get rich elsewhere then move to European ci-WLHV��7KDW�LV�D�GHȴQLWLYH�DVVHW��LI�\RX�FDQ�SURYLGH�D�OLYDEOH�place, the wealthiest will come.

What is the single best piece of advice you would like to give urban planners and policy makers wanting to improve their cities?

I think there is a hierarchy of aspects to consider. In this respect, the most important thing for a livable city is clean water. Once clean water is assured, we move up the hie-rarchy to crime and personal safety; then we move up to FRQJHVWLRQ��GHDOLQJ�ZLWK�WKH�GLɝFXOW\�RI�KDYLQJ�WRR�PDQ\�cars and too few streets. I think the right answer is for more European cities to emulate the likes of London, Sin-gapore and Stockholm and decongestify.

$QRWKHU�PDLQ�SUREOHP�PDQ\�(XURSHDQ�FLWLHV�DUH�ȴJKWLQJ�ZLWK�LV�DRUGDELOLW\��L�H��WKH�KLJK�FRVW�RI�OLYLQJ�LQ�FLWLHV��7KLV�is simple economics: when a huge number of individuals competes for a limited supply of space, then prices rise. There is no solution to this better and more feasible than to allow new constructions. The great challenge to create a Europe with cities who are more inclusive, more diverse DQG�PRUH� DRUGDEOH� LV� WR� KDYH� D� ULJKW� EDODQFH�EHWZHHQ�past and future: European cities have to respect and use the resources they have, such as the good infrastructures and the great beauty, but at the same time permit signi-ȴFDQWO\�PRUH�QHZ�FRQVWUXFWLRQV�� ΖW� LV�RQO\�ZLWK�QHZ�EXLO-GLQJV�WKDW�FLWLHV�EHFRPH�GLYHUVH��DRUGDEOH�DQG�G\QDPLF��otherwise, they become boutiques or museums.

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divercities melting pots as cradles of innovation

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