The SEiSMiC project held its first International Forum April 20-21 in Brussels, bringing together some 70 project participants from all 10 implementing countries. Participants discussed ongoing social innovation projects in their countries, as well as a handful of initiatives with cross-border elements.
The first forum, one of three planned over the next two years, focused on the topic of new urban governance. The project seeks to strengthen social innovation, and for this new frameworks and rules are needed. A regulatory “eco-system” that’s friendly to social innovation should go beyond current approaches and follow an integrated and participatory approach.
The forum addressed questions such as:
Much of the Day 1 was devoted to discussions among five transnational working groups, including those on social value, collaborative mapping, a European cooperative on city innovation labs, social inclusion of women, and the development of legal “eco systems” that foster social innovation.
Day 2 tackled several topics related to urban governance including social innovation’s role in governance, the role of technology and the conflicts that can come about in social innovation. In discussing the last topic, there was reference to the shared economy and regulatory and taxation issues surrounding enterprises such as Uber ride sharing and AirB&B.
To close the event on the afternoon of April 21, participants took a field trip to a downtown marketplace and meat market in a Brussels district that has become a “landing place” for immigrants. There, a social enterprise called Cultureghem.is exploiting underutilized space on the market grounds to create a community gathering spot. Cultureghem offers children’s play areas, regular public performances and communal meals. Neighbourhood residents volunteer their time to organise and carry out the programmes and also enjoy the result. All in all, it was an excellent example of the social innovation that SEiSMiC is exploring.
For some personal observations during the SEiSMiC click here