Résumé on Film

Initial Résumé on Film

"If we can shape such a Europe, a Europe where we can enjoy such immense freedom as being able to travel from one country to another, to live and work there, then that would be my kind of Europe," Mayor Dirk Hilbert says in a short film which is just under three minutes long and was produced at the International Dresden Dialogue conference. The other panellists interviewed for the film are Professor Greg Clark from London (UK), Eneko Goia, the mayor of Donostia/San Sebastián (ES), Karl-Heinz Lambertz, the president of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Gabriele Neff, the Chair of the Council of Europe's Current Affairs Committee and a Munich city councillor, Jaakko Niinistö, the deputy mayor of Vantaa (FI), Dr Ton Rombouts, the mayor of s'Hertogenbosch (NL), Dr Albrecht Schröter, member of the Association of German Cities Executive Committee and mayor of Jena, Bart Somers, the mayor of Mechelen (BE) and Daniel Termont, the mayor of Ghent and president of Eurocities.

"Two intense days are coming to a close and, compared to 3 October 2016, I am very happy with the two exciting days of meetings and discussions. We talked about the challenges all of us are facing, about social cohesion, democracy, participation and our role as cities in Europe. The time was much too short for all of the interesting subjects we touched on; we would like to and will indeed pursue them further. Cities play an important role in Europe. They define Europe. Finally, I would like to extend my thanks to all of the participants who shared their thoughts and ideas with us with such passion. Please accept this small gift to take home with you to your cities. Boys and girls from Dresden shared their understanding of unity and of what is important in a city with us in pictures and words which we then put together in the form of a calendar. It will hopefully serve as a pleasant reminder of our city and our conference, and runs for one year starting this October. We would love to see you again in Dresden in 2018," said Hilbert in his statement at the end of the conference.

More than 80 guests attended the Dresden International Dialogue conference on 2 and 3 October. They discussed the challenges which cities all over Europe are currently facing, the meaning of Europe and democracy and above all the role of culture. Conference moderator Greg Clark in his closing statement: "There can be no democracy without culture."

Mayor Dirk Hilbert invited mayors from all over Europe to the International Dresden Dialogue conference. Flight and migration, economic and social injustice, political and religious extremism: The European cities see themselves confronted by developments that pose new and serious challenges to living peacefully with each other in urban conglomerations.

Mayors from all over Europe met in Dresden's town hall to discuss democracy, culture and social cohesion in cities. The event was held under the aegis of Karl-Heinz Lambertz, the president of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), and the Association of German Cities. The conference will be moderated by Professor Greg Clark from London. The International Dresden Dialogue consists of an international working conference on 1 and 2 October organised by Memorare Pacem, a mayors' dialogue on 2 and 3 October with a round table discussion and a panel discussion organised by the city of Dresden, the capital of the Free State of Saxony.