THE STRENGTH OF MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES – ACHIEVMENTS OF THE MECINE NETWORK

Matthias NowackMunicipality of Speyer15. September 2011

MECINE (Medium Sized Cities Network)

is a long lasting network of medium sized cities (50.000 to 250.000 inhabitants) in Europe, created in the end of 1994, by the association of several cities desiring to go beyond regular twinning activities, trying to go further into exchanging experiences.

Since 1995, the network has grown and changed in partners

MECINE-members today

• Évora (Portugal)• Ravenna (Italy)• Speyer (Germany)• Delft (The Netherlands)• Roskilde (Denmark)• Linköping (Sweden)• Tönsberg (Norway)• Joensuu (Finland)

• Chartres (France) – observer• Gniezno (Poland) – guest to the conference

MECINE objectives

according to the “Linköping Declaration”, adopted on September 29th, 2007 at the last mayors´ meeting of the network in Linköping

• Promote the case of medium sized cities, because they can ensure a high quality of life in their cities

• Foster and develop local democracy and the political self government of the medium sized cities

• To develop exchange and pilot projects aiming to strengthen the cooperation between MECINE members, especially in domains like urban environment, culture, education, social and economic development and local administration (learning across borders)

• Create conditions to allow to enlarge the networks influence to a larger number of medium sized cities, in particular, cities in countries not yet represented in the network

MECINE - Working process

The leadership of the network is rotational for a two-year period (Speyer is leading 2011/2012)

Membership fee: 1500,- € per year per city (observers can participate one year without paying the fee)

• Two smaller meetings per year to coordinate activities • Larger meetings/conferences involving municipal staff and

actors outside the municipalities (universities, NGOs and other public agencies)

• Conferences on a political level in a four to five year period to adjust the working process and the objectives of the network

Work done (some examples)

Stratcult (1997-2000) - sustained by EU grant - Development strategies for the cultural sector in medium sized towns

“Europe by music” festival (Speyer, 1999) - sustained by EU-grant. European music festival for young people with bands from the network cities

Management and leader training across borders Study visits on a bilateral basis among the network members

Quality of Life Survey (2005/2007) - sustained by EU grant - 2 extensive reports describing “observed quality” in the network cities by statistical data and “perceived quality” in a representative survey in each city

MECINE seen by artists (2002-2009). Exchange of artists between the network cities, allowing the creation of art reflecting the impressions and visions of the artists about the visited city

Latest activities of the network

Workshop on City Center Development (Speyer, April 2010)

Conference on the “Development of Tolerant and Diverse Communities” (Linköping, October 2010) - funded within the Citizens´ Perspectives on Medium Sized Cities Project

UniverCity Conference (Évora, March 2011): Cities and Universities working together to promote regional development - funded within the Citizens´ Perspectives on Medium Sized Cities Project

“Medium Cities 2020” Conference (Speyer, September 2011) - funded within the Citizens´ Perspectives on Medium Sized Cities Project

Do you want to know more about the MECINE cities?

• Population: 150.000• Population density: 2.472/km²• celebrated ist 700th anniversary in 1987• Industry: Aerospace (Saab Aircraft Factory),

Electronics, Software, Life Science Technologies and Biomedicine, Communications Technology

• University (since 1975): 27.000 students; Mjärdevi Science Park, the innovation hub of East Sweden• International airport, Linköping City Airport

Linköping (Sweden)

• Population: 97.588• Population density: 4.238/km²• one of the oldest Dutch cities (city rights in 1246)• plays a leading role in technological sectors: Medical instruments, Bio-based industry/Life Sciences, Water technology • Industry: Science & Research centre, Tourism • University of Technology: 16.427 students; Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)

Delft(the Netherlands)

• Population: 90.000 (158.739) Population density: 243/km²• over 2000 years old• 8 buildings declared as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage• Industry: Tourism, Agricultural Industry, Chemical and Energy Industry, Service Industries, Footwear- and Clothing Industry• Branch of the University of Bologna

Ravenna (Italy)

• Population: 82.542• Population density: 390/km²• over 1000 years old (founded 998)• UNESCO World Cultural Heritage (Cathedral)• Industry: Tourism, Experience Economy, Knowledge• University (since 1972): 9000 students

Roskilde(Denmark)

• Population: 73.321• Population density: 30,8/km²• Industry: Metal&wood industry, forestry, IT-sector, border

region & cross-border collaboration expertise• University of Eastern Finland (since 1969): 15,000 students• University of Applied Sciences: 4,500 students• European Forest Institute, Joensuu Science Park

Joensuu (Finland)

• Population: 69.483• Population density: 1,700/km²• one of the oldest Polish cities (over 1000 years old)• Cultural centre• Industry: Leather-, textile-, sugar- and engineering

industry• European Institute of the Adam Mickiewicz University

in Poznan

Gniezno (Poland)

(observer)

• Population: 55.000• Population density: 43,21/km²• Ancient city (founded by the romans)• UNESCO World Cultural Heritage (historic center)• Industry: agricultural trading centre, cork production,

wine-producing technology, airline-pilot training, electronics, tourism, • University: 8000 students; Alentejo Region Job

Training Centre

Évora(Portugal)

• Population: 49.811• Population density: 1170/km²• over 2000 years old (founded 10 B.C.)• UNESCO World Cultural Heritage (Cathedral)• Industry: Aerospace components, Electronics, Insulation

material, Education, printing houses, tourism, machine construction, chemical industrie,

• German University of Administrative Science: 200-300 students; Research Institute for Public Administration

Speyer(Germany)

• Population: 41.000 Population density: 2.324/km²• almost 2000 years old• UNESCO World Cultural Heritage

(cathedral)• Industry: electrical industry, machine construction, parfum industry pharmaceutical industry, Agricultural food &

industry, International glas painting centre

Chartres (France)

(observer)

• Population: 40.006 • Population density: 369/km²• Norways oldest town; founded in 871• Industry: Tourism, Agriculture, Regional service

industries,Trade, Knowledge bussiness, Offshore-industry,

• Vestfold University College: 4200 students

Tønsberg (Norway)

Differences

• Cities in the network are only partially comparable as far as size is concerned. The scale reaches from 40.000 to 150.000 inhabitants

• Not comparable with regard to location – e.g. inland, by a river, on the coast of the sea

• nor are they comparable in the main focus of their roles as the intermediate centre of an agglomeration, the intermediate centre of a rural district, as provincial capital, as industrial centre, as administrative centre or as a satellite town – with various different combinations of functions.

• We do have a wide variety of mid-sized towns in the network and in Europe!

Population density

• Delft (The Netherlands) 4.238/km²• Linköping (Sweden) 2.472/km²• Chartres (France) 2.324/km²• Gniezno (Poland) 1.700/km²• Speyer (Germany) 1.170/km²• Roskilde (Denmark) 390/km²• Tönsberg (Norway) 369/km²• Ravenna (Italy) 243/km²• Évora (Portugal) 43,2/km²• Joensuu (Finland) 30,8/km²

What these cities have in common?

Long history, in which they at times played important roles in a national context: city of many Imperial Diets, capital of the Holy Roman Empire, seat of the Roman emperor, seat of the Danish, Portuguese and Dutch kings.

Importance was lost through destruction and political turmoil, shifting of trade routes or silting of harbours or being eclipsed by neighbours that prospered during industrialisation

What is left are often first-rate facilities and wonderful architecture of past glory: opportunities to be made the most of

Qualities and potentials - I

• History, cultural heritage and historical profiles are strong assets in the network-cities (UNESCO world heritage sites in Évora, Ravenna, Roskilde, Speyer, Gniezno, architectural gems and treasures in all the other cities)

• Manageable small-scale spatial structures (short distances), compact design and architecture

• Cultural attraction: The biggest and best museums, theatres and orchestras will always be situated in the big cities, but there are plenty of possibilities to find “cultural niches”, in which the middle sized city can achieve the same level of excellence than the larger urban centres

Risks

• Proximity of the large urban centres (Roskilde-Copenhagen, Chartres-Paris, Gniezno-Posznan, Speyer-Metropolitan area Rhine-Neckar, Delft etc.)

• Economic weaknesses, lack of financial ressources • Demographic Change (What are we offering to young

families? What are we offering to elderly people?)• Loss of well educated young people and „creatives“ to the

large urban centres• Lack of regional cooperation• Can be dangerous to turn a city into a big museum (tourism is

important but should not be the main focus for development)

Qualities and potentials – II

• Strong universities, not only in the larger cities Linköping, Delft and Roskilde

• Quality of life: Living conditions in medium sized cities are “healthier”, that is more ecological, less stressful and less likely to lead to illness than in big cities (Because of the more closely-knit and lively social atmosphere, which offers more protection against the anonymity and loneliness in present day society)

• Manageable social and political structures

What we can do: Challenges

• Secure and enlarge the function of the medium sized city as a regional center (long term development strategy, adapt administrative structures to the demographic situation, intensify regional cooperations)

• Keep and improve the attractiveness of residential areas for young families

• Adapt the technical and social infrastructures to the demographic situation and activate the potentials of elderly people

• Renovate and modernise the housing stock. Make your city an attractive place to live in

• Secure and enlarge the economic potentials of the city

Questions

• What are the special opportunities of our medium sized cities in an ongoing European integration process?

• What are the risks?• How will this type of city develop?• What will it have to offer its citizens in the future?• What will it mean to the next generation?• What picture of possibilities and limitations do we get?

•

Identity

Despite different approaches to urban development in the various MECINE-cities, they all possess great qualities and incalculable potential for creating a distinctive image and identity for the middle-sized city in Europe.