The European Investment Bank hosted a seminar on the Rehabilitation of Historic Cities in the Mediterranean, in the framework of the EIB initiative “Médinas 2030”. The seminar was held within the “Mediterranean Economic Week” organised by the Marseille local authorities from the 7th to the 10th of October, and followed a conference held in Venice on 30 October 2008, pioneer of the initiative “Medinas 2030”.
Who should attend?
The conference was designed to bring together mayors, architects and urban planners, university professors, representatives from the public and private sectors and multilateral agencies.
The issue
The historic centres of southern and eastern Mediterranean cities play a vital role in preserving the cultural and social capital of Mediterranean countries. However, these centres have been marginalized due to the deterioration of their infrastructures and the emergence of new urban hierarchies. They are undergoing irreversible mutations that significantly alter their role. It is therefore imperative to develop a comprehensive and an integrated approach for the rehabilitation of Médinas with the implementation of "patient” investments. This seminar will be the starting point of a far-reaching debate destined to lead to the implementation of investment projects supporting the revitalization of historic urban centres.
Program
The seminar included four sessions on the following topics:
- How can the renovation of historic sites be included within the framework of a comprehensive and integrated strategic vision of the city as a whole?
- What are the challenges of urban rehabilitation and the objectives to be achieved by 2030?
- What criteria of good governance to adopt based on previous experiences in the field of rehabilitation of Médinas?
- What role can the private sector play in the effectiveness of public policies concerning rehabilitation?
Format
The seminar was interactive. After the opening session which provided a broad outline of the topics to be discussed, each session was introduced by an expert in the field, and a panel then commented briefly on the subject before opening the floor to discussion with seminar participants.
The conference languages were English and French with simultaneous interpretation available throughout all sessions.
