Cooperation Among International Cities at MIPIM 2011

PARIS, March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- One clear trend emerging at the 22nd MIPIM is the increasing number of large towns and cities that are joining forces within and across borders to support common urban development projects and boost the attractiveness of their region.

"Competition between major international cities to attract investors is still very intense and will be visible at MIPIM. A strategy of cooperation is therefore becoming a critical issue for a growing number of cities so they can position themselves within a powerful economic centre of gravity. Examples are the cities around the Baltic Sea, Budapest and 'Grand Paris,' all of which will be showcasing their projects at the event," says Filippo Rean, Director of MIPIM.

MIPIM 2011 will offer an opportunity to discover the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) with BaltMet Promotion, a project bringing together 11 cities working to promote this integrated, sustainable and dynamic economic area. The Baltic Metropole Network comprises Berlin (Germany), Copenhagen (Denmark), Helsinki (Finland), Malmo and Stockholm (Sweden), Oslo (Norway), Riga (Latvia) St Petersburg (Russian Federation) Tallinn (Estonia), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Warsaw (Poland). The project was launched to attract international investors, tourists and talent to the region. The event 'Baltic Sea Region Investor's Panel,' taking place on March 8th at 2 pm in Auditorium I, will present several concrete investment projects. Speakers include Raimundas Alekna, Mayor of Vilnius, Hannu Penttila, Deputy Mayor of Helsinki and Pawel Pawlowski, Deputy Director of Warsaw City Council Investors Relations Department.

The City of Budapest will unveil its 'Danube Main Street' programme on its stand. This project aims to generate greater cohesion between Budapest and its surrounding region by focusing on the River Danube in a development extending over 70 km and covering a population of 3.5 million. As Istvan Tarlos, Lord Mayor of the City of Budapest puts it: "Budapest aims to play a leading role in shaping the European Danube Region – providing a bridge and a gateway role in Central and Eastern Europe. To achieve this ambition, we must first re-establish the relationship of Budapest and its main street, which happens to be the River Danube. The 'Danube Main Street Programme,' which I'm going to present at MIPIM, offers a framework for all inhabitants and future partners of Budapest. Together we can develop the Hungarian capital into an economic, cultural and social hub on the Danube." One of the programme's goals is redevelop the banks of the Danube and incorporate them into the dynamic of Budapest's urban development, mainly by reducing the stark difference between the 'Pest' left bank, which is more closely connected to the city centre, and the 'Buda' right bank. Istvan Tarlos and Istvan Gyorgy, Deputy Mayor, will give a press conference on Tuesday, 8th March at 3 pm on the city's exhibition booth to address this particular issue.

Various aspects and achievements of the Grand Paris project will also be presented in the special Paris Region area at MIPIM. On Thursday, 10th March there will be two conferences: "Grand Paris-Seine Gateway: the emergence of a new international maritime metropolis" and "Benefit from the driving growth of Grand Paris: La Plaine de France's booming smart urban development." The Grand Paris project is being led by the government (Ministry for Urban Affairs and Municipalities) in partnership with the Region and all local authorities concerned. This ambitious project aims to recast the main urban geographical, social and economic fabric of the Paris basin and beyond, stretching all the way to Le Havre with the River Seine as its main artery. The Grand Paris project will approach the region surrounding Paris as a series of different clusters rather than a succession of concentric circles. By virtue of this plan to strengthen the ties between Paris and its suburbs, the Paris region is hoping to consolidate its position as a major business hub on a European and global scale.

The MIPIM events programme will also offer platforms for politicians and mayors from cities around the world. After the success of the first two sessions, the Mayors' Think Tank will bring together some 60 mayors and senior local officials behind closed doors to share their views with private sector partners on the theme of "Building the city together: urban strategies and integrated solutions' implementation." This event will be followed by a Mayor's Lunch which will bring together mayors, political leaders and end-users.

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