>Dear colleague, Dear friend:
>
>
>In February 2002 the City of Brugge/Bruges, famous commercial,
>political and arts centre but also pioneer in the field of social
>urban policy in Medieval and Rennaissance Europe, will start its
>programme as Cultural Capital of Europe.
>
>Part of the programme, i.e. the 'Vives Conferences' consider the
>role of cultural and artistic activity from the point of view of
>socio-economic development and integration of all groups of citizens
>into urban society.
>
>The "Vives conferences" organized in February, March and April 2002,
>focus on the link between urban development, culture, arts and
>poverty relief. Arts are not only an expensive exclusivity for the
>wealthy, but also a creative activity of the common citizen.
>Moreover, since the beginning of the 1990s, in European cities arts
>have been rediscovered as a means of communication between various
>groups in urban society. Deprived neighbourhoods have harboured
>artistic projects meant to encourage co-operation between
>neighbourhood inhabitants and to reconstruct local community
>identity bit by bit. Sometimes arts also fuel the engine of economic
>renaissance and employment creation in quarters with high
>unemployment.
>
>The Vives conferences and interventions consist of two series
>dealing with 'Poverty, culture and urban renaissance'. The first
>series is organised at the College of Europe and only accessible to
>its students. The second series is meant for the visitors of Bruges
>Cultural Capital of Europe 2002.
>
>Both series focus on poverty, alienation and socio-economic
>resurrection in cities and their neighbourhoods. The following
>questions are addressed:
>
>- To what extent are poverty and exclusion in neighbourhoods the
>consequences of international economic restructuring?
>- Can cities still lead their own local development policy or are
>they doomed as fragile free riders on the volatile waves of the
>free-market global economy?
>- Which cities in Europe have lived useful experiences of
>neighbourhood redevelopment?
>- What is the role of arts and artistic projects in urban
>redevelopment strategies?
>- What is the future of national social security and poverty relief
>policies: will they give way under international pressure or start a
>new bottom-up life?
>- Can national states act as catalysts to create jobs and offer
>social emancipation opportunities for excluded citizens and migrants?
>
>You can find the full programme of the Vives conferences on the
>website http://users.online.be/volkshogeschool selecting 'Leerstoel
>J.L. Vives'. Links to the other websites informing on the diversity
>of activities of Brugge 2002 can be found there. Most of the
>conferences will be translated or organized in English or French.
>
>
>Suppose that you are interested in this programme, that you will be
>in Bruges in the Spring of next year and seek to participate in a
>'melange' of cultural activities, expert seminars and city walks,
>please contact "Vives Chair Brugge 2002"
><[log in to unmask]> At this E-mail address you can ask for
>detailed information on how to make reservations for the
>presentations.
>
>
>Hope to see you in Bruges.
>
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