Promoting GSEF 2018 in the REVES Days 2018

Promoting GSEF 2018 in the REVES Days 2018

11 to 13 June

REVES, the European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy, and Tuscany Region, hosted the “REVES DAYS 2018” in Florence from 11 to 13 June. Participants from EU and member cities and regions as well as social economy actors and networks had the possibility to exchange on topics relating to the social economy as a factor of sustainable and responsible development in Europe. More specifically, debates were organized on "the presence of social economy in formal and informal education: which perspectives? Social economy: a model for community empowerment? How to measure the impact of social economy?" and parallel workshops on "Cooperative platforms: using the opportunities of the digital economy to build sustainable communities", " Social innovation to boost partnerships between regional/local authorities and social economy players", and "Cooperative platforms: using the opportunities of the digital economy to build sustainable communities". On the day 1 study visits to local initiatives complemented the programme. At the final political session it was discussed about the future of EU cohesion policy and the potential partnership between regional/local authorities and social economy represents for effective programming and implementation of this policy.

Laurence Kwark, GSEF Secretary General and Jung Yuen (Yun) Park, GSEF Team Manager were invited to the REVES Days 2018. During the three days event, Yun participated in the workshop of “Social innovation to boost partnerships between regional/local authorities and social economy players”, by sharing the case study research result of the Seoul Metropolitan Government in Social Economy sector. As the case of Seoul is quite unique and different from many cities in Europe in size and history, the study result was seen interesting and several concepts on Social Economy were also discussed with all the participants from various cities and regions including the Örebro region of Sweden.

At the round table discussion "Cities & Regions as promoters of resilient and sustainable communities: new models for EU and the world" shared Laurence our vision and mission of GSEF and the main theme of the GSEF 2018 in Bilbao, which is "Values and competitiveness for an inclusive and sustainable local development". In October all GSEF members and actors in Social and Solidarity Economy will join together for an exchange and networking to address SSE initiatives which allow us to deliver innovative solutions, particularly in terms of job creation, inclusion, sustainability, housing, social services and industry, and to promote the Social and Solidarity Economy as a real and viable option for social and economic progress in a different way.