“We have to look at immigration not as a threat but – when well-managed, and that is our new task – as an enrichment and as an inescapable phenomenon of today’s world.” - Franco Frattini, EU justice commissioner 2004-2008

Open Cities is a regional project initiated by the British Council in 2007. Partners of the project are: Belfast (Northern Ireland), Dublin (Ireland), Vienna (Austria), Sofia (Bulgaria), Madrid (Spain). Cardiff (Wales), Bilbao (Spain), Dusseldorf (Germany), Poznan (Poland) and Nitra(Slovakia).

The main purpose of the project is to develop policies and strategies focusing on the economic and social integration of foreign migrants (first and second generation) by tracing the ways in which they contribute to city success, ‘openness’, competitiveness and cultural diversity.
Globalisation and recent migration processes change the role and nature of contemporary cities. In some of them local authorise are facing a shortage of working force, in others – the economic and social integration of the migrant groups is the main issue.

The specific objectives of the project are to:

			conduct research and information exchange re. migration in the participating cities
			define “Open-ness” for cities, based on economic, regulatory, cultural, amenity, accessibility or risk factors and whether cities can control how they attract and retain new populations
			develop a migration policy city action plan and local discussion groups
			exchange of good practice and rating of the participating cities according to their  open-ness profile and the degree to which they include the potential and contribution of migrants in their planning
			series of high-profile international conferences and publications aimed at national, regional & local policy makers as well as to the general public
			a Global Open-ness index - the final and most ambitious project output
			a set of art and educational events which will highlight the way in which cities have already adapted to and changed through immigration
			series of cross-community events aiming to involve the citizens in an active dialogue with city authorities on issues related to migration

OPENCities is funded by British Council, EU URBACT programme and the participating cities.

OPENCities Partners and Collaborators
Partner Cities
Belfast, Bilbao, Cardiff, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Poznan, Nitra, Madrid, Sofia, Vienna
Collaborating Cities
Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Edinburgh, New York, Toronto, Singapore, Sao Paulo, London
Other Collaborating Institutions
Migration Policy Group, ECOTEC, Eurocities, Maytree Foundation, Cidalia, Metropoli 30, Fundación Metrópoli, Comedia, Scottish Enterprise, London Development Agency, Federal Reserve Bank New York, North East Chamber of Commerce – England, Loughborough University, BAK Basel Economics

Local partners:
CERMES
Sofia Echo

Here you can find out about the project, download the publication Towards OPENCities, watch the video from the launch confernce in Madrid or register to our newsletter.

For further information please contact Krassimira Tantcheva, Partnership Projects Manager.