15:00 Lecture Joachim Meerkerk

15:40 Discussion with local actors Dries Van de Velde (Co.Labs), Sue Tack (TOKO) and Koen Wynants (Antwerpen aan’t woord)

Joachim Meerkerk is programmer at Pakhuis de Zwijger. Pakhuis de Zwijger is a unique cultural organisation which opened its doors in 2006 and has grown to be an independent platform for and by the city of Amsterdam and its inhabitants. As an internationally operating platform for the city in transition it researches, develops online platforms, sets up meetings and organises challenges, City Expeditions, and think tanks together with some two hundred partners while building local, national and international networks of City Makers and City Embassies. At the same time, it represents the bottom-up vanguard: people with guts and perseverance, contributing actively to societal issues in the city, inspiring and activating people and communities and putting the collective interest.

Who owns the city?

Can we rethink the Amsterdam values? Will Amsterdam become a real inclusive city? Are we able to connect neighbourhoods to necessary innovations and can makers also make the difference in urgent urban challenges? Will we all profit from the economic growth in the metropolitan region? Are we able to turn our old economy into a new green and circular one? Can we make sure our children will grow up in a livable, sustainable and self-su cient city with equal opportunities for everyone?

Language Dutch