Themes

Under the OPEN DAYS 2009 general motto ‘Global Challenges, European Responses’, the event’s programme will be structured according to these four themes:

Theme A - Restoring growth: Innovation in Europe’s regions and cities

Europe’s regions must become more innovative in order to cope with global challenges and the current economic crisis. The 54 seminars in this section will discuss strategies, programmes and projects implemented at regional and local levels to help regions innovate in sectors diverse as health, tourism, transport, the automotive industry, the creative economy and the environment.

Theme B - Regions and climate change: Europe's way to sustainable regional development

Some weeks before the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the OPEN DAYS 2009 will showcase several approaches and best practice in regional and local solutions to tackle the effects of climate change. 19 seminars in this section will deal with regional strategies towards low carbon economies, renewable energies and ways of financing energy efficiency measures through EU cohesion policy.

Theme C - Territorial cooperation: Working together across borders

European and international exchange on territorial cooperation is of key importance for mutual learning on policy development and best practice including the recently adopted EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. 29 seminars under this topic cover a wide range of themes such as cross-border and inter-regional cooperation as well as exchange with countries from outside the EU.

Theme D - Achieving results, looking ahead: EU Cohesion Policy’s evaluation and future prospects

The evaluations of the 2000-2006 EU Cohesion Policy programmes as well as the ongoing reflection on the future of the policy will be the basis for discussion and exchange among experts on lessons learnt for the ongoing implementation and future design of European Cohesion Policy. 22 seminars under this thematic priority will discuss the key findings from the evaluations as well as different views on Cohesion Policy post-2013.