This workshop, sponsored by the University Consortium of Seinäjoki and the University of Turku in Finland and organised in collaboration between the University of Helsinki, the University of Turku and the West Finland European Office, aims to discuss and brainstorm best practices in urban food strategies at the EU level.

The workshop is articulated in two sessions. The first one - EU perspective on urban food strategies - aims to provide the policy framework regarding actions and initiatives currently running in Europe to promote effective food strategies at the municipal level. A specific focus, at the end of the session, will be on Seinäjoki food strategy, which will represent an implementation model for the municipal and regional food ecosystem.

 The second session - Food strategies at city level in EU - aims to portray different strategies currently in the running and/or implementation phase in some European cities and compare them.

The workshop will close with a brainstorming session to lay the basis for developing a position paper on Best practices for urban food strategies at EU level. Due to the cross-sectoral nature of food policies, a diversity of elements will be discussed such as government and political support, national and regional regulations, stakeholder and community engagement, public awareness and culture.

An additional aim of the workshop will be to start the creation of a network of European cities and experts willing and interested in collaborating and launching new initiatives or projects.

The event will gather practitioners, policymakers and EU and global networks working to support a transformation of the European food system through knowledge exchange and concrete actions.

You can register for this event through this link.

The Programme:
 

Session 1 - EU perspective on urban food strategies

Moderator: Nanna Rintala, University of Turku

14.00 Welcome & aim of the workshop – Anu Hopia, Professor (Food Development, University of Turku) and Responsible for Seinäjoki Food Strategy and Silvia Gaiani, Senior Researcher, Ruralia Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland

14.05-14.25  Finnish MEP TBC

14.25-14.40 - Outlook on the new Commission’s policies on food, Mirva Männikkö, Policy Advisor, West Finland European Office

14.40-15.00 - The Food Strategy Process for a resilient and sustainable Seinäjoki City Region

Anu Hopia, Professor in Food Development and Responsible for Seinäjoki Food Strategy, University of Turku, Finland and Ilari Koskinen, PhD student, University of Tampere.

Coffee break

Session 2 - Food strategies at the city level in the EU

Moderator: Maryam Rezaei, Research Fellow in the Climate and Sustainability team, ODI, UK

15.15 -15.30 Andrea Patrucco, Project Manager of Food Trails and MUFPP

15.30-15.45 Giulia Listorti, Joint Research Center of the European Commission (online)

15.45-16.00 Gunilla Andersson, City of Malmö, Sweden (online)

16.00-16.15 Kyösti Lempa, Special Adviser, NordForsk

16.15-16.30 Maria Carrascosa Garcia, Spanish City Network for Agroecology

Panel discussion

16.30- 17.00 Anja De Cunto, Senior Manager of Engagement and European Public Affairs, C40 Knowledge Hub and Lucie Jeandrain, Eurocities working group on food in conversation with Maryam Rezaei, Research Fellow in the Climate and Sustainability team, ODI, UK

Brainstorming

17.00- 17.30 Laying the basis for a position paper on Best practices for urban food strategies at EU level

Conclusion and next steps

Cocktail reception