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GENK - history. 19th century rural village 1901 the discovery of coal 1917 1988 3 coalmines W.W.I 1960’s 4 migration flows miners 1960 Ford Genk industry: 3rd city in Flanders (highway, water, rail) population: 23rd city in Belgium (# 64.000)
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GENK - history • 19th century rural village • 1901 the discovery of coal • 1917 1988 3 coalmines • W.W.I 1960’s 4 migration flows miners • 1960 Ford Genk • industry: 3rd city in Flanders (highway, water, rail) • population: 23rd city in Belgium (# 64.000) • city structure: center - 3 garden cities – suburbia
64.000 inhabitants: • 9% higher educated • 10% unemployed • 14% with other nationality (# 90) • 66% Belgians with foreign origin (50% births from Turkish/Moroccan origin) • 60% T/M marriages through marriage migration • 40% children in primary school: mothertongue ≠ Dutch • 22% children repeat at least 1 year in primary school GENK – some key figures 2008
GENK – some key feelings / signals • Us <-> Them (Muslims) • Segregation • ‘I don’t belong here (anymore)’ • Intolerance
3 objectives: • equal opportunities! • strong social cohesion • multiculturalism = asset
essential: • living together in diversity • citizenship • dialogue & co-creation
after 25 years of exemplary efforts • time to talk things through • with people we haven’t reached yet • appointing worries and frustrations • stressing everyone’s possibilities & responsabilities • listing effective actions for all city actors • in a new, open approach
43 challengers… • recruted on a voluntary basis • according a matrix of diversity • choose their own theme(s) and methods • recieve personal training on theme and method • invite 100 inhabitants for a good conversation • together with a professional for support & report
The essence of every conversation: How do we experience living in Genk today? What can I do as a citizen What can we do as a group What can the local gouvernment do?
And thén what ? • 2010: The first report: a newspaper gives an overview of the inhabitants’ priorities, suggestions & own actions • 2010 - 2011: fase 2 • new challengers initiate new conversations, focussing on ‘what can every citizen do to push this society forward’? • leading civil servants organise debates with local actors (schools, employers, social housing,…), looking for concrete actions to achieve the main goals of ‘De Genks’ • 2011 - 2012: fase 3 • an action programme for all city actors, with the city as an example • a communication strategy to inform all inhabitants • budgets for initiatives that help achieve the main goals of ‘De Genks’
STAD GENK Katrien.colson@genk.be CHANGE DESIGNERS, Brussels Ewoud@changedesigners.be