The 2nd Forum of Local Authorities of the Periphery to be held in Getafe
Assuming metropolis are probably the most deeply affected structures in terms of consequences of the global situation, we must necessarily mention the metropolis’ suburban cities and the low-income districts, places where this reality adopts specific particularities.
Peripheries arose rapidly in order to expand cities and, in many cases, to tackle exclusion of the poor classes from the city centres, as a consequence of savage urbanism. However, the actual concept of peripheries is very different from the one in force during the past decades, when we witnessed the emergence of the phenomenon of dormitory towns without the necessary services and infrastructures and totally dependant of the big city.
Nowadays and in most cases, this concept has evolved into perfectly consolidated urban cities, equipped with infrastructures and with great chances of growing, life quality, industrial and technological development and well structured in terms of urbanism and demography. All of these factors contribute to accessibility and connexion between peripheries and their respective cities.
Nevertheless, the main risk in these peripheries is related to the possibility of reduced Public Services. Foreseeable consequences in these territories include growing inequalities; greater presence of segregation and multiplication of obstacles to real integration of the various realities coexisting in them.
In the framework of our fight for social inclusion, it is urgent to seek territorial rebalancing and community development, while promoting a harmonious development of the whole territory in order to meet the needs of everyone, wherever they live.
The meeting of the Forum of Local Authorities of the Periphery in Getafe, which will take place from 10th to 12th June 2010, must be a space to think about these issues, since they represent the future challenges, and a chance to raise the necessary actions to overcome them in a global and coordinated manner.
In this meeting, we must legitimise the right of metropolis and specially peripheries to talk about their identity, their importance, the relationship model between large cities and suburban cities, their problems, and above all, their potential to become solidarity and social cohesion centres.
We still have a long way to go in order to create the necessary networks between the different metropolis and social movements aiming at finding, according to our inherent differences, the answer to all those questions and analyse in depth the potentialities and alternatives for our municipalities.
