🍂 Autumn is here and everything falls together | Your PES Group newsletter

September knocks on our door and Autumn suddenly lets itself into our lives with crisper air, fresh perspective, and a few stranded leaves.

Autumn means contemplation, which is the perfect time to look back on what we have been working on in summer and set ourselves on a path toward where we want to be. From Tampere in Finland for some solidarity in action, to Brussels for passionate debates on the EU Green Deal and on combatting violence against women, to Trento to tackle the affordable housing crisis, we are putting forward a Social agenda for Europe.

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🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Cities & regions across are actively supporting Ukrainians

As progressive local and regional leaders, not only do we express solidarity with words but also in actions. Mikko Aaltonen, Member of Tampere City Council in Finland, tells us the story behind the summer camps organised for Ukrainian children. ➡️ Learn more about how one city can make a difference for hundreds of people.

Building a future together. EU cities and regions open arms to Ukrainian children: the example of Tampere

"It's not about the support of the European countries to Ukraine, it's not about the support of the European institutions to Ukraine. It's about cities, regions and simple people in these cities and regions showing that we are still there for Ukrainians. That Ukrainians are not forgotten."

PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions

🇺🇦 Ukrainian Social Democrats on the rise!

As Ukraine sees its future in the EU, we are also developing closer contacts with Ukrainian social democrats. The political scene in the country is completely different, but it is changing fast. ➡️ Read more in this interview with Bohdan Ferens, head of the non-governmental organisation that unites progressive people all over Ukraine.

🌱 Breathe, eat, live. The future of cities and regions with the EU Green Deal

Local and regional authorities are already at the forefront of translating the EU's green objectives into reality on the ground, building climate-resilient livelihoods guided by the principles of fairness, social justice and territorial cohesion. Join us on Tuesday 10 October for our #FairGreenDeal participatory lab. ➡️ Hurry to register by 30 September here.

♀️ #SafePlace4Women: combatting violence against women

There are still too many women subject to gender-based harassment at work, on public transport, in parks and public spaces or on social media. Paris, Rome and Zagreb came up with plans to give these women an appropriate response to combat violence against women and provide immediate response to victims whilst sending a strong signal against perpetrators. ➡️ Join us on 25th October to hear about the best practices on the ground.

📢 SOTEU: take regions and cities on board! 

We were all ears during the State of the Union annual address by Ursula von der Leyen but once again, the speech falls short on Cohesion Policy. European citizens deserve concrete proposals for housing, social rights and the cost of living. More social policies are needed to tackle the challenges of our times.

And on Monday 9 October, all eyes will be on the Committee of the Region’s President Vasco Alves Cordeiro, who will present the annual EU Annual Report on the State of the Regions and Cities.

❤️  Progressive Local Stories ❤️

2023 #EUOrganic Award: we are proud to announce that the city of Vienna and the Burgenland region, led by our members Michael Ludwig, and Hans Peter Doskozil, have been awarded as the best organic city and region! ➡️ Read more about their recipe for success...

2023 #EUOrganic Award: Vienna is Europe's best organic city

Organic farming is an important element of sustainable EU farming. It contributes significantly to reducing the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides and has a positive effects on our climate, the environment, biodiversity and animal welfare. Organic production is thus playing a key role in achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal.

PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions

What’s coming next? 

🏡 ​ Addressing Trento's affordable housing challenges: a case study

Progressive local leaders from all over Europe will discuss how they are addressing the affordable housing crisis in their cities and what is on the EU ​ agenda. The open event takes place on Friday 6 October from 18:00 to 20:00 in Trento (Auditorium San Giuseppe, Via Giusti 35, Trento, Italy). 

🙏 For the header photo, we thank Autumn Mott Rodeheaver on Unsplash.