To all participants of the VIII Congress of the International Association of the Educating Cities

The preparation of the Congress, the meetings and experiences that we shared together, and the compiling of the proceedings of those busy days of work will represent for a long time a rare opportunity of exchange and discussion of ideas.

The publishing of the proceedings offers the opportunity to once again underline the open space and watchful nature that characterised the work of those days. As President, and on behalf of all the members of the Scientific Committee, I present the Congress proceedings as an act that, rather than marking the end, reintroduces the questions that the thematic workshops and plenary sessions and all the most informal moments raised for us.

The compiling of the proceedings of a congress clearly cannot mark the end of a path of targeted investigation, new hypotheses, and experimental initiatives which our city, so as other cities in the world, have continued to provide for, against the background of social and urban changes.

The creation of public spaces to exchange ideas and discuss the future of the city – starting from its history, its tensions, and highlighting its weaknesses – requires to be at the centre of policies and public actions. We firmly believe that such public spaces will make it possible to have up-to-date forms for exercising active citizenship and to share citizens participation tools. The purpose is to create the conditions to make them work as spaces for collective responsibility.

Our heartfelt thanks goes to all those who made this project possible, and we wish every success to our colleagues and friends in Lyon, who are busy preparing for the next up-coming event.

The President of the Scientific Committee

Luca Borzani