Official launch of the Food Thematic Partnership
More than 50 participants representing urban, metropolitan and national authorities, European umbrella organisations, universities and European Institutions gathered online to kick-start the operational phase of the Partnership.
Thomas De Béthune from the European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policies (DG REGIO) opened the meeting, presenting the state of play of the Urban Agenda Partnerships, explaining key objectives of the Partnership and the supporting role of the DG REGIO.
After the introductory keynote speech, the two coordinators of the Food Partnership, the City of Milan and the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, presented their previous experience and involvement in food-related projects, as well as their commitment toward sustainable transformation of the food systems at the local level.
Partnership members were then given the opportunity to introduce themselves, present their team and outline key areas of interest. The meeting did not only offer an excellent opportunity to get to know each other, but it was also an important occasion to explain the process of the Urban Agenda Partnerships and share key deadlines for the coming months.
Activity, in the first phase, will focus on the Orientation Paper preparation, a strategic document outlining the Partnership's main challenges, specific objectives and working arrangements.
What’s next?
Partners will meet in person in Brussels, on Thursday 7th March 2024, during the “FOOD 2030 Networks Conference on Transformative Food System Innovation”.
More information on this Partnership will become available as the Partnership work unfolds. In the meantime, please consult the full list of members here.