Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain)

Cohesion and social progress are fundamental to building fairer and more cohesive cities.

The current global change cannot be faced without taking into account the needs of all people.

In this aspect, good governance of the institutions that run the cities is necessary.

How are cities facing social challenges? A question our speaker answered, in addition to revealing the good practices conducted by cities in the network.

How can economic progress be made compatible with social and environmental progress? This is the consequent question that cities try to answer on a daily basis, as do countries and companies.

There is a new green economy and new concepts such as circular economy. It proposes a new way of respecting the environment.

Keys were revealed as regards the promotion of a more sustainable economy in cities and examples of municipalities that have already achieved it.

Departure point: Virgen Blanca (Vitoria-Gasteiz green sculpture)

Tour: Crossing by Virgen Blanca square and its monument to the Vitoria Battle against the Napoleon troops, where the popular Celedón comes from the sky, the patronal feasts symbol, the journey went through other charming places, like the New Cathedral built during the 19th century Romantic Expansion. Discovery of the stunning Florida Park.

Between centenary trees lies the Zulueta Palace, and the Vitoria Green Capital office in Senda Promenade. The tour finished in front of the Fine Arts Museum and the symbolic facade of the Basque Lehendakari Palace, called Ajuria Enea.

Departure point: Virgen Blanca (Vitoria-Gasteiz green sculpture)

Route: Going to Salburua, just 3 kilometers from the city center, one of the peri-urban parks that make up the city’s Green Belt and contains wetlands of international importance registered under the Ramsar Convention. This natural ecosystem is home to numerous species of birds and endangered animals, such as the European mink. Ataria, a nature interpretation center, can also be found in this area. Journey with electric bicycles along the various routes around and between the main lagoons.

Visit of 2 civic centers: Ibaiondo & Zabalgana.

Discovery the operating model of Vitoria-Gasteiz network of civic centers: remarkable local public facilities which combine sport, cultural and social facilities aiming to promote the development of cultural and sporting habits alongside harmonious coexistence and citizen participation.

Planning for liveable streets: towards a liveable, vibrant and resilient city through new mobility and public space strategies.

This visit aimed to show the basic principles of the public space and sustainable mobility strategy which Vitoria-Gasteiz has been implementing over the last decade. Gifted with meticulous human-scale planning, the capital city of the Basque Country has been able to offer a comprehensive answer to the challenges posed by the need to transform the city in terms of mobility, opting decisively for eminently active mobility and for a modernising revamp of its public transport system.

Founded in 1992, the Technology Park of Álava is a bet of the Basque Public Administration (Basque Government, provincial Council of Álava and Town Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz) with the aim to diversify the Basque business network towards the company of the future. Its mission has been to act as a catalyst for technological innovation and development in the Basque Country, encouraging to share knowledge and transfer technology among companies, technological agents and universities. Thus, it stimulates the creation and growth of innovative enterprises while offering quality spaces and facilities alongside value-added services in a sustainable way.

The aim of this visit was to showcase the flourishing business activity in the Álava Technology Park by means of a guided tour of the park including BIC Araba, Technological and Research Centers and/or companies from a variety of sectors such as Biotechnology, Aeronautics and Engineering.
BIC Araba (Álava Business and Innovation Center), offers support services to entrepreneurs and companies with the objective of promoting innovative and/or technological business initiatives and encouraging their development.

A tour of municipal buildings which have been refurbished following sustainability guidelines: Europa Palace, housing in the Zaramaga district and housing in the Medieval Quarters.

The tour also included a newly-constructed building, constructed following sustainability guidelines (Salburua district).

This lab introduced innovative and successful projects such as the creation of an ecological neighborhood featuring environmental requirements for the future in Bad-Kreuznach (DE). It also presented the industrial zone with space-saving, innovative and resource-optimized management processes in Karlsruhe (DE), as well as a sustainable university in Querétaro (MX) that has implemented water conservation, carbon capture and electricity generation measures through alternative sources.

The aim of this lab was to create a work-group of higher education institutions based in network cities to establish cooperation mechanisms in order to facilitate student and faculty exchanges, dual degrees, internship opportunities, research partnerships and online collaboration among universities. This group strengthened cooperation across the network and enabled cities and universities to further infuse international and comparative perspectives to their existing missions.

Technology parks are an important part of the habitat of cities, they welcome the business activities of new and consolidated companies and help to generate wealth, not only economic but also of knowledge and experience. During this lab, participants also had the opportunity to learn about a successful business incubator that encourages and enables entrepreneurs to create new business ventures within the region. In addition, experiences and good practices were shared to help position and improve this sector.

Cities have a very important role in leading the circular economy as they can be the driving force for change by directly influencing citizenship regarding awareness and habit changes. Resources are limited and we need to be aware of this by promoting alternatives and encouraging good practices. This work-group served to pool the various actions and to look for new ideas and propositions that will help to reach an actual improvement.

Thinking of cities directly leads to thinking of the people who inhabit them. A city without its people would not be a city. Therefore, giving people a real chance to participate is primordial. They know the needs of each sector of the population. Citizen participation policies can help to turn cities into spaces of respect and shared construction. This work-group focused on the different forms of participation and how to bring about such participation.

Departure point: Virgen Blanca (Vitoria-Gasteiz green sculpture)

Tour: Crossing by Virgen Blanca square and its monument, to the Vitoria Battle against the Napoleon troops, where the popular Celedón comes from the sky, the patronal feasts symbol, the journey went through other charming places, like the New Cathedral built during the 19th century Romantic Expansion. Discovery of the stunning Florida Park.

Between centenary trees lies the Zulueta Palace, and the Vitoria Green Capital office in Senda Promenade. The tour finished in front of the Fine Arts Museum and the symbolic facade of the Basque Lehendakari Palace, called Ajuria Enea.

Departure point: Cathedral Bowling alley

Tour: In addition to the tour included in the visit to the cathedral, visit of the bell tower, the City’s lookout. The belfry, that provides a unique panoramic view of the Álava Valley, can be reached by strolling along the new walkway, climbing the panoramic staircase from the restored room above the portico and ascending in a modern glazed elevator that ensures accessibility for all.