genk - history
DESCRIPTION
GENK - history. 19th century rural village 1901 the discovery of coal 1917 1988 3 coalmines W.W.I 1960’s4 migration flows miners 1960 Ford Genk industry: 3rd city in Flanders (highway, water, rail) population: 23rd city in Belgium (# 64.000) - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
GENK - history• 19th century rural village • 1901 the discovery of coal• 1917 1988 3 coalmines• W.W.I 1960’s 4 migration flows miners• 1960 Ford Genk
industry: 3rd city in Flanders (highway, water, rail)
population: 23rd city in Belgium (# 64.000)
city structure: center - 3 garden cities – suburbia
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Genk – history of population
64.000 inhabitants:
9% higher educated
10% unemployed
14% with other nationality (# 90)
66% Belgians with foreign origin (50% births from Turkish/Moroccan origin)
60% T/M marriages through marriage migration
40% children in primary school: mothertongue ≠ Dutch
22% children repeat at least 1 year in primary school
GENK – some key figures 2008
GENK – some key feelings / signals
Us <-> Them (Muslims)
Segregation
‘I don’t belong here (anymore)’
Intolerance
3 objectives: equal opportunities! strong social cohesion multiculturalism = asset
essential: living together in diversity citizenship dialogue & co-creation
2009 = FASE 12009 = FASE 1
after 25 years of exemplary efforts
time to talk things through
with people we haven’t reached yet
appointing worries and frustrations
stressing everyone’s possibilities & responsabilities
listing effective actions for all city actors
in a new, open approach
43 challengers…
recruted on a voluntary basis
according a matrix of diversity
choose their own theme(s) and methods
recieve personal training on theme and
method
invite 100 inhabitants for a good
conversation
together with a professional for support &
report
The essence of every conversation:
How do we experience living in Genk today?
What can I do as a citizen
What can we do as a group
What can the local gouvernment do?
And thén what ?
2010: The first report: a newspaper gives an overview of the inhabitants’ priorities, suggestions & own actions
2010 - 2011: fase 2 new challengers initiate new conversations, focussing on ‘what can every citizen do to push this society forward’?
leading civil servants organise debates with local actors (schools, employers, social housing,…), looking for concrete actions to achieve the main goals of ‘De Genks’
2011 - 2012: fase 3 an action programme for all city actors, with the city as an example
a communication strategy to inform all inhabitants
budgets for initiatives that help achieve the main goals of ‘De Genks’
