World Forum for Suburban Local Authorities (FALP)

[b][i]A specific approach to the world of metropolises [/i][/b] 2, 3 and 4 March 2006 in Nanterre, France Our traditions and experiences may be many miles apart, and our languages and urban realities may differ, but they share a common reality: that of being local authorities "of the people" now located on the "outskirts" of huge urban metropolises that are characterised by the "centre" to which they are linked. Organised jointly by outlying towns in Europe and Latin America, the "Nanterre International Encounters" which took place in October 2002 permitted an initial exchange of experiences, information, practices and studies concerning this specific question. As a follow-up to those meetings, the worldwide network known as "Outlying Towns & Participatory Democracy" was created, with the aim of inventing and instituting forums in which to pursue these discussions and thereby increasing the variety of players involved worldwide. Thanks to this network, we have been able to make our voices heard, and thus present our problems in detail at major events such as the Worldwide and European Local Authorities' Forums for Social Inclusion, the URBIS conferences and the founding "United Cities and Local Governments" (UCLG) congress. We now want to enter a new phase that will allow us to continue this dynamics of "working together" by using these exchanges to further our mutual understanding of the reality of the world of urban metropolises, drawing on our own specific views and experiences as outlying local authorities, and developing it based on our own inspirations and practical means. As outlying local authorities, the challenges we face, both every day and as part of planning for the future, raise questions concerning the current logic of the "globalised" urban world: a city that belongs to everyone, the direction of national and regional development (marketing of space, spatialization of activities, social segregation and division of land), the right to housing, public services, urban transport, sustainable development, social inclusion, the distribution of wealth, democracy, etc. Our local communities carry with them a great many aspirations and experiences with respect to social inclusion and the creation of new rights. Although they often have very few resources at their disposal, they work towards the citizens' democratic participation in the development of solutions based on solidarity, in the face of inequality and the challenges of today and tomorrow. Our contributions, based on our experience of reality, are vital if we are to construct democratic and sustainable metropolises for everyone within this world we share. To this end, we are launching an appeal to all outlying local authorities throughout the world that wish to participate, as well as to any interested researchers and citizens, to join us in developing the programme for an "Outlying Local Authorities' Forum" which we propose to organize together in Nanterre (Metropolis of Paris - France) on March 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 2006. For further information: http://www.falp.nanterre.fr