A MEXICO-EUROPEAN UNION DIALOGUE ON THE RESCUE OF PUBLIC SPACES AND PROMOTING SOCIAL COHESION BEGINS IN THE FOREIGN MINISTRY

A Mexico-EU dialogue on the rescue of public spaces and promoting social cohesion was inaugurated today in the Foreign Ministry as part of the cooperation program in place between Mexico and the European Union. The dialogue, one of the activities of the “Laboratory of Social Cohesion" in which both parties are involved, enables them to share and learn from successful European policies for recovering public spaces.

Latin American and European experts will discuss their experiences and best practices in an attempt to identify ways to increase cooperation and provide input on a key issue for urban and social development.

Attending the inauguration were SEDESOL’s Undersecretary of Social and Human Development, Luis Mejia Guzman; the head of the European Union Delegation in Mexico, Ambassador Marie-Anne Coninsx; the head of the Program to Rescue Public Spaces, Luis Zamora; and the National Coordinator of the Program to Rescue Public Spaces, Beatriz Rivera Fernandez, both of SEDESOL.

On behalf of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Bruno Figueroa welcomed the participants, saying the event was another example of the excellent level of cooperation between Mexico and the European Union. He said that the issue of social cohesion is important for both parties, as it focuses on their common challenges of reducing social vulnerability and on the political will to overcome these challenges through regional integration and by fomenting a sense in society of being part of a development project. It is hoped that progress is made in enabling the entire community to reach higher levels of well-being in a comprehensive, just and equitable fashion.

Ambassador Figueroa announced that due to the success of the Laboratory of Social Cohesion a second stage of the project is being prepared with the participation of new actors who will address issues vital to social cohesion such as human rights, public safety and access to justice.

The discussion will continue for three days. Amongst its more than 200 participants are public officials, mayors, civil society organizations, experts and renowned academics.