Coordinating and moderating

Two Ukrainian-German urban development conferences [Kiev & Lviv]

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

In 2016 and 2017, two Ukrainian-German urban development conferences of the Ukrainian Ministry for Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Municipal Services (MinReg) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) took place.

Bürogemeinschaft Gauly & Volgmann was involved in the organization and development of the conferences “Possibilities of Integrated Urban Development for Sustainable Development in Ukraine” (2016 in Kiev) and “Livable Cities in Ukraine” (2017 in Lviv). The conference´s main topics were:

  • Moderated panel discussion explaining the objectives of the Leipzig Charter, appropriate planning tools and funding opportunities as well as reflection on the current reform needs and processes of Ukraine
  • Presentation of practical examples and networking, e.g. Pecha Kucha presentations on innovative approaches for creating liveable cities
  • Launching of the new Ukrainian-German cities network that aims to implement an integrated urban development approach as well as peer to peer learning as a good practice
  • Award ceremony of the 1. and 2. Leipzig-Preis für innovative Projekte der integrierten Stadtentwicklung in der Ukraine  1st and 2nd Leipzig Prize for innovative projects of integrated urban development in Ukraine (awarded by MinReg and BMUB)

Goals of the conference:

  • Knowledge transfer and exchange of experiences among experts of all relevant administrative levels
  • Formation and strengthening of networks for direct cooperation
  • Encouraging cities to award prizes for particularly good approaches in the development of liveable cities

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Partner: Iris Gleichmann and Mariana Kuchlevska (in different constellations)
Period: 2016-2017

Urban design competition “Leipzig Prize” [Ukraine]

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

Against the background of intensive cooperation in urban development between the Ukrainian Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Municipal Services (MinReg) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), both ministries have organized the urban planning competition “Leipzig- Award for Integrated Urban Development in Ukraine 2016 “.  The award recognizes innovative projects and procedures in the spirit of the “Leipzig Charter on a Sustainable European City”, which were developed in cooperation with civil society and successfully implemented in the past four years.

bgh. was involved in the preparation, coordination and accompaniment of the competition.

Objectives:

  • Promoting the sustainable development of cities, neighborhoods or urban spaces in Ukraine
  • Improving cooperation between city administration, politics, business, science and civil society
  • Publicizing good solutions for integrated urban development
  • Promote actions and initiatives of Ukrainian cities or civil society actors that make innovative contributions to integrated urban development

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Partners: Iris Gleichmann and Mariana Kuchlevska
Period: 2016

 

 

Security & Urban Development [South African delegation]

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

Organization and accompaniment of a specialist information trip for a high-ranking South African delegation on the topic “Security and urban development – violence prevention and implementation of national strategies at the municipal level” using the example of Germany.  The study tour was organized on behalf of the GIZ programme “Inclusive violence and crime prevention (VCP)” .

Objectives :

  • Exchange ofexperience in the implementation of various strategies, policies and governance systems to promote safe neighborhoods and local violence prevention in Germany
  • In-depth knowledge of funding instruments for integrated urban development in Germany with a special focus on the urban development program “Social City” and the associated stabilization and upgrading of urban, economically and socially disadvantaged and structurally weak urban and suburban areas
  • Presentation of innovative project examples of integrated urban development with a focus on urban security and violence prevention
  • Professional exchange between German and South African specialist colleagues

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Period: 2016

 

Peer-learning trip “Strategies and support mechanisms of socially sustainable urban development” [international delegation]

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

Building on previous cooperations and exchanges, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) has invited high – ranking representatives of the national and municipal levels of some of its core international partners for the 9th Federal National Government Development Policy “Urban Energies – Integrating Living”.   to Leipzig (18. 09.2015) and to a subsequent peer-learning trip (18.-21.09.2015). Partners from South Africa,USA, India and Ukraine participated in the study trip. The peer-learning trip was carried out by theDeutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in the context of the above mentioned project.

The aim of the trip was to promote international cooperation, to allow space for dialogue and exchange among peers on current urban development issues of common international relevance, and thus to promote urban development along the principles and objectives of the Leipzig Sustainable European City Charter  and the Urban Energies Memorandum.

Central themes of the peer-learning journey were strategies and support instruments for socially sustainable urban development. Based on concrete examples in the cities of Leipzig, Nuremberg and Munich, an exchange of strategies, mechanisms and integrated concepts for a socially inclusive urban development with regard to the overall urban context as well as urban, economically and socially disadvantaged city and suburbs took place. A particular focus was on examples of the urban development program “Social City”.  In addition to the cross-governmental partnership on Urban Development Funding – the design of partnerships between city administration, private sector and civil society at city level was highlighted as possible success factors and reflected in an international context.

bgh. supported GIZ in the preparation, implementation and follow-up of the peer-learning journey.

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Period: 2015

Moderation of the opening event of “Connective Cities”

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

The international city network “Connective Cities”  represents a cooperation between the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH, Engagement Global gGmbH / Service Agency Communities in One World and the German Association of Cities.

Against the background of worldwide ongoing urbanization processes, the management of cities and the inter-communal exchange are becoming increasingly important. New and changed challenges, such as rapidly increasing numbers of inhabitants, social segregation or traffic and environmental problems have to be identified and dealt with. Many cities have already come up with their own solutions and experience, which can also be helpful for other cities. Therefore, the international city network, which has existed since 2014, aims at a global exchange of expertise at the municipal level and thus promotes sustainable urban development.

In June 2014, the opening event of “Connective Cities” took place in the Old Town Bath in Leipzig.

bgh. took over the moderation of the kick-off event with the topic “Sustainable urban development between resource efficiency and sufficiency”, in which more than 100 experts from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe took part.

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Period: 2014

Several study tours on the subject of “Local Self-Government”

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

Another focal point of the study tours  that have been carried out in recent years, is the topic of local self-government and municipal development. Between 2010 and 2014, bgh participated in the conception, organization, coordination, facilitation and accompaniment of three study tours in this field. For example, high-ranking Georgian and Azerbaijani experts exchanged views with German colleagues,  in the cities of Berlin, Cottbus, Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Ludwigshafen, Potsdam, Speyer, Stuttgart and Wiesbaden.

Objectives of the study tours:

  • Providing knowledge on legal framework conditions for the exercise of local and regional self-government in Germany
  • Municipal development using the example of German municipalities
  • Presentation of practical experiences of German administrations in the area of ​​national financial relations, public service provision and the handling of natural resources
  • Professional exchange between German and Georgian colleagues

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Georgia Local Government
Cooperation partners (in different constellations): StadtLabor, Tröger + Mothes GbR 
Period: 2010-2014

Presentation of the local working group Leipzig in the EU project “LC-Facil”

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

In the period from 2008 to 2010, seven European cities – including Leipzig – participated in the EU project “LC-Facil”.  This project deals with the current experiences, methods, instruments, successes and challenges of integrated and sustainable urban development along the goals of the “Leipzig Charter – the sustainable European city”. “LC-Facil” was supported by the EU program URBACT , which was funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). 

The city of Leipzig took over the patronage in this project. In addition to its own experience in this field, Leipzig also brought the commitment to the “Leipzig Charter”, which was adopted in Leipzig in 2007 at a meeting of European Ministers for Urban Development in Leipzig. As part of this project, a local working group was established in Leipzig, which was managed and moderated by bgh. Tasks of the working group were the critical review of previous solutions of integrated urban development and the derivation of recommendations for the future strategic orientation of the city of Leipzig.

Commissioned by: City of Leipzig, Office for Urban Renewal and Housing Development (ASW)
Period: 2010-2011

Several study tours on “Regional Planning and Development and Territorial Reform”

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

An additional focus of the study tours is the topic of regional planning and development as well as territorial reform. Overall, bgh. supported the conception and organization as well as in the implementation, accompaniment, coordination and moderation of about seven study tours in this thematic field. The delegations were composed of sexperts and high-level decision-makers, such as government officials, service companies and scientific institutions in Georgia, Armenia, Myanmar and South Africa.

In some of the delegation visits, technical exchange took place with a focus on political transformation processes, such as the parliamentary elections held in 2012 for the first democratic change of government in Georgia. At this time, the new government in Georgia, under the auspices of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, planned a comprehensive territorial reform affecting the administrative structure, public services, funding schemes, etc. The exchange of expertise in the delegation trip generated important input for this transformation process.

Other travels were embedded in the GIZ ” Local Governance ProgrammeSouth Caucasus”,  which aims to improve coordination between municipalities, regional and national levels of administration in order to strengthen democratic decision-making in Armenia.

A training and coaching of Myanmar experts, with the aim of strengthening participatory processes in regional planning, took place on site in Myanmar and was the focus of another trip.

Main topics:

  • Regional and regional planning as well as regional management in Germany
  • Implementation of territorial, municipal and administrative reforms
  • Legal frameworks as well as public participation and citizen communication processes in the context of administrative reforms
  • Democratization
  • Local and regional planning for economic development
  • Significance, forms and mechanisms of inter-municipal cooperation
  • Legal-regulatory and organizational frameworks, financing models and inter-municipal cooperation in practice
  • Professional exchange between German and foreign colleagues from different political and administrative levels

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Good Local Governance in the South Caucasus, Local Government Georgia, Strengthening Local Governance South Africa
Cooperation partner (on one tour): Dipl.-Ing. Jens Gerhardt

Study tours on “Integrated Urban Development”

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

In recent years, Bürogemeinschaft Gauly & Volgmann (bgh.) organized  numerous study tours on sustainable or integrated urban development. Our services encompassed the organization, accompaniment, moderation and professional design of study tours for different delegations from China, England, South Africa, Ukraine and the United States. The high-level  delegations included vice-ministers, mayors, city administration officials and representatives of local initiatives.

The tours were embedded in different GIZ programs, such as “Strengthening Local Governance” in South Africa or “Local Development and Urban Rehabilitation in Lviv” (Ukraine)

Objectives of the study tours:

  • Motivation, support and knowledge transfer for integrated and sustainable urban development in one’s own country
  • Presentation and discussion of selected approaches, procedures and experiences in integrated urban development
  • Exchange of experiences with specialist offices and institutions in Germany (for example Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Halle an der Saale)

Main topics:

  • Integrated urban development concepts as appropriate instruments for the sustainable development of cities
  • Presenting practical experiences and models for cross-administrative governance and communicating integrated urban development
  • Building structures in the city administration
  • Neighbourhood management
  • Urban design, city lighting, underground city, revitalization of idle industrial areas

Commissioned by: Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Municipal Development and Urban Rehabilitation Lvi (Ukraine), City Institute of the City of Lviv (Ukraine)
Cooperation partners (in selected projects) Dipl.-Ing. Jens Gerhardt

Period: 2009-2015

Study tours on “Municipal Finance”

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

Another focal point of the study tours organized by Bürogemeinschaft Gauly & Volgmann (bgh.) was the topic of Municipal Finance. From 2008 to 2014, bgh. was involved in the conception, organization, coordination and moderation of four study tours for Georgian and Armenian experts on this topic. The exchange of experience with high-ranking Georgian and Armenian experts took place in Berlin, Borna, Dresden, Glashütte, Leipzig, Meissen, Pirna, Potsdam and Wilsdorff.

Main topics:

  • Municipal financial management in Germany
  • Municipal Accounting
  • Municipal supervision in Germany
  • CCost-performance accounting

Objectives of the study tours:

  • To provide experience in the delivery of results-based budgeting in relation to the transition of the financial system within the implementation of municipal and administrative reform in Armenia
  • In-depth knowledge of related processes in municipalities using the example of Germany. Exemplary presentation and transmission of specific practical experiences

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Good Local Governance Programme  South Caucasus, Local Self-Government in Georgia
Period: 2008-2014

Several study tours on “Climate and Environment”

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

In addition to the content of study tours already mentioned, Bürogemeinschaft Gauly & Volgmann (bgh.) is involved in the conception, organization, implementation and accompaniment of study tours in the field of “Climate and Environment”. Since 2005, four study tours have been organized for high-level delegations from Ukraine, Chile, India, South Africa and Vietnam in this thematic area. The participants were based in different professional areas and institutions, such as municipal and regional authorities or energy management.

The focal points of the delegations differed and focused at different levels and degrees of detail. They all aimed at knowledge transfer and awareness raising for climate-friendly and sustainable urban development.For example, the study tour of the Ukrainian delegation was an exchange of practical experience and thus a basis for improving existing national bills.

The Vietnamese study tour aimed to transform Da Nang into a model city for sustainable urban development in Vietnam within a few years.

The most recent event in this thematic area was a study tour in September 2016, which was embedded in the global project ” Cities Fit for Climate Change” (CFCC) . In this project, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH works alongside German cities with their partners in Chile, South Africa and India. CFCC seeks to develop integrated climate-friendly urban development tools in order to test new solutions.

The study tour provided the partner from Germany and abroad with a supporting program for the 10th National Congress on National Urban Development Policy in Hanover (14.-16.09.2016).  The participants visited institutions, actors and municipalities in the cities of Bonn, Leipzig, Halle and Hanover, as well as best practice projects of climate-friendly urban development.

Main topics:

  • Municipal energy management
  • Energy efficiency in buildings
  • environmental education and environmental education
  • Environmentally sound urban development
  • Presentation of European approaches, practices and experiences in the area of ​​climate-friendly and integrated urban development

Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Cooperation partner (on one study tour): urban management systems (u.m.s)  GmbH
Period: 2005-2016

Sustainable development Zschochersche Straße

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

In the years 2002 to 2006,  bgh. was entrusted with drawing up an integrated action plan for the sustainable development of the Zschochersche Straße shopping street in the west of Leipzig.

Main topics:

  • Control of the structural implementation
  • Control of the location marketing
  • Advice to traders, homeowners and other local actors

This contract was awarded under the European Community Initiative URBAN II. 

Commissioned by: City of Leipzig, Office for Urban Renewal and Housing Development (ASW)
Period: 2002-2006

European Initiative URBAN II – Coordination of focus area “Urban Space Qualities” [Leipzig]

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

URBAN II  was an EU support program, which built on the first funding period (URBAN I) from 1994-1999 in the 2000-2006 funding period. The financing of non-investment measures should improve the urban situation of cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants. With the help of a total budget of 730€ million earmarked for URBAN II from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF),  the program addresses issues such as crime, unemployment and pollution.

On behalf of the City of Leipzig, bgh. was involved  in the framework of URBAN II “Leipzig West”,  with Astrid Heck  acting as coordinator of the focus area “urban space qualities” (about 7.5 million €).

Key activities:

  • Development of concept
  • Identification, evaluation, preparation and implementation of projects
  • Moderation of the working group “urban spatial qualities”
  • citizen participation in the context of the topic urban spatial qualities
  • Participation in public relations
  • Reporting to licensing authorities and public

Commissioned by: City of Leipzig, Office for Urban Renewal and Housing Development (ASW)
Period: 2001-2006

Participation and Mobile Consultation in the West of Leipzig [Leipzig]

Posted on by Conny Fiebig

As part of URBAN II “Leipzig West” bgh. was involved in further topics:

  • Establishment, coordination and monitoring of the free advisory system “Mobile Beratung” for building owners and local crafts businesses
  • Controlling the sustainable development of the “Zschochersche Straße” business street and reuse of city-defining fallow land
  • Participation in the preparation of action-related urban development plans, in particular the Conceptual District Plan for the West of Leipzig (KSP West)
  • Moderation of citizen events to projects of sustainable urban development

Commissioned by: City of Leipzig, Office for Urban Renewal and Housing Development
Period: 2001-2006