As a part of the initiative "Oder Partnershaft" the Poznan City Hall together with the Berlin Senate Administration is implementing the bilateral project "Dialogue of Cities." The project involves cooperation in various fields of urban development, including the suburbanization and revitalization of city centres and consortia of commercial use and making riverside areas in the cities attractive.
Workshop in Poznan
On 8 February 2012, the representatives of the Berlin Senate Administration, at the invitation of the Poznan City Hall, participated in the workshop, which initiated the project of cooperation between administrations of regional governments of both cities, entitled "Dialogue of Cities." The theme of the workshop was the problem of migration of the inhabitants of large cities and development of riverside areas. The Polish side presented the analysis of the phenomenon of migration of the residents of Poznan and examples of new projects undertaken to develop the bank of the Warta River, such as "Wartostrada" and the activities within the established Partnership "For the Warta River."
Workshop in Berlin
On 10 and 11 September 2012, the representatives of the Poznań City Hall, at the invitation of the Berlin Senate Administration, participated in the workshop, which was organized as part of the project of cooperation between administrations of regional governments of both cities "Dialogue of Cities," which was launched in February 2012.
During the workshop, the employees of the Poznan City Hall got acquainted with the history of development of Berlin, its potential and problems, and the most important urban and architectural projects implemented or planned in the city. The presented examples of renewal of urban space were related, among other things, to the Samariterviertel region which is an example of a revival of a central residential area, which was originally inhabited mainly by low-income people. Berlin Senate Administration presented a number of measures undertaken in Berlin, aimed at development and making the area on the Spree River attractive, paying particular attention to the Mediaspree project, whose objective is the creation of a media district in the immediate vicinity of the river, which would include companies and institutions working in the field media and culture. These entities also invest in improving the quality of public spaces, such as the green and recreational areas. The representatives of the Poznan City Hall also had an opportunity to participate in the field vision in the Rummelsburger Bucht district, during which they were shown innovative solutions for the management of rainwater, used for irrigation of street and residential green areas and in consequence of ground water enrichment.
International conference "Migrations of residents of large cities"
On 12 December 2012, an international conference on migrations of residents of large cities was held in Poznan. Its aim was to analyse the causes and effects of and forecasts for the migrations of residents of large cities, as well as the exchange "best practices" connected with proper responding to adverse demographic phenomena. As a part of the joint project "Dialogue of Cities," the Poznan City Hall invited the representatives of the Berlin Senate Administration to participate in the conference and present their view on the problem of migration.