Nuremberg wins Federal prize for Cooperative Cities
The city of Nuremberg was awarded the “Federal Prize for Cooperative Cities” at the 14th Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy for its outstanding culture of cooperation. Together with twelve other award-winning cities, Nuremberg is a role model for many other municipalities in Germany. The jury chose three projects submitted by Nuremberg. The prize money amounts to 15,000 euros and is awarded by the “National Urban Development Policy” initiative. Since 2017, the initiative has brought together the federal government, the federal states and the municipalities. With the federal award, the joint initiative honours municipalities that actively promote the work of citizens, associations, neighbourhood groups and socio-cultural actors through various activities and examples, thus contributing to a broad participation in and co-design of urban spaces.
“I am pleased that Nuremberg has received a nationwide award with these three projects and is a role model for other municipalities in Germany,” said Mayor Marcus König. “It is crucial for us to involve citizens, initiatives and associations, as well as many other private participants in our municipal work. Urban development is only possible with the local people, not against them. Only in this way can we find the necessary and important acceptance, only in this way can we succeed in getting residents on board. A high degree of cooperation also contributes to a high degree of satisfaction within the neighbourhood. According to surveys, the majority of Nuremberg residents like living in the city,” emphasises the Mayor.
Image: City of Nuremberg
The city of Nuremberg had submitted three cooperation projects in its application for the federal prize.
These include:
“Raumkompass – Dein Raum für Kultur” (“Space Compass – Your Space for Culture”): this is an intermediary service for those working in the arts, culture and creative industries who are affected by a lack of space. The project started in 2020 and will run for two years. The unique thing here is: independent and urban actors work closely together. The website raumkompass.nuernberg.de, posts and regular newsletters on social media channels provide insights into their work. Interested owners have the opportunity to offer spaces on the platform. At the same time, it offers guidance in the search for spaces for culture in Nuremberg.
Nuremberg Academy of Associations and Volunteers: in this project, which will run until the end of 2022, the foundations are being laid for a Nuremberg Academy of Associations and Volunteers. The offer is aimed at clubs, initiatives and associations (around 3,500 registered clubs in Nuremberg alone), but also at active (well over 100,000) and potential volunteers (160,000 more citizens expressed their interest in a survey). The academy aims to further improve the conditions for voluntary work in Nuremberg and develop cooperative structures.
District coordination: This term refers to district networks, stakeholder participation and social space development in districts that are particularly in need of development. The focus of all those involved – in and out of the city administration as well as among the population – is primarily on the families in the neighbourhoods. To this end, five coordinators are currently out and about in the neighbourhoods. They and other participants are in contact with the residents. The “district mentors” play an important role in this project. These are companies, foundations and Rotary Clubs. They are involved in the neighbourhoods, both ideally and financially. Representatives from offices, day-care centres, social services, schools, youth centres, churches, associations and initiatives meet regularly in district working groups.
The jury of the national award was enthusiastic about the culture of cooperation in Nuremberg. They are convinced that the award-winning Nuremberg projects can be a model for many others throughout Germany. Literally: “Cultural and social district work already has a long tradition in Nuremberg. With the ‘Possibility Spaces’, the City of Nuremberg has now set up a special programme of neighbourhood ideas for the upgrading and revitalisation of public space. The ‘Raumkompass’ serves as an intermediary for artists and cultural workers in need of space. Other instruments encourage the expansion of a culture of recognition and enable cooperation at eye level.”
