After a long break, the German network meeting of Connective Cities took place again in Presence - with an interdisciplinary attendance.

From Chemnitz to Rheinfelden, from young professionals to those about to retire, from youth welfare offices to municipal water supply companies - in August 2023, nearly 20 municipal experts from a wide range of departments, cities and career stages met at the German Association of Cities in Cologne.

The experts from the German municipalities of Connective Cities are a central pillar of the program. The annual exchange with them and their view on the topics and formats of Connective Cities are very important to offer demand-oriented events. The networking between the German experts is a valuable opportunity to discuss transdisciplinary topics and to pass on the experience from one generation of participants to the next.

To kick off the event, Hilmar von Lojewski, Deputy Chief Executive of the German Association of Cities, reiterated the importance of international professional exchange: "It clearly benefits cities when their employees engage in international activities and exchanges!"

Gabi Schock, Chairwoman of the Expert Committee for Municipal Development Cooperation at the German Section of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), used the example of waste management to explain the challenges she has encountered so far in international expert exchanges.

Building on your presentation, participants discussed the questions "How can the added value of international professional exchange be communicated to one's own community?" and "How does collegial consultation work in the face of increasingly complex problems and work contexts?"

 
During the discussions, it became clear how important it is to communicate the benefits of international exchange to the public, politicians and professionals; especially in times of crisis such as climate change and biodiversity loss can only be solved globally and in an interdisciplinary way. Linking the activities and participation to the implementation of overarching goals (such as the 2030 Agenda) can also help to place international expert exchange into a strategic context and make the direct added value clear for decision-makers.