Invitation to Policy Conference

About the Conference in Lutherstadt Wittenberg

The demographic change is a European challenge. Affected are peripheral regions of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, along with most parts of rural Europe. A persistent population decline represents a considerable challenge to the provision of services of public interest, including public transport. While passenger totals are reclining, the number of passengers with special needs is increasing, requiring specialised services at the same time as spending for public transportation in less populated rural areas is under pressure. As a strong public transport is however an important location factor for economic activities, the need is evident to find sustainable and innovative ideas for a future-oriented mobility in rural areas.
European challenges call for European answers. Therefore, the policy conference aims at providing a platform to exchange experiences and Central European perspectives on a future-oriented public transport in rural areas.

Referring to the legacy of Martin Luther and the European Reformation movement in the event city Wittenberg, the conference is titled “Reformation needed?! – Theses for a future-oriented mobility in rural areas from a European perspective”. It will focus on needs for changes, innovative approaches, and sustainable strategies to optimise the organisation and planning of public transport.

During the conference activities and first results of the EU project RUMOBIL will be presented (project duration: June 2016 – May 2019). The project is based on a transnational cooperation between public authorities and their transport entities. The main objective of RUMOBIL is to improve public transport in peripheral regions affected by demographic change to better connect them to the national and European transport networks. In total, 12 institutions from seven Central European countries (Germany, Italy, Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Hungary) participate in the project.
The project is supported by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Registration
You are kindly asked to register until 06 October 2017. The registration form can be sent by mail (registration form) or attached to an email (to: sophie.golinski@mlv.sachsen-anhalt.de). Further, online registration can be used: https://goo.gl/forms/XhckR0vvYc0Y0CEH2

Participation is free. Parts of the policy conference are held in German language. Translation will be provided.

Here you can download the Agenda.