Event review
The webinar “From Departure to Destination”, held on 25 February 2025 in the framework of the Mapineq project explored strategies to enhance the attractiveness and sustainability of towns and regions in Germany. Discussions focused on regional perception gaps, the role of media, governance challenges, and funding opportunities.
You can watch the presentations and discover key recommendations at our factsheet.
Speakers:
• Elena Kountidou, Managing Director, Neue Deutsche Medienmacher*innen
• Jan Paul Heisig, Professor of Sociology, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung
• Samina Sultan, Senior Economist, Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V.
• Thomas Wobben, Director for Legislative Works, European Committee of the Regions
Key Discussion Themes and Actionable Recommendations
1 – Regional Attractiveness and Economic Progress
– Factors that make a place attractive are more similar across socio-economic groups than commonly assumed.
– Openness to population diversity is particularly valued by highly educated individuals, while cost of living is a key concern for lower-income groups. However, overall preferences tend to be quite similar.
– Economic indicators in Eastern Germany are improving, but the population still perceive regional stagnation. Population decline linked to high emigration is seen as one key element contributing to this persistent perception amongst the residents.
– Action Point: Provide data-driven narratives to counteract negative perceptions and highlight economic progress.
2- Media Influence and Local Narratives
– Negative news narratives contribute to regional pessimism (e.g., the term “dying regions”).
– The decline of local newspapers has led to repetitive and often negative news coverage.
– Editorial boards lack diversity and rarely promote citizen engagement, which impacts the quality of regional storytelling.
– Action Point: Invest in quality local journalism and promote “constructive journalism” to improve regional narratives.
3- Governance and Leadership Development
– Local actors tend to be trusted more than national institutions, presenting an opportunity for regional leadership.
– Many municipalities lack structured education and training for mayors and local officials.
– Companies, particularly in Eastern Germany, tend to not see themselves as active stakeholders in regional development. Local entrepreneurs could play a stronger role in fostering trust and engagement in regional development.
– Action Point: Develop leadership training programs for local politicians and strengthen collaboration between local businesses, policymakers, and communities to create more inclusive regional development initiatives.
4- Funding opportunities
– Regional projects often face funding challenges due to poor knowledge on funding opportunities at national and EU levels, limited networks and bureaucratic barriers, among others.
– EU funding for local initiatives are essential.
– Action Point: Advocate for EU and national funding to support regional projects, educate local politicians in fundraising opportunities.
Conclusion
The webinar highlighted the need for a multi-faceted approach to regional development, integrating economic strategies, a new approach to local journalism, leadership training, and funding solutions. Addressing regional pessimism requires both tangible investments and a shift in narrative, reinforcing optimism through inclusive and data-driven policymaking.
This article is based on this post, first published on Population Europe.