Mayor Dagmar Ruscheinsky visits Mulhouse
Foundation of the "Innovative Red Brick Cities" network on 24 June
Mayor Dagmar Ruscheinsky is visiting Mulhouse, Chemnitz's French twin city, from 23 to 26 June. On 24 June, a joint meeting with representatives of the cities of Brno (Czech Republic), Winterthur (Switzerland) and Mulhouse is on the agenda. The cities reaffirm their intention to continue the "Innovative Red Brick Cities©" network. To this end, they signed a declaration of intent to found a network association.
The cities of Tampere (Finland) and Lodz (Poland) also intend to join this network at a later date.
This network will enable the cities to share their experiences in the field of economic reorganisation, to develop their industrial heritage and to manage their cultural policy and tourism promotion in a sustainable way.
The Société Industrielle de Mulhouse (SIM) launched the "Innovative Red Brick Cities" (IRBC) initiative in 2019. It aims to bring together European cities with an industrial past characterised by the textile industry and mechanical engineering - "Cities of the First Industrial Revolution" or "Little Manchester" - that are seeking a phase of economic revitalisation.
The initial entrepreneurship of these towns has been challenged by technological, economic and social changes. Nevertheless, these industrial cities have continued to develop since the second, third and now during the fourth industrial revolution. Entrepreneurship is part of the DNA of these regions, as numerous initiatives show.
The "Innovative Red Brick Cities" project offers the opportunity to share experiences and promote European cities with a similar history. Three main areas were identified in initial discussions with Winterthur, Lodz and Chemnitz:
- The restoration and conversion of industrial sites,
- the promotion of the cities' technological heritage through education and tourism by utilising industrial collections with outstanding potential,
- the development of new businesses and activities in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
The "Innovative Red Brick Cities" initiative aims to open up to cities that share the same criteria and values in order to jointly develop projects for the future - with the aim of exchanging both positive and negative experiences in the field of economic reorientation and the valorisation of industrial heritage.
Dagmar Ruscheinsky's itinerary on 24 June also includes a reception by the Mayor of Mulhouse, Michèle Lutz, a presentation of the cultural landscape in Mulhouse and its current projects, as well as a visit to the Mulhouse Industrial Society.
The cultural programme includes a visit to the JAIM festival (Jeux, Art, Industrie, Mulhouse - Games, Art, Industry, Mulhouse), which opens on 24 June, as well as a tour of the city and a visit to various art and cultural institutions on 25 June.