Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
Create a conference around the central question: How can we work together to ensure that spatial planning in our country remains future-proof?
For 'Dag van de Ruimtelijke Ordening', 500 representatives from national government, local and regional authorities, businesses, civil society organisations, research institutions and educational organisations gathered at the NBC Congrescentrum to exchange insights on how we can shape the Netherlands in a fair, smart and future-proof way. Space is becoming increasingly scarce and challenges are accumulating, but this also creates positive momentum: stronger collaboration and innovation. Bringing different stakeholders together is essential at a time when major housing needs, a growing defence sector, nature conservation, water safety, the transition to a sustainable economy and the energy supply are all competing for the same limited space. During the opening of the event, Minister Mona Keijzer highlighted that “combining functions is the future.” The plenary programme and 14 different breakout sessions further explored how this can be achieved in practice.
While all parties are working hard to address the challenges ahead, preserving regional identity remains essential for maintaining a strong connection with local communities and their surroundings. During the programme, regional identity was quite literally placed in the spotlight: various artists paid a musical tribute to the landscapes where they grew up. The event concluded with a video featuring the Advendo Korpsen from Sneek marching through the Frisian landscape. The audience was amazed when, just before the end of the video, the marching band unexpectedly entered the venue live, creating a memorable finale to the event.
