Europa-Tag - Referat für Arbeit und Wirtschaft

38 Future Annual Report on European Activities 2011
INTEGRATION
INCLUSION
In this context, Munich could be a
prominent partner, drawing on its
experience in reducing greenhouse
gas emissions, promoting the use of
energy from renewable sources and
encouraging more effi cient power
supply systems. Together with locally
based companies, the Bavarian capital
could position itself as the driver of
development and innovation in the
region.
Intensifying its urban development
activities could also enable it to support
education and social inclusion. In
Germany, the regulations of the EU
Commission are applied by the federal
states, which means that the Free
State of Bavaria is the point of contact
with regard to the design of future
Inclusion: The way forward
Operational Programs. Lord Mayor
Christian Ude has therefore approached
the Free State, requesting
that Munich be included in its future
planning. As things stand, the
Bava rian government still rejects
this demand and has also criticized
the EU Commission’s proposals.
By the end of 2012, the draft regulations
should have been approved
by the European Council and the
EU Parliament. 2012 will thus be another
important lobbying year for
Munich. The EU has already shown its
willingness to involve cities in its
planning: The City of Munich is now
asking the Free State of Bavaria to
do likewise and allow it to be involved
in shaping the Operational Programs.
Diversity and equal opportunities thanks to inclusion
Integration has been on everyone’s lips in recent years. Lately, however,
the term “inclusion” has been cropping up too. But what exactly does it mean?
Inclusion means recognizing and valuing human diversity on the basis of the
greatest possible equality of opportunities. The EU takes inclusion very seriously
and will make it a prime focus in the years ahead. Political solutions will have
to accommodate the need for inclusion in every aspect of life.
The term is often used in relation to people with disabilities. It is, for example,
the pivotal concept in the UN’s Convention on the Rights of People with
Dis abilities, which came into force in Germany in March 2009. Inclusion goes far
beyond the concept of integration, which sought to give people with disabilities
access to existing systems. Inclusion takes the opposite approach, seeking to
create a society in which people with disabilities are naturally a part.
Since it was fi rst introduced, the concept of inclusion has been broadened:
All people, irrespective of skin color, ethnicity, age or lifestyle, should share
equal rights and be able to participate fully in society. Plans exist to develop the
concept further and apply it more to people with a foreign background.
The issue is not to create special rights for these people, but to take a fresh look
at existing and proposed rights from their perspective.
Strategie Europa-Jahresbericht 2011 39
2012: European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity
between Generations
The EU wants to create better
working conditions for the growing
number of older people in Europe.
It also wants to help them play an
active part in society.
As in recent years, the City of Munich
once again has a very varied program
of events in store for its residents
in 2012 under the heading “Growing
old in Munich – gladly!” The program
is designed to attract attention to the
EU’s theme this year, and to encourage
and support both social partners
and society at large in promoting
active aging. A host of events with
varying focuses is intended to draw
the city’s attention to the many aspects
of growing old. The subject
matter covered ranges from “employment
and working conditions for older
people” through “senior citizens and
volunteering” to “opportunities in
old age and the positive side of growing
old”. The events will take place
between January and December 2012
at numerous venues around the city.
Detailed information of events from
January through June is provided in
the printed program “Growing old in
Munich – gladly!” (available in German
only). The program is available
from the City Info center at City Hall,
at centers for the elderly, at municipal
service centers and at community
centers. It can also be downloaded
from www.muenchen.de/alter2012.
Meanwhile, the European Commission
has already unveiled the motto
for the coming year. 2013 will be
the “European Year of Citizens”.
Alongside language barriers, lack of
information presents a major obstacle
to many people as they seek to exercise
their rights as citizens of the European
Union. The EU is setting aside
one million euros to raise awareness
of the rights of citizenship and encourage
participation in the European Union’s
political processes. EU-wide
events on the subject are to be
fl anked by activities to raise awareness
of ser vices such as the “Your
Europe” infor mation portal and the
“Europe Direct” information centers.