Find out all you need to know about our events and how you can take action now.

LOCAL LABS

12-14 November 2021

Held before the conference, the Local Labs facilitate change directly in your municipality – all over Europe and the MENAT region. Join us and experience a brand-new and unique process that fosters local innovation: the ACT NOW Sprint. Drawing on innovative formats like design sprints and hackathons, this process allows participating municipalities to develop a solution for a pressing local challenge. No matter which local challenge or Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) you want to tackle, we are here to guide you through the process.

1. Sign up today

In order to form a Local Lab, you need to register your municipality or local authority. Simply sign up here for free and let us know which challenge or SDG you want to tackle.
Soon you will take part in a weekend full of innovative ideas and solutions.

2. Get organised

Once you register, we will help you get organised. Find 5-10 locals from various backgrounds who are willing to take action with you. Additionally, nominate a Sprint Mentor who is willing to facilitate the process – and don’t worry, we will provide all the tools, structures and training the Sprint Mentor needs.

3. Find solutions and create impact

At the Local Lab you will experience a multi-faceted digital programme including keynotes, best practice exchange and direct feedback from an expert panel. This collaborative and structured problem-solving process will help you to take action – and create impact. Afterwards, you can share your results with international change-makers during the ACT NOW Mayors’ Conference in spring 2022.

Speakers

Josef Lentsch

As Managing Partner of the Innovation in Politics Institute Josef works to identify, develop and apply innovations in politics. Until 2018 he has been the Head of the think and do tank of NEOS a liberal political party in Austria. When he is not working hands on he shares his experiences and ideas through writing. He has already published one book “Political Entrepreneurship – How to Build Successful Centrist Political Start-ups”, which was reviewed in the Financial Times an is currently working on his second book “Political Intrapreneurship – How to Innovate Political Parties from within.”

Josef holds an MSc in Psychology from the University of Vienna, and an MPA in Public Administration from Harvard University.

Ban Ki-Moon
Co-chair Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens | 8th UN Secretary-General

Ban Ki-moon is driven and highly known for his belief in a sustainable future for all. To promote his vision he became a career diplomat in South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and mobilized world leaders around a set of new global challenges, from climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and increasing pressures involving food, energy, and water. He led the efforts for the landmark Paris Climate Agreement and, under his leadership, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda were created.

Ban Ki-moon’s efforts continue till today as he still seeks to empower people around the world to become active global citizens in various positions.

Bahanur Nasya
Head of Wonderland / Director of Eutropian

Bahanur Nasya is a Viennese architect and film producer involved in several international research projects aiming to increase future proofness, diversity and self-determination, while paying attention to common uses and rights. Besides being the Head of Organisations at Wonderland, Director at Eutropian she is also the chairwoman of the association “xsentrikarts”.

Bahanur studied Architecture in Vienna and Barcelona, where she specialised in sustainable architecture and future proof development concepts.

Lisa Olsson
Head of Innovation and transformation, City of Helsingborg

As the first incubator for public services in the city of Helsingborg, Lisa plays an important role in promoting an innovation culture over all levels of the city’s administration. Starting at the top Lisa worked actively with and within the citys top-administration and supported directors to be courageous and prioritise radical change by making visible all the innovation pilots – successes as well as failures. To engage all further employees as well as residents, businesses, and academia in developing smart solutions for societal needs, she built Helsingborgs innovation culture by establishing tools, roles and processes that support and motivate.

In October 2021 she was named the innovation leader of Sweden by National Agency of Innovation – Vinnova and the RISE Research Institutes of Sweden for her work of enabling innovation, concretising political ambition and creating tangible value.

Katya Petrikevich
Co-founder & International Director, Participation Factory

As Co-Founder and International Director of Participation Factory Katya works on mainstreaming best practices in the field of public participation and CivicTech through providing senior advising on participatory process design. As a part of her work, she also conducted research on current trends in tech and innovation for the EU Commission, trained young Western African leaders and activists at the TechCamp and served as a jury member of the Prague Civil Society competition SWITCH.

Katya always brings her extensive knowledge of political science and human rights into the field of participation and civic engagement with special attention paid to the issues of gender parity and inclusion of marginalized groups.

Mitchell Weiss
Richard L. Menschel Professor of Management Practice, Harvard Business School

As award-winning teacher at Havard Business School and author, Mitchell is seeking to share his thoughts on and experiences with Public Entrepreneurship. Both his book “We the Possibility: Harnessing Public Entrepreneurship to Solve Our Most Urgent Problems” and the popular Harvard Business School course, center around the idea that entrepreneurial spirit and savvy in government are growing, transforming the public sector’s response to big problems at all levels.

Prior to joining Harvard Business School, Mitchell was chief of staff and a partner to Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino. He guided the mayor’s office response to the attacks on the Boston Marathon and played a key role in starting One Fund Boston. He also helped build the Young American Leaders Program and is an adviser to the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative.

Any questions?
Find out more in our FAQs or drop us an email.

ACT NOW MAYORS’ CONFERENCE

Spring 2022

Field trips and ACT NOW Mayors’ Conference

Meet value-driven leaders who create tangible action. Learn and grow within an international community of change-makers and share your results from the Local Labs.
Stay tuned!

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