John Buck moderates the closing plenary of OECD 2024 Local Development Forum
On September 25, 2024, John Buck, President and CEO of the Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC) moderated the Closing Plenary of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) 2024 Local Development Forum.
Held in the neighbouring cities of Malmo, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark, under the theme Building Bridges, Shaping Tomorrow, participants from around the world closed the Forum by discussing how best to embrace an accelerating pace of change for communities, companies, and careers in transition.
In the Closing Plenary that focused on (a) what developers have learned from previous economic transitions, (b) the importance of local leadership during transitions, (c) the thoughtful use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and (d) public-private partnerships, John commented upon CEDEC’s unique Collaborative Economic Development approach, emphasizing the importance breaking down silos between the public, private and civil society sectors, and leveraging their collective creativity and resources to produce tangible economic benefits for communities and workers in challenging times.
The Keynote address for the Closing Plenary was given by Morten Dahlin, Minister for Cities and Rural Districts, Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs and Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Denmark. Panellists for the session included Marie Stærke, Mayor of Køge, Denmark, Rui Monteiro, Director of the Department of Economics, Porto City Council, Portugal, Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, President & CEO, Accelerator for America, and Nanna Højlund, Vice Chair of Danish Trade Union Confederation (FH).
John wrapped up the Closing Session with a rapid fire discussion, exploring with participants how policymakers and practitioners can improve the collection and use of data to better understand and respond to the needs of communities and workers during transitions.
The OECD Local Development Forum is a community of thousands of policy makers and practitioners around the world. In addition to fostering peer learning and exchange, it serves as a two-way street between the OECD and local communities. It not only brings the latest OECD research and analysis beyond ministries to main streets, but also ensures local voices and innovations inform our work.
For more information on the OECD Local Development Forum, please click on https://www.oecd.org/en/networks/oecd-local-development-forum.html
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