First external stakeholder workshop on the update of the VASAB Long-Term Perspective for the Territorial Development of the Baltic Sea Region within EUSBSR Annual Forum agenda

“Bridging the old with the new: How can we build a better Baltic Sea future for 2040 and beyond?”, 28 September 9.00-12.00 CET

Predicting the future and preparing selves for unexpected developments has always been in people`s minds. As a response developing shared visions and setting joint goals is crucial to thrive our territories and strengthen the resilience of our communities and places we live, work or enjoy. Participants of this workshop discussed how the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) could look like in 2040 based on the four metaphors that where identified already in the first VASAB vision in 1994:

• the pearls (the urban networking, urban-rural partnerships and functional regions),
• strings (the internal and external digital and physical connectivity),
• patches (selected types of uses supporting dynamism and quality of life),
• systems (spatial planning in function).

During workshop the extent to which current developments can be drivers for developing a clear vision for a more sustainable, thriving and modern BSR were explored.

VASAB Long-Term Perspective for the Territorial Development of the Baltic Sea Region is a strategic document that provides territorial dimension to the EUSBSR framework and macro-regional cooperation in the region. The workshop feeded into the work of the update of the VASAB Long-Term Perspective, which has been initiated in order to adapt to arisen global and regional challenges, such as pandemic reality, demographic trends, impacts of the climate change, territorial patterns of activities, digitalization, etc. This was a kick-off event of series of workshops and other stakeholder engagement activities that will be carried out in 2021-22 throughout the update process.

During the co-creative workshop participants had an opportunity to actively get involved to discuss and explore how the BSR could look like in 2040 and the relevant trends that may influence the spatial development.

WORKSHOP AGENDA AND REPORT OF THE WORKSHOP ARE AVAILABLE BELOW.