Member(s) of Government responsible for this response
Rudi Vervoort
Minister-President of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Urban Development and urban renewal, Tourism, the Promotion of the Image of Brussels and Bicultural issues of regional importance
Ans Persoons
Secretary of State of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Urbanism and heritage, European and international relations, Foreign trade and Fire fighting and emergency medical assistance
Response
We support parts of this proposal
and we can implement them.
Explanation
This Manifesto of the Brussels International is the final result of a participatory process in which 1,500 international Brussels residents were given the opportunity to have their say on the regional policies that affect their daily lives. This was an innovative democratic participation project that gave international Brusselers, non-Belgian residents without the right to vote in the regional elections, the chance to have their voices heard in policy nonetheless.
The manifesto was presented to members of the Brussels parliament in 2022. The Brussels government officially took note of the manifesto in spring 2023.
It is important that this dialogue continues. That is why the Brussels Commissioner for Europe and International Institutions and the Brussels-Capital Parliament have taken the initiative to organise a panel in October 2023 in which Brussels internationals will work together with Brussels MPs on concrete recommendations for Brussels policy. Following a broad call for candidates, they will select a representative group of international Brussels residents to sit on this panel. Beforehand, the Commissioner’s Office will organise some workshops where these participants can determine, together with experts, the exact topics they want to cover. The recommendations of this manifesto will be an important source of inspiration. In preparing and organising this meeting, particular attention will be paid to diversity, neutrality and representativeness.