On November 19th and 20th, the second half of the Pioneers program took place in New York City. Pioneers began in April in Amsterdam, and is sponsored by the Dutch Foreign Ministry in association with Humanity in Action. The Pioneers Sessions are a mix of workshops, seminars, and informal conversation. Some of the questions that were raised:
1/ What are the specific qualities of urban life in Amsterdam and New York City that create the conditions in which today’s Pioneers thrive?
2/ How do aspects of history, politics, social traditions, cultural heritage, diversity and demography in Amsterdam and New York City provide both the tensions and inspirations for civic engagement in multicultural cities?
3/ In which ways do global forces-technological change, economic recession, migration patterns, religious expression, and increasing diversity-present challenges and opportunities that today’s Pioneers can act upon at the local level?
Beyond the sessions in Amsterdam and New York City, Pioneers will continue their dialogue through a virtual network and participate in drafting a manifesto, a vision statement for their two cities, based upon insights drawn from their experiences during the sessions. This approach will guarantee a wider and sustained impact of the meetings beyond the individual participants.
