Gällivare (Sweden) - Following the Icsid Interdesign workshop in March-April 2009, Swedish-based participant, Lars Albinsson, (Consultant & Researcher) was appointed by the Municipal Council of Gällivare and local mining company LKAB to head up the post-Interdesign project 'The New Gällivare', an initiative to explore the future possibilities and aspirations of residents and local businesses.

The project is now fully funded with 3,000,000 Euros raised through the local government, local mining company LKAB, the Swedish Government, the European Union Regional Development Funds and funding for sustainable cities.

A large-scale discussion group with the citizens and stakeholders of 'The New Gällivare' will take place from 23-24 January and from 6-7 February 2010. All of the local citizens will be invited to attend and provide preferred future scenarios in two steps:

The purpose of this interactive exercise is to focus discussion on the future of the whole of Gällivare. Students aged 14-18 from schools throughout the municipality will be involved in the organisation of the meetings. The students will help other citizens in the process and also provide their own visions. Well over two hundred people are expected at each meeting.

Gunilla School, which is now closed for teaching, will be the meeting point and communications centre in collaboration with LKAB. The school building will also host offices for LKAB, which will allow for a café and restaurant.

The New Gällivare project team have developed four planned scenarios (together with some leading Scandinavian experts on trade and planning) to illustrate the possible developments in meeting the future needs for example, new housing. Parts of these developments for example, the assignment of housing lots, can commence within the next six months.

The geographic area deemed unsafe for habitation due to the crumbling ground and dwindling building structures continues to grow and now includes 'The Elevhems' area of Gällivare, which is now within the danger boundaries. There are still 72 families that have not found a place to move to, in addition a further 80 people in other parts of Gällivare are waiting for lots to build on, which is the reason for the rapid progression of lot allocation in the next six months.

As 2010 is election year in Sweden, the project has maintained its stake in the political agenda so far. Organisers are hopeful that the interest and involvement from the government continues as development progresses.

The New Gällivare project was presented to the Municipal Council, which resulted in a decision to have a special council meeting dedicated to issues from neighbouring area Malmberget, which has been well received by the public and media.


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As a parallel initiative to the New Gällivare project underway in the municipality of Gällivare and Malmberget; The 'City Move Center' project is intended to become a centre for city relocation - an international research and networking hub encompassing how a society can be moved in a humanistic, economic and sustainable manner.

Icsid Interdesign City Move hosts, SVID, are currently working to establish the center to include the experience and knowledge of the City Move workshop and how these findings can be shared to benefit other societies and governments facing the same challenges globally. SVID will host a conference in Stockholm in February to discuss other common issues for city displacements such as flooding caused by climate change to contribute further content to the City Move center.

For more information, please contact:

Claes Frössén
Head of creative relations and special projects - SVID
Swedish Industrial Design Foundation
Sveavägen 34, 6tr
SE-111 34 Stockholm
t: +46 406 84 45 Mob +46 705 36 73 23
e:
w: www.svid.se