Place Engage: VR/XR Town Hall

🌍 Theme Spotlight: Designing Cities for All – Valuing Diversity in Urban Design 🏙️ How can our cities truly reflect the people who live in them? The World Bank Placemaking Guide reminds us that great public spaces aren’t just built—they’re co-created. Through participatory, dialogue-driven processes, placemaking becomes a powerful tool to center community voices and celebrate diversity in every aspect of urban life. As the Open Call for contributions for Placemaking Week Europe 2025 is live, we’re shining a spotlight on the theme: Designing Cities for All: Valuing Diversity as an Approach to Urban Design; And we want to hear from YOU. Drawing on the Guide’s principles—from walkshops and emotional mapping to creative tools that include children, elderly, and underrepresented groups—we ask: 🔹 How can we design cities that are both physically accessible and socially inclusive? 🔹 How can urban spaces promote empathy, belonging, and sensory connection? 🔹 How can gender, cultural identity, and community needs shape the urban landscape equitably? 🔹 How do we create public spaces that are not only beautiful—but fair? The Guide shows us how placemaking can strengthen social cohesion, transform neglected areas, and avoid displacement by listening deeply to community stories. Examples like the Donaukanal in Vienna or Ksamil Box in Albania remind us: even low-cost, localized efforts can create inclusive, vibrant spaces where everyone feels they belong. ✨ Now it’s your turn— Whether you’re a designer, policymaker, artist, social entrepreneur, or community builder, we invite you to: 📢 Submit your proposal to Placemaking Week Europe 2025! Let’s shape public spaces that value difference, foster connection, and reflect everyone’s right to belong. 🙌 Show us your most inclusive practices, bold ideas, and community-first approaches. We can’t wait to see your submissions! Because cities for all don’t just happen—they’re made, together. 💫 Read more & submit here: https://lnkd.in/d6ywAatu Hans Karssenberg Charlot Schans Lisette van Rhijn Ramon Marrades Vivian Doumpa Laska Nenova Levente Polyak Fredrik Lindstål Mustafa Sherif Ethan Kent Fred Kent Melany van Twuijver Placemaking Education PlacemakingX PlacemakingUS Placemaking Sweden Placemaking Switzerland Placemaking Norway Urbanistica Podcast - Cities for People Place Collective UK #PlacemakingWeekEurope #Placemaking #InclusiveCities #PlacemakingGuide #ValuingDiversity #PlacemakingTools #EquityInDesign #CommunityLedDesign #PublicSpaces #UrbanJustice #RightToTheCity

Clare County Council Approve Appointment of New Chief Executive Members of Clare County Council today (Monday, April 14, 2025) approved the appointment of Gordon Daly as the local authority’s next Chief Executive. The Clare native, with almost three decades of experience working in local government, including county Clare, is expected to take up the position late next month. Mr Daly was recommended for the post by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) in March, with the recommendation then going before Clare County Council’s Corporate Policy Group (CPG) for consideration. Mr Daly’s appointment received final approval from all members of the council this afternoon. Mr Daly said he was looking forward to taking up the role of Chief Executive of Clare County Council. “I am delighted and honoured to join Clare County Council as Chief Executive and I wish to thank the Cathaoirleach and the elected members for approving my appointment. I also wish to acknowledge the very significant contribution to Clare County Council and County Clare by my predecessor, Pat Dowling. I look forward to working in partnership with staff, management, public representatives and all our various partners and stakeholders in further delivering on the potential and ambition of County Clare.” Gordon Daly brings with him 28 years of experience working in local government across five different local authorities, including Clare. For the past decade he has worked with Limerick City & County Council as a Director of Service and more recently as its Deputy Director General where he was responsible for key areas such as Corporate Services, Human Resources and Organisational Development. Gordon previously worked as the Senior Planner for Clare County Council from 2009-2015 where he led the development of various strategies including the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) for the Shannon Estuary and the first Clare Renewable Energy Strategy. He is a past president of the Irish Planning Institute and a graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology, the University of Gloucestershire and the Queen’s University of Belfast.