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Overview
The SESAME Network today includes 15 regional capitals worldwide:
- BADALONA (Catalunya, Espagne / Spain)
- COIMBRA (Centro, Portugal)
- KOROLEV (Moscow Region, Russie / Russia)
- LAFAYETTE (Louisiana, Etats-Unis / USA)
- LONGUEUIL (Québec, Canada)
- MONCTON (New Brunswick/Nouveau Brunswick, Canada)
- NAMUR (Wallonie, Belgique / Belgium)
- NORTHAMPTON (Northamptonshire, Royaume Uni / United Kingdom)
- PARMA (Emilia-Romagna, Italie / Italy)
- PECS (Baranya, Hungary/Hongrie)
- POITIERS (Poitou-Charentes, France)
- SYRACUSE (New York, Etats-Unis / USA)
- VAASA (Ostrobothnia, Finlande / Finland)
- VICTORIAVILLE (Québec, Canada)
- ZHENGZHOU (Henan, Chine / China)
History
The principles governing the co-operation between the member cities of the SESAME Network were expressed in the minutes of the preliminary meeting held in Paris on 26 February 1992 by the Cities of Lafayette, Namur et Poitiers. These three Cities had already signed a co-operation agreement at the 5th "International Business Exchange" (IBE) in Poitiers in 1991. Originating from Lafayette, the IBE was then moving for the first time to another city.
Meeting in Maidstone on 31 July 1992, the Cities of Coimbra, Lafayette, Longueuil, Maidstone, Namur, Northampton, Pécs and Poitiers agreed to organise an international network of Cities with the aim of initiating and developing co-operation in the economic and institutional fields among themselves and all their components (enterprises, administrations, universities and schools, public and private organisations).
On 9 June 1993 the City of Moncton officially joined this network on the occasion of the 6th IBE in Namur and the name "SESAME Network" was then officially adopted. In the following years the Cities of Agnibilékrou, Badalona, Concepcion, Cordoba, Korolev, Parma, Resita, Syracuse, Toluca, Vaasa and Zhengzhou joined the network and some Cities left.
SESAME is a worldwide network of 15 regional capitals
The members are cities that meet several criteria:
- City actively involved in international relations and having the appropriate resources to fulfil that commitment, in particular an appointed SESAME Officer
- City acting as or being part of a regional centre
- City having one or more institutes or centres of higher education and training (higher education institutions, universities, research centres, etc.)
- City whose business fabric is composed for the most part of small and medium-sized enterprises
- City with a mid-sized population relative to the country.
The Sesame Network has 3 objectives:
- to offer business opportunities to companies
- to enable exchange of experiences in municipal management
- to act as a promotional tool for the Cities
Annual Meeting
Each year delegations from the SESAME Cities meet in one of them for the annual meeting, the International Sesame Exchange (ISE), (prior to 2006 called the International Business Exchange). The meetings objectives are:
- to offer companies business opportunities
- to exchange experiences in municipal management.
It allows to discover during 3 days the economic fabric of the Host-City.
The ISE is the opportunity for invited Cities to submit their candidacy to become a member of the SESAME Network.
Previous and Planned Meetings
1993 : 6th IBE - Namur (Belgium)
1994 : 7th IBE - Moncton (Canada)
1995 : 8th IBE - Lafayette (USA)
1996 : 9th IBE - Pécs (Hungary)
1997 : 10th IBE - Longueuil (Canada)
1998 : 11th IBE - Northampton (United Kingdom)
1999 : 12th IBE - Zhengzhou (China)
2000 : 13th IBE - Lafayette (USA)
2001 : 14th IBE - Zhengzhou (China)
2002 : 15th IBE - Badalona (Spain)
2003 : 16th IBE - Syracuse (USA) cancelled (Iraq war)
2004 : 17th IBE - Parma (Italy)
2005 : 18th IBE - Coimbra (Portugal)
2006 : 19th ISE - Vaasa (Finland)
2007: 20th ISE - Victoriville (Quebec Canada)
2008: 21st ISE - Lafayette (USA)
To learn more:
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