At the meeting between Catalonia and the Basque Country, we advanced in mission-oriented innovation
We gathered at Barcelona’s Canòdrom to bring together stakeholders from the Basque Country and Catalonia who are committed to mission-oriented innovation, the transformation of public institutions and collaborative governance.
The meeting, jointly promoted by the Pla Estratègic Metropolità de Barcelona (PEMB) and Arantzazulab, and designed and facilitated together with Igaro, brought together a diverse group of participants, including representatives from provincial councils, the Basque Government, municipalities, development agencies, universities and organisations supporting public innovation processes.
The main objective was to create a trusted space where participants could share experiences, learn from one another and strengthen a community of practice that can help advance new forms of collaborative governance.
A space for building connections
Beyond the presentations, the meeting placed people and the relationships between those driving these kinds of processes at its centre.
Through a range of networking activities, participants had the opportunity to get to know one another, identify shared interests and discover initiatives currently being developed across both territories. The event “passport” (a tool we designed specifically for gatherings like this) together with the collaborative mapping of stakeholders and initiatives helped create new connections while making the richness and diversity of the ecosystem visible.
Learning from different experiences
The event featured contributions from people leading transformation processes across a wide range of fields. We learned about new initiatives and approaches through a series of inspirational keynotes.
Representing Canòdrom and the Colectic cooperative, which manages the building, María Saez welcomed participants by sharing the historical and contemporary significance of this building as a landmark for democratic and technological innovation.
Sara Aguilar, Director of Services at the Barcelona Provincial Council, presented the strategic framework through which the institution is driving systemic transformation processes. She also shared several initiatives already underway, including the framework for priority institutional capabilities, the transformative public action programme, local.iA, and the map of stakeholders, facilities and services for collaborative governance.
Jaume López, researcher and professor at Pompeu Fabra University, invited participants to reflect on the importance of purpose within public institutions and on the need to keep asking “what for?” in every initiative we promote. He stressed that a mission defines what we want to transform, while purpose explains why we do what we do.
Fátima Fernández, researcher at the School of International Futures, shared key insights on future-proof policy making and on integrating intergenerational equity into public decision-making. She explained how they are building a movement at the intersection of these ideas to enable long-term transitions and invited participants to join the networks that are already active. Keep an eye out, as they are organising an event in Barcelona this October.
Finally, Arnau Monterde, Director of Participation and Democracy Innovation at Barcelona City Council, presented the city’s strategy to strengthen democratic quality and citizen participation. He also showcased internationally recognised initiatives such as Decidim, the development of public digital infrastructures, Barcelona City Council’s Open Source Office, the City Pact for Digital Rights and Democratic Technologies, and a pioneering strategy for ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Reflecting on shared challenges
The meeting dedicated significant time to collaborative work and reflection in small groups.
During the first conversation, participants exchanged experiences across the different areas of action identified in the initiatives map, including climate, food systems, mobility, health, social cohesion and economic development, among others.
The discussion then turned to some of the key cross-cutting challenges that are also being addressed through Misioen Topagunea: how to institutionalise the mission-oriented approach, how to foster meaningful engagement from different stakeholders, how to develop the leadership and political cultures needed to enable transformation, and how to make progress in evaluating these kinds of processes. The conversations also raised new questions and topics, which we will continue to share as we build on the reflections initiated through this space.
A starting point for continuing the journey
The final reflection revealed a clear consensus: there is a shared commitment to giving continuity to this space.
Participants agreed on the importance of continuing to create opportunities to connect, exchange learning and build collective knowledge that contributes to advancing the mission-oriented approach, transforming public institutions and strengthening more collaborative models of governance.
This gathering marked another step along that path. It also represents the starting point for new conversations, new learning and new collaborations that we will continue to foster and share through Arantzazulab.
