Some of the mothercities that we are working at:

• Mbita, Kenya, see also RusingaIsland
• Piacenza, Italy
• Vienna, Austria, see also Floridsdorf

In fact, maybe the theme of becoming MotherCities is one of the strongest theme in the debate about innovation and future development of cities. Taking into account that the most pressing issue of our time is unemployment, lack of income, a growing gap between have and have-nots, the formal economy can no longer work on the assumption that their customers are automatically provided with money and resources.

Rather the central theme in this changing economy is the support and the empowerment of individual and collective potential to generate resources. So a highly developed economic machine has to accept that the epicenter of value creation is shifting to the people themselves, and providing tools, support and advocacy that enable self - reliant action outside the machine.

Regaining this balance will lead cities to a new and old role: become the hub of activities in their region and fire the enthusiasm and the ability of people to become entrepreneurial, creative and self-sustaining.

We hope to work on schemes of innovation in that direction.

• /Piacenza