In Umeå, Sweden, the municipality hosted an on-line stakeholder brainstorming event based on a method they learned from an organization in their IURC partner city Kamakura in Japan. The event on February 23 was called Umecom, similar to the original Kamacon based in Kamakura city. Using the Kamacon model, Umeå city project leader Ida Hillebjörk guided some 25 stakeholders and citizens to brainstorming around four ideas to make Umeå a better city.
The ideas were presented by persons who responded to a call for submission of ideas in advance. Some participants then signed on to helping those persons to implement their ideas. The topics were:
- Citizen co-travel to promote social trust, community and sustainability
- A piece of land in central Umeå will be empty for two years before construction. How do citizens want to use the area until then?
- The establishment of a new public ice-skating area in a park next to the river
- A project for citizens to interview each other and make a history record of ordinary peoples’ lives. Who would you like to interview?
Just like Kamacon, Umeå will hold Umecom on a monthly basis. On 17 May, the event will be held in a real meeting venue together with visitors from IURC partners in Kamakura city. Kamacon and Umecom organizers will host the event together.