Institutional representatives, executives of the Local Government A and B, institutions, citizens, young people, women, unemployed, underemployed, responded with their presence to the open call of the Region of Crete to the two-day conference on the Social Economy “Joint Enterprise” taking place today Saturday and tomorrow Sunday 29 May at the Cultural and Conference Centre of Heraklion in the hall of the Experimental Stage. At the same time, there was a large presence in the atrium of the venue by people from social enterprises with display stands who gave information on the social economy in practice to the attending citizens, while they were congratulated for their operation by the Regional Governor of Crete Stavros Arnaoutakis, the Deputy Regional Governor of Entrepreneurship, Trade, Innovation and Social Economy Antonis Papaderakis and all the institutional representatives.
The Regional Governor of Crete Stavros Arnaoutakis in his address referred to the Region’s strategy for the social economy with the primary objective of creating and operating a sustainable ecosystem of the Social Economy.
He said that this is a strategy that incorporates the guidelines of the European Union, and utilizes the data of relevant research and is adapted to the real needs of the regional economy. Mr. Arnaoutakis stressed that the core of the implementation of the strategy is the values of solidarity, social cohesion, the primacy of human value, social responsibility, democratic management and investment in social capital, and also referred to the use of all financial resources, “with the creation of a Regional Mechanism through the Regional Development Company of Crete, the Regional Observatory of Social Inclusion and of course with the support of the Academic Institutions and the cooperation of the various stakeholders,” he said.
Mr.Arnaoutakis referred to the catalytic role of cooperation between the Region and the municipalities, saying that “the cooperation between the two levels of local government and the central state with the social economy can become a catalyst for strengthening local development. In the context of these partnerships, local government can also play a more complex role: partnering with social enterprise to organise the production of goods and services or institutionally shaping the appropriate local business environment for these business initiatives to thrive, for the benefit of local communities.”
Concluding his speech, the Regional Governor, after thanking all the participants and the distinguished speakers, stressed that “the social economy and the innovation that accompanies it are pillars of the European construction for the 21st century. They support social cohesion, the improvement of living conditions, the reduction of inequalities and the protection of the environment. With this in mind, the dozens of Social Economy organisations operating on the island will form the foundations on which the Social and Solidarity Economy will make a decisive contribution to the development of the island and the transition to qualitative development in the coming years.”
Antonis Papaderakis, the responsible Deputy Regional Governor, referred to the success of the conference, who highlighted the strengthening of the social economy. He pointed out the good practice that exists with about 100 social enterprises already operating locally; and that many of them are present with display stands outside the conference venue, while he also referred to the objectives of “Joint Enterprise” which are:
-to make every citizen aware of the nature, role and importance of the social economy for local development
-to present the business activities of this field in Crete in order to strengthen the links between social enterprises and the local economy.
-To highlight the role of the social economy in strengthening employment and social inclusion.
After the successful first day of the conference, Mr Papaderakis invited everyone to tomorrow’s interesting second day of the conference “to get to know successful Social Enterprises operating in Crete through the Exhibition and related presentations.
To participate in the thematic discussions with representatives of the State, Local Government, Academic Institutions and people from the Social Economy.
To get to know and discuss the opportunities and possibilities for business development in the context of the Social and Solidarity Economy.” In conclusion, he said, “The Region of Crete in cooperation with the Local Government and other bodies seeks through this unprecedented and innovative event to contribute to the activation and support citizens’ initiatives for the development of entrepreneurship in terms of sustainability and social benefit.”
