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Resilient Cities

Building Resilient Democracies: Empowering Newcomers and Local Actors to Achieve Inclusive Citizen Participation in European Local Democracies

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Resilient Cities

Building Resilient Democracies: Empowering Newcomers and Local Actors to Achieve Inclusive Citizen Participation in European Local Democracies

When migrant communities are excluded from local decision-making, trust in institutions weakens and entire cities miss out on vital perspectives. Across France and Europe, many residents, especially those with migration backgrounds, still face barriers to meaningful participation in civic life.

Resilient Cities responds to this gap by opening up collaborative spaces where diverse communities and local actors come together to shape policies that reflect real needs. Through inclusive, participatory processes, the program helps embed resilience and social cohesion into the heart of local democracy, ensuring that voices long overlooked become central to how cities grow and evolve.

Following the  successful pilot project, EMBRACE, in the Est Ensemble region, the Resilient Cities program has been implemented in the city of Lyon, the city of Clermont-Ferrand and Grenoble Alpes Métropole. These territories have embraced the approach and actively contributed to shaping a new, inclusive model of local governance.

Want to join a growing movement of cities reshaping the local democracy ?
Resilient Cities is expanding across Europe, rooted in collaboration between local actors and migrant communities. From Lyon to Clermont-Ferrand to Grenoble Alpes Métropole, cities are reimagining what inclusive governance can look like. Add your city to the map.

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Do you represent a city or a district?
Interested in improving your local policies in collaboration with individuals  with a migration background?

Are you a person with a migration background eager to actively shape your city’s future?
Want to take part in local decision-making and co-create inclusive solutions?

Any questions?
Download the program’s FAQ to find more details

How does it work?

Participation is understood not as a one-time act, but as a dynamic process. Through targeted capacity-building training, local actors develop the knowledge, tools, and inclusive practices necessary  to engage more effectively with migrant communities . In parallel, individuals  with a migration background are empowered to step into leadership roles, contribute to  local decision-making, and co-create practical solutions that strengthen social cohesion,  while building  confidence in their ability to collaborate  with local actors. 

Co-creation is at the core of the program: in facilitated workshops known as  Policy Labs,  local actors and individuals  with a migration background  come together to share experiences, foster  mutual understanding, and design solutions tailored to the specific needs of their communities.

During the Policy Labs, the micro-experimentation phase allows for small-scale  testing of the ideas developed  during the program. These ideas are progressively  implemented and adapted based on evolving needs and outcomes, with ongoing monitoring guided by clear evaluation criteria The analysis of results informs key learnings , refine strategies , and helps optimize the use of available resources. 

The process doesn’t stop there—continuous  collaboration and follow-up activities ensure the ongoing implementation and adaptation of these ideas , leading to sustainable change that benefits the entire  community.

Why is it important?

Political participation remains  one of the weakest areas of integration policy (with a score of 45/100 in France) according to the MIPEX index (2019). Most immigrants have limited  opportunity to inform and influence  the policies and decisions that affect their daily lives.

Yet a human-centred design approach is aligned  with the commitments of both the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Urban Agenda for the EU (MIPEX Index, 2019). In fact, inclusive policies and solutions are linked to  higher levels of public trust, reduced  feelings of economic threat and a stronger  sense of a common civic over ethnic identity.

The goal is to achieve:

  • New voices in local decision-making
  • Improved, sustainable solutions and policies for cities
  • Long-term collaboration between institutions and individuals  with a migration background
  • Fresh conversations and ideas from diverse perspectives

For who?

  • Local actors: Public agents, elected representatives and representatives from civil society.
  • Newcomers: Beneficiaries of international protection, asylum seekers, international students, holders of a work/family residence permit and other undetermined administrative situations.

In 2024-2025, over 45 local actors and 40 individuals  with a migration background from the city of Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand and Grenoble-Alpes Métropole, participated in the first full implementation of the Resilient Cities program, building on the successful pilot in the Est Ensemble region  During this edition, 6 micro-experiences were carried out  to test and refine the program’s methodology. In the coming years, the program will expand to include more cities and participants across Europe.

Alissa Jemai

Alissa Jemai

Head of the Lyon UNIR Branch

Violaine Rapeau

Violaine Rapeau

Head of the Clermont-Ferrand City Hall Annex

Alice Nyaga

Alice Nyaga

Originally from Kenya and a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering

Kévin Gazika

Kévin Gazika

Project Manager at the Maison de l'Hospitalité in Lyon

Sylvie Tomic

Sylvie Tomic

Deputy Mayor of Lyon

Key pillars of the Resilient Cities program

 

Build your skills

Our capacity-building activities equip you with the knowledge, tools, and practices to foster inclusive collaboration. Whether you are a local actor or a person with a migration background, you will gain the confidence and capabilities  to co-create sustainable, community-driven solutions.

Co-create sustainable solutions

In safe and inclusive spaces,
co-creation workshops bring together local actors and individuals  with a migration background to share experiences, develop mutual understanding, and design practical  responses tailored to local needs.

Lead the way

By taking part in Resilient Cities,
you become a pioneer of a new  participatory model of local governance. Your ideas, actions,
and insights will inspire other territories across Europe to rethink how they work with migrant communities.

Connect with peers

Join a growing network of cities, institutions, and individuals  with a migration background who are committed to advancing inclusive democracy and resilient communities.

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