OPEN DAYS 2011 - Investing in Europe's future: Regions and cities delivering smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

OPEN DAYS 2011 consisted of about 100 sessions - workshops and debates – exhibitions and networking opportunities for the 6,000 or so participants who came to Brussels. OPEN DAYS was organised in partnership with regions and cities from all over Europe, and with the aid of contributions from companies, financial institutions and international associations and academic organisations.

Each event held in Brussels was classified according to the 2011 thematic priorities and a typology of events. The latter could either take the form of workshops or debates:

* Workshops either (a) presented information and offered training, in particular related to the implementation of cohesion policy and the management of its financial instruments or (b) elaborated on experience and good practice, and facilitated co-operation and networking with ample opportunity for contributions from the audience; not more than four speakers and one moderator were accepted for each workshop.

* Debates touched upon specific aspects involving a group of experts and a moderator, replacing presentations and speeches with contributions from an informed public; not more than six panellists and one moderator were accepted for debates.

Within the framework of the Energy for Mayors project, Miriam Badino, Province of Genova, introduced the audience to the Toolbox of Methodologies on Climate and Energy during the workshop "Regions delivering on sustainable energy strategies – Good practice examples from regional players"(09:00 -10:45 Tuesday, 11 October 2011).