Clean air in the city: Etats generaux de l’air de Bruxelles

The first “Etats Generaux de l’Air de Bruxelles” is an event combining a research symposiuym, a hackathon and a citizens’ day, with the objective of bringing together the different actors that are striving for a cleaner air, provide a platform for dialogue and collaboration, and discuss visions and solutions to realise a healthier city.

“Resistance is in the air” is an international research symposium aiming to provide a platform for scholarly dialogue and interdisciplinary exchange, among scholars but also with citizens and activists. Bridging the disciplinary gaps, as well as engaging with the larger societal debate, this symposium has the ambition to urge political agenda-setting by pushing reflection on strategies and pathways to more ambitious and broadly supported air quality regulations.

Today a large amount of data about air pollution in Brussels exists. Some of it is not publicly accessible, and anyway underexploited for changing the city. The hackathon aims to bring together ICT and GIS experts, enthusiasts and apprentices to collaborate in mining, analysing, and visualising big data, ideally developing software to promote widespread use and understanding of air pollution. It provides also an opportunity to promote digital education and advocate for open data in the urban environment domain.

Also, in the context of the growing movement for a cleaner air in Brussels, different activities are foreseen to bridge the gaps between science and practice, voice the claims of citizens and movements the civil society, and strengthen the coalition between scientists, activists and practitioners.

The underlying concept of the Etats Generaux is to blur the boundaries between the citizens’ day, the research symposium, and the hackathon over the course of three days. In practice the event will consist of a series of activities that are at the meeting point between these three elements and offer possibilities of fruitful interactions.

BRAL, Cosmopolis and a large academic and civic network organise this first Etats Généraux de l’Air ofBrussels. It will be a moment to combine research, open data and citizenship for all those in favour of a clean and healthy Brussels air. This first Etats Généraux takes place from Thursday the 25th till Saturday the 27th of April at the Pianofabriek.

Programme overview (please check the official website for latest info)

Thursday 25.4
8:30 to 16:00 Research Symposium (register here (€))

16:00 to 18:00 Mobile workshops – register here

16:00 to 18:00 Health professionals against pollution – register here

Friday 26.4
8:00 to 9:00 Filter Café Filtré at Parvis de Saint Gilles

9:30 to 13:30 Research Symposium (register here (€))

13.30 to 15:00 Public lecture: Air, Citizens & Science (register here)

15:00 to 17:30 Round table discussions/world café ((register here)

17:30 to 20:00 E.G.A. drinks & exchange

9:00 to 14:30* Airckathon (register here)

17:30 to 14:30* Airckathon junior

Saturday 27.4
10:00 to 16: 30 #BXLdemandscleanair-Activities for families, activists, citizens…

10:00 to 16:30 Action & Science expo

14:30 to 16:30 Aircathon awards ceremony
Jury: Martine George (ULB), Delphin Morel (Bruxselair), Lena Weissert (University of Auckland), … (Accenture), Frans Fierens (IRCELINE)

17:00 to 18:00 Administration talks
Bruxelles Environnement; Bruxelles Mobilité; Innoviris (TBC)

18:00 to 20:00 Political Debate
Pascal Smet (sp.a); Céline Fremault(cdH); Viviane Teitelbaum (MR) ; Elke Van den Brandt (Groen); Alain Maron(Ecolo); Martin Casier(PS)

For detailed planning and more information, visit the website of the event.