Brussels, 25/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - Under the Greek Presidency, Eurocities (network of local authorities from over 100 towns in 31 European countries) and the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) are organising a conference on 28 February and 1 March in Athens on the theme: "European Strategy for Social Inclusion: Making it Work at the Local level". Among those taking part are the Commissioner for Social Affairs, Anna Diamantopoulou, the Greek Minister for Social Affairs Dimitris Reppas (or his representative), the President of the European Parliament's Social Affairs Committee Theodorus Bouwman (Greens, Netherlands), and the Mayor of Athens, Dora Bakogianni, as well as representatives from local and urban authorities, and NGOs working in the field of combating poverty and social exclusion.
The conference aims in particular to make the European Strategy for Social Inclusion more transparent; to influence the second stage of national action plans for social inclusion, and to strengthen the role of local authorities within this strategy.