During the busy month of November, BAM! will be heading to Belgium. We’re going back to Brussels with the Perceive Project for two important events: EuroPCom to discuss the state of European public communication together with industry professionals and to meet all the partners for the project meeting.
From our participation in the European Week of Regions and Cities, it emerged that institutional communication has become the most debated leitmotiv among Brussels policy-makers. According to the latest Eurobarometer data, 6 out of 10 respondents are not aware of European projects in their region. Why? One of the objectives of the Perceive Project is to understand what went wrong in the communication of successful projects, made possible by EU funding to citizens. Was the language too bureaucratic? Confusing acronyms? Laziness? Not enough emotion?
In order to discuss how to improve European public communication and increase citizens’ awareness on European policies, we will be participating in EuroPCom, the European conference on public communication, which has reached its eighth edition. Every year an increasingly important event: more than 800 communication managers and experts in the sector, at local, regional and national levels, will meet on November 9th and 10th.
Among the various workshops, issues relevant to the theme of audience emerged. How can public institutions know and understand their targets? How can they be less self-referential? The point of view of the public is fundamental when it comes to policies, being informed about where and how money is spent, on the results obtained, can be essential for a greater appreciation of the Union. However, cases of bankruptcy are often more notorious than success cases because they make the news. What can communication professionals do to be more effective?
During the conference the European Public Communication Award will be up for grabs, an award ceremony dedicated to the best cases of communication in the European Union, at all levels of governance. It is a special award to recognise innovative communication projects that enhances citizens’ involvement in the EU.
We will let you know if it will really was groundbreaking as it promises to be ???? In case you are interested in the topic you can follow the live tweeting on @PerceiveProject.
On the 14th and 15th November, the project meeting will be held. After a year and two months of research, we will organize a progress meeting with all the partners: University of Bologna (Italy), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), Romanian Academy – Institute of Agricultural Economics (Romania), Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics – National Research Institute (Poland), University of Barcelona (Spain), University of Portsmouth (UK), Vienna University of Economics and Business (Austria).
Wish us luck, because this time around, our part in the project will be in review!
