At the occasion of the bicentenary of the Spanish democratic constitution, nicknamed La Pepa, the City of Cádiz is to notably host the 25^th General Assembly of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) from 26 to 28 September 2012.

La Pepa, signed on 19 March 1812 in Cádiz, is the world’s third oldest constitution and was the first to establish the principles of liberty, civil rights and the concept of citizenship in Spain.  

In this historically rich context, the City of Cádiz, in collaboration with the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), is hosting CEMR’s General Assembly on “Innovating in 3D – Decentralisation – Democracy – Development”.

This high-level gathering will bring together local and regional leaders, experts, representatives of EU institutions and stakeholders from Europe and beyond.  Participants will discuss current issues, including the local and regional role in moving away from crisis, the better inclusion of migrants and the reshaping of public services, with exchanges in small, dynamic and interactive sessions.  Also on the menu will be European-Latin American ties, energy efficiency and gender equality.

All of these themes will help work towards devising suitable local and regional crisis exit strategies and towards building a brighter future for Europe’s citizens, much as was intended with the signing of the Spanish constitution two centuries ago.

CEMR's general assemblies are organised every three years, the last one having taken place in Malmö, Sweden, in 2009 to discuss how local and regional governments are preparing for the future, the financial and economic crisis having just kicked off at the time.