Regional development, maritime innovation and networking – a delegation from Kiel visits Brest

From 5 to 8 October, a delegation from Kiel comprising representatives from the local government, business and academia, led by Lord Mayor Samet Yilmaz, will travel to France to discuss, in particular, the maritime economy, urban development, innovation partnerships and future collaborative projects.

For the Lord Mayor, the trip also marks his inaugural visit to Brest. Brest, too, has recently seen a change in its leadership. This year, the cities and regions are also linked by their shared role as European science ambassadors in the EU-funded project ‘Science Comes to Town’ (SCTT).

“Particularly at a time of international tensions and growing uncertainty, we need strong European ties. For more than 60 years, the partnership between Kiel and Brest has stood for Franco-German friendship, mutual trust and active European cooperation. My aim is to further strengthen this bond. As a major French naval base and thanks to its extensive expertise in maritime innovation and innovative urban development, Brest offers, in my view as Head of the Department for Economic Affairs and Science, interesting points of contact and inspiration for Kiel. “I am therefore delighted that we are travelling to Brest together with representatives of Kiel’s innovation ecosystem,” says Lord Mayor Samet Yilmaz.

The trip centres on a comprehensive programme of discussions, specialist presentations and on-site visits, focusing on the maritime economy, innovation and science. Plans include discussions on these topics as well as visits to the Océanolab marine research institute and the Port of Brest. Mayor Yilmaz will also visit the Children’s University with part of the delegation; this initiative was adopted from Kiel as part of the SCTT programme and is now taking place in Brest for the first time.

A visit to Sea Tech Week, which takes place in Brest from 6 to 8 October, is also planned. This international conference brings together researchers, companies, start-ups and policy-makers from the maritime sector. This year’s focus includes, amongst other things, the ports of the future, renewable marine energy and the use of the seabed. The Kiel delegation will take part in various specialist events at Sea Tech Week and engage in discussions with local companies and institutions.

Representatives from Kiel-based maritime companies and institutions will also be attending Sea Tech Week and will be promoting Kiel as a centre for business and innovation, amongst other things, with a joint exhibition stand coordinated by the city’s Department for Economic Affairs in cooperation with Kiel’s Economic Development Agency, KiWi.

“We are travelling to Brest with a clear mandate. We want to learn from the experiences of our twin city, represent Kiel as an internationally significant centre of innovation for the maritime economy and research, and, in concrete terms, intensify and initiate contacts and collaborations for our city. Kiel and Brest face similar challenges, particularly when it comes to the interaction between the city, society and the maritime economy, collaboration between industry and research, and the issue of safety. If we pool our expertise and networks, both locations can benefit,” said Yilmaz.

The Mayor’s delegation includes representatives from the following institutions: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel University of Applied Sciences (HAW Kiel), Kiel Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Port of Kiel, and Kiel Science Centre. The costs are borne by the participants themselves. Other institutions and companies from Kiel are taking part in the maritime conference SeaTechWeek.