Bridging Culture and Safety: UBC Cultural and Safe Cities Commissions Meeting in Espoo
The UBC Cultural Cities and Safe Cities Commissions joint meeting was held in Espoo on 19–21.03.2025. The meeting offered an in-depth exploration of cultural engagement, event security and urban safety. Hosted by the City of Espoo, the gathering brought together experts and city representatives to exchange best practices and innovative approaches to fostering inclusive and secure public spaces.
A Dynamic and inspirational program.
At the meeting the Secure Kids project was presented by Kaspar Varpins. The project highlighted the role of youth in public safety. The City of Espoo introduced its event strategy, emphasizing resident participation in cultural programming.
During the second day, the best practices were shared, with presentations from Gdańsk, Lahti, Riga, and Rakvere, introducing city-led strategies on public event security. Espoo’s Cultural Unit’s Planner outlined the city’s approach to co-creating safer spaces, emphasizing community-led implementation strategies. Workshops at GLO Hotel, facilitated by experts from the City of Espoo, sparked discussions on safety across various event settings, including indoor, outdoor, and online environments.
Exploring Helsinki’s Cultural Hubs
On the final day, attendees visited Helsinki’s Suvilahti cultural center, a former industrial site transformed into a thriving creative hub. At Tiivistämö, a presentation outlined Helsinki’s strategies for ensuring public safety at major events. The gathering concluded with reflections from commission chairs Tiina Kasvi and Kaspars Varpins, underscoring key takeaways and future collaboration opportunities.
This forum of cultural and safety experts provided a platform for cities to exchange knowledge and strengthen ties, ensuring that urban spaces remain vibrant, inclusive, and secure for all.
More information:
Habib Mohamud
Project designer
Cultural Unit
City of Espoo
Tel. +358 406343610
e-mail: habib.mohamud@espoo.fi