New edition of the Port Center Network Meeting shows increasing interest on the concept

The seventh meeting of the AIVP’s Port Center Network took place in Dunkirk, France on the 22nd and 23rd of June 2023. The gathering was extremely successful, bringing the biggest audience so far for this kind of meetings - almost 50 participants from 4 continents. The event was also the best possible setting for the signature of the Port Center Charter by the Dunkirk Port Authority, the Dunkirk Urban Community and the Port Museum of Dunkirk, all partners of the Port Center of Dunkirk. After 4 years of absence since the last meeting in Bilbao, Spain in 2019, the AIVP members demonstrated that the Port Center concept is generating increasing interest all over the world. In the first session of the meeting, the case of Dunkirk was explained in detail, with the testimonies of key actors that supported the project since the beginning. The opening of a Port Center managed by multiple stakeholders is always a complex adventure and all the stakeholders have stressed the importance of sticking with it over the long term, with great conviction and motivation. This shared governance is always a strength for the Port Center, guaranteeing its perennity and the clarity of its messages. The local Port Center opened its doors during the pandemic with the obvious challenges this implies but has been able to gather a stable audience since 2022, continuously increasing the number of visitors and tours. The Port Center Director, Christelle Miot, explained the current initiatives and the advantages of a flexible exhibition, increasing the multifunctionality of the space. During the morning, the directors and project leaders of the Port Centers of Le…