Introduction

Welcome to The Regional Review’s European Regional Champion Awards 2008, celebrating regional innovation and practice. After a highly successful inaugural event, I am proud to announce that The Regional Review has once again partnered with the Committee of the Regions (CoR) to produce an event that highlights the best programmes and projects throughout the European regions.

Local and regional authorities will, as always, be working hard to improve the lives of European citizens in 2008, despite the continued financial and political pressure imposed upon them. As a result, we have increased the number of award categories this year, including the addition of an intercultural dialogue award, and have also extended the expert judging panel.

We were thrilled with the interest and involvement from the regions in the 2007 awards and I encourage even more of them to get involved this year by submitting a nomination. The awards are open to every region throughout Europe, and the shortlisted nominations will be announced on 22 September, when voting will be opened to all members of the Committee of the Regions to designate a winner in each category. All winners will be announced on the evening of 19 November at the awards ceremony, which this year will be held at the Committee of the Regions building in Brussels.

Please get involved by nominating your colleagues today, and be sure to save the date of the shortlist and the awards in your diaries.

I look forward to seeing you on 19 November.

Chris Jones
Editor