Over the last few months, anyone who wasn’t already convinced that our municipalities should be able to offer their services online has certainly now changed his mind. The coronavirus pandemic proved to all of us that the way for our societies to remain functional – at the very least at a basic level – is for our institutions to have at the very least a decent digital offer.
The German cities of Wuppertal, Aachen and Gelsenkirchen are currently engaged in precisely such a project – the Digital Model Regions programme, that would take their online presence further than ever before and would allow them to become a more reliable and efficient partner to their citizens.
Bearing the torch of progress
The three cities, located in the region of North-Rhine Westphalia, are fulfilling a key role in pushing their digitalized municipal services to new heights, thus creating a blueprint that others can eventually follow. This experience is especially valuable now as the world is adapting to an entirely different lifestyle, in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
As stated by Economics and Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart of North-Rhine Westphalia: “The corona pandemic clearly shows how useful digital services are for citizens and for business. The digital model regions are pioneers: they are real laboratories for easy contact with the administration from the sofa. They share their knowledge and experience with other cities and districts. For example, digital projects unfold in the model regions of Gelsenkirchen, Aachen and Wuppertal, beyond these regions, they have an impact throughout North Rhine-Westphalia and advance digitalization in all municipalities. “
The Digital Model Regions programme might prove key in the future development not only of North-Rhine Westphalia and its cities but of the entirety of Germany. Thanks to the efforts of the local administrations, supported by regional authorities, they are forging a path to a better and more digitized future that would be able to withstand events similar to the ones of a few months ago.
Source: TheMayor.EU
