Enhancing the dialogue with local and regional authorities is a priority for the work on integration at EU level. Cities and regions are key actors in putting in place effective integration policies on the ground. However, many local authorities, especially small ones, have difficulties in accessing the resources available at EU level both in terms of knowledge and funding.  The conference will gather representatives from local and regional authorities to inform them about the support available at EU level and give them an opportunity to exchange their practices and experience. The conference will target local authorities from all Member States, with a focus on the ones that do not usually have access to EU fora and EU funding. The conference will be organised together with the Committee of the Regions, who recently launched the initiative Cities and Regions for Integration.  The conference will be organised also in cooperation with other Commission departments active in the field of integration, such as the Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Education and Culture, Regional and Urban Affairs and the Joint Research Center.