Networks and cities' news

Catch up on the latest updates from cities working together in URBACT Networks. The articles and news that are showcased below are published directly by URBACT’s beneficiaries and do not necessarily reflect the programme’s position.

Want to learn more about the projects that are featured here? Discover the URBACT Networks.

 

 

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    The bird-watching station

    The bird-watching station 🐦 with an experiential platform is an educational and pedagogical structure along the Dravinja Learning Path, which is part of the Municipality of Poljčane's vision towards biodiversity development (BiodiverCity). 🌳 The bird-watching station is a charming outdoor classroom with partially obscured views of the surrounding nature. 🐝 In the series of wooden slats, designed to resemble riverbank reeds, there are interactive didactic tools for learning through play. 🤓 On the platform, elevated above the Dravinja floodplain, there are thematic carousels about animals and plants along the river, which rhythmically continue into the bird-watching station and culminate in an imaginary riverbed. 🦋 Learning through play during a pleasant walk in nature attracts both the young and the young at heart to explore and observe the world around them.

    András Merza

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  • LET'S GO CIRCULAR! site visit at CleanR in Riga

    Tech and creativity in the circular economy

    The ten partner cities of LET'S GO CIRCULAR! are planning their actions and taking step by step - on their journey towards circularity, paving the way for further European cities. In spring and summer 2024 two more transnational  exchange meetings - in Riga and Oulu -  provided insights into urban strategies, digital tools, business models and examples.

    Larissa Kiesel

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  • Innovative tools and methods to foster sustainable and biodiverse maintenance of public green areas

    Increasing the size and improving the quality of urban green spaces is an utmost priority of all European cities in the shadow of the ecological crisis. This is also required by the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the related Nature Restoration Law.

    Ferenc Szigeti-Böröcz

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  • The Cities@Heart Network in Barcelos, Portugal

    Diving into planning—the second Cities@Heart Quarterly Report

    The second quarterly report of the Cities@Heart network covers significant progress and initiatives in revitalising city centres, focusing on a wide range of topics such as heritage, culture or technology. The report highlights the ongoing efforts and insights gained from collaborations aimed at fostering vibrant and sustainable city centres. Taking a pragmatic approach, the report presents practical strageties city stakeholders can impliment to improve the vitality of urban centres

    Santamaria-Varas Mar

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  • A group of people walking through a tram depot

    How can temporary use contribute to the process of transformation

     

    Temporary use has emerged as a significant strategy across Europe to address the challenges of vacancy and urban transformation. Projects such as the URBACT networks and Horizon 2020's T-Factor have highlighted the potential of temporary use to creatively repurpose empty spaces, supporting local economies and fostering social cohesion. By utilizing vacant buildings and brownfields for short-term initiatives, temporary use not only revitalizes areas but also provides a testing ground for long-term sustainable solutions.

    Joanna Gańcza-Pawełczyk

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  • Intergenerational Festival in Poljčane

    At the beginning of this summer, we organized an Intergenerational Festival in the meadow under the Čreti hayrack in the Municipality of Poljčane as part of the URBACT program's BiodiverCity action network.

    András Merza

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