URBACT stories

Cities through a 'gender lens'

Lots to do for our new GenderedLandscape network!

Cities implementing the right to housing

The EU Cities Forum 2020, held in Porto, provided the perfect time and location to launch a new URBACT and UIA (Urban Innovative Actions) joint initiative on implementing the right to housing across urban areas in Europe.

Rethinking the mobility infrastructure of Europe's metropolises

RiConnect is exploring more efficient, equitable, and attractive metropolitan mobility systems.

Do we need participatory democracy to save democracy?

Everyone acknowledges today that democracies around the world are increasingly challenged. The number of issues they have to face – and have difficulties to respond to (social justice, economic stability, climate change, etc.) – put our democracies at risk. On top of that, a growing number of people feel that they are not listened to or taken into consideration by policymakers. Citizens claim a right to have a say in public decisions, choices, and policies that are made.

“Be a voyager, not a tourist:” Introducing the Action Planning Network Tourism-Friendly Cities

“I welcome in my restaurant voyagers, not tourists. People who are curious and respectful of the local lifestyle, who appreciate that the daily menu depends of the fresh and locally available products and who do some research before visiting”.

Fausto Cavanna, owner, La Taverna di Colombo, Genoa (Italy)

“A big city is one that makes us feel big” – how digitalisation can change our perception of smaller cities

The ‘IoTXchange’ URBACT ‘project that just kicked off this October in the Portuguese small city of Fundão - better known until now by its cherry trees - grouping other small cities across the theme of ‘Internet of Things for Urban Development’, has got us all thinking about what it really takes to be a ‘big’ city.