Unlocking Urban Potential: The Crucial Role of National URBACT Points

Edited on 21/05/2024

National Points

A collective of individuals taking a group photo.

In the dynamic landscape of urban development initiatives, the significance of National URBACT Points (NUP) cannot be overstated. Recent events, such as the participation of Mollet de Vallès in the II Spanish Urban Forum, shed light on the pivotal role these NUPs play. Acting as intermediaries for knowledge exchange, collaboration facilitation, and strategic guidance, NUPs are the linchpins ensuring the success and sustainability across diverse administrative landscapes, serving as beacons of support, fostering cohesion among municipalities and steering them towards impactful urban transformations. 

 

More and more often, NUPs are organizing meetings that are gathering different URBACT project partners: 

 

  • Lepida (Italy): 18/12/2023 (online) 

  • Mollet (Spain): 17/10/2023 (in-person) & 1/12/2023 (online)  

  • Gdansk (Poland): 7-8/12/2023 (in-person)  

  • Jelgava (Latvia): 25/10/2023 (online)
     

  • Iasi (Romania): 7/11/2023  

  • Zenica Doboj-Canton (B&H): 03/03/2023 

 

It’s worth mentioning, Spain National URBACT Point is the only NUP that has celebrated two meetings; one online and other face-to-face, acting as invaluable catalysts for synergy and progress and nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of urban innovators and policymakers for Spanish municipalities. 

Aligned with NUPs events, on October 17th 2023, DIGI-INCLUSION network Lead Partner, Mollet de Vallès municipality, actively participated in the NUP event, held within the framework of the II Spanish Urban Forum in Granada. This gathering brought together a diverse group of cities and non-cities involved in the Action Planning Networks (APNs) of the IV URBACT program. The event provided a platform for sharing experiences, addressing challenges, and fostering collaboration among the Spanish beneficiaries. 
 


The round table titled "The new networks of the URBACT IV program: A success for Spanish municipalities" featured representatives from five beneficiary municipalities, including Mollet de Vallès, and Mr Arechederra from the General Directorate of European Funds. It was centered around the difficulties faced in drafting the Action Plan, particularly in managing timelines and aligning objectives across diverse administrative contexts. Participants recognized the complexity of sustaining focus groups throughout the plan's lifecycle as a crucial challenge.  


An internal meeting was held as well, where representatives from 15 municipalities, including Mollet de Vallès, gathered. This session facilitated a dialogue between the beneficiaries, the National URBACT Point in Spain, and representatives from the General Directorate of European Funds of the Ministry of Finance and Public Function. During the meeting, each municipality presented a brief overview of their network and the ongoing projects, revealing that beneficiaries are eager to leverage the internet for implementing innovative proposals, sharing knowledge, and exploring realistic and sustainable approaches. Financing for long-term project continuity was also highlighted as a priority. Participants emphasized the need for ongoing support from the Secretariat and the National URBACT Points in plan consolidation, evaluation, and securing additional financing. Furthermore, they stressed the importance of the National Point as a facilitator for exchanging experiences, methodologies, and actions among Spanish beneficiaries dealing with similar administrative challenges. 
 

 

The fruitful discussions and insights gained during these sessions will contribute to a comprehensive report. Overall, the Mollet de Vallès team found the experience to be necessary and positive, showcasing the importance of collaboration and knowledge exchange monitored by UNPs actions. The results will undoubtedly inform future strategies and actions in the ongoing projects and network development.  

 

For more information about this event, please watch the summary video by clicking here

Submitted by AlbertMollet on 24/04/2024
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AlbertMollet

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