The first two phases of the journey, Discover and Define, closed with remarkable results: 94% of cities were rated by mentors as showing Good to Excellent progress. But behind these numbers lies something deeper - a growing sense of shared purpose, and a network that’s learning to translate ambition into local action.
Ljubljana: A Shared Vision Takes Shape
Meeting all the cities for the first time in person was electric. The Thematic Experts sat at the reception desks, waiting as one by one the cities they’d only met online finally appeared; each bringing a personal story and a new energy to the room. The space filled with conversation, laughter, and that unmistakable sense that something big was starting.
Ljubljana set the tone. When the 27 city teams met there in September 2025 for the first Milestone Event, the room buzzed with optimism, and maybe a bit of nervous energy. The event scored 9.53/10 for satisfaction, not just because of its content but because of its spirit: interactive, fast-paced, and human. Cities worked side by side to unpack their challenges and shape a shared understanding of what “change” could mean at home.
“Among many exercises, we took some time to pause and reconnect with motivation, which was very powerful and needed before moving into action. Once people spoke about what truly drives them to participate in UPA, collaboration became easier and more meaningful, as well as set a strong foundation for everything that followed.”
(Agnieszka Ploska, Steering Team)
One moment stood out: the Newspaper of Tomorrow. Cities imagined future headlines celebrating their visions: playful at first, then surprisingly profound: “Cleaner Trebinje,” “Inclusive Green Vinica”, “A Waste-Free Novi Pazar.” The exercise crystallised visions that had been floating abstractly for months.
“I remember very vividly all the cities sitting and working after we launched the exercise. For some it was immediate, they sparked with creativity and enthusiasm. For others, it started with doubt. But then came the ‘Vision Fest’, a moment in which each city presented its vision. It was amazing to see how proud and ambitious everyone was. It really gave me the sense that we’re doing something right here, that everyone can make a difference.”
(Liat Rogel, Steering Team)
It wasn’t easy, “intense but empowering,” as one participant put it, yet with Local Mentors and Thematic Experts keeping the rhythm, the cities left with a clear sense of direction and stronger ties across borders.
Thematic Expeditions: Learning by Seeing
If Ljubljana gave the vision, the Thematic Expeditions gave the form. The study visits to Munich, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Vienna/Zlín scored an astonishing 9.8/10 for relevance and were often described as “transformative.”
Cities discovered how others deal with the same stubborn challenges:
- In Utrecht, they saw how community gardens became tools for inclusion.
- In Rotterdam, Lezha found a model for sustainable tourism that puts people before profit.
- Munich’s zero-waste hub sparked ideas in smaller towns seeking circular solutions.
- Vienna and Zlín showed that even modest mobility plans can set big changes in motion.
“While Munich’s decades of progress in Zero Waste was deeply impressive, the real shift happened during our hands-on workshop. In that room, the atmosphere transformed from 'expert and student' into a true circle of peers. It was inspiring to watch our Pioneers from the Western Balkans brainstorm side-by-side with Munich’s experts, realizing that the very same workshop methods could be easily brought home to spark change in their own towns.
There was a profound moment of connection when we realized that, regardless of geography, we all face the same human struggle: convincing our neighbours to care. But seeing that shared spark of determination convinced me that neither Munich nor our Pioneers will ever give up. We are now more committed than ever to working toward a greener, cleaner future for all our cities.”
(Nuša Lazar, Thematic Expert Waste Management Cluster)
Every team came back with stories and with data. 100% of participants reported gaining new knowledge in their theme. But more importantly, they came back inspired, with a clearer sense that small, local steps can lead to big, systemic change.
Action Labs: From Ideas to Interaction
The Action Labs were where it all started to make sense on the local level. It is the bridge between reflection and action. Cities didn’t just discuss engagement; they tested it. They used URBACT tools like the City Safari and How Might We questions to spark conversations with citizens, schools, and local leaders.
“Looking back and reflecting on the first Action Lab with the cities, what touched me the most was seeing their actions less like projects and more like their own pulse, a choice to live together in a greener and safer space. Each city opened differently, and it reminded me why I love and care to work with communities. What moved me most was how naturally people spoke when they felt heard.
In Bijeljina, the team approached elders as “knowledge collectors” - storytellers, living archives who needed conversation and a shared walk, not a closed meeting room. Doboj’s pupils impressed me with their sense of ownership, seeing green parks as shared places for all generations. I was surprised by Tuzla’s seriousness, how stakeholders discussed sustainable mobility with real expertise and personal conviction. And Banja Luka brought me happy tears, with a team breathing collaboration and a strong will to include persons with disabilities in everyday life.
Every city taught me something, and together they showed that beautiful things happen when each voice is heard, when ideas turn into possibilities, when trust and listening matter, and when collaboration shapes our cities and our future. I don’t feel like a stranger in those cities anymore, now we’re connected through shared stories”.
(Medina Garić, Local Mentor)
In Shtip, even kindergartens joined the City Safari activity. In Kakanj, 37 local actors gathered - including the Mayor - to explore sustainable tourism solutions. Novi Pazar and Vinica redefined their challenges using participatory methods. Satisfaction rates stayed consistently above 8/10, and what mattered most was the confidence cities began to show in leading these conversations themselves.
Shifting Mindsets, Building Capacity
By December, the cities’ progress was visible, not yet in finished solutions, but in sharper thinking and redefined challenges. Cities like Bački Petrovac moved from speaking about “waste” in general to focusing on bio-waste and recyclables, while Senta reframed its “youth problem” into an opportunity to create new spaces for learning and belonging. Challenges, however, persist. Turning knowledge into action — particularly when it comes to soft measures such as awareness and behaviour change — remains demanding. Bureaucratic hurdles slow progress, and all cities are still learning by doing.
If the Discover and Define phases were about understanding, the next chapters will be about doing things together. The Pioneers will now move into the Develop phase starting with co-ideation and co-creation, working creatively with local stakeholders to co-design practical solutions for their main urban challenges.
The URBACT Pioneers Accelerator continues to build not just capacity, but community. A space where cities learn through practice, share openly, and begin to see themselves not as isolated actors, but as part of a growing movement for a more sustainable and connected Europe.
