Programme
Forecast for Nicosia: sunny skies of urban knowledge and opportunity! 273 European cities involved in 30 URBACT Action Planning Networks will shine in full sunlight: discover their stories and actions at our vibrant outdoor exhibition and marketplace – for the first time open to the general public! – and dive deeper through thematic sessions and city visits. Plus, connect with peer cities and European funders in dedicated networking spaces and unlock new opportunities for your city.
Land in Cyprus, take off with new ideas, contacts and opportunities for your city’s next journey.
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Preparatory meeting for Action Planning Networks and Innovation Transfer Networks (upon invitation)
Closed meeting followed by dinner, for invited representatives of URBACT Action Planning Networks and Innovation Transfer Networks only.
National networking coffee
Get your badge at the registration desk and join your country corner for a coffee with your National URBACT Point - find a home base before diving into the Festival!
3, 2, 1... action! Opening plenary
The URBACT City Festival kicks-off in a dynamic way!
After a warm welcome by the Mayor of Nicosia, find out what is happening over the next two days and what are the stories to discover. Understand the flow of the URBACT City Festival and don't miss a thing!
Speaker(s):
- Charalambos Prountzos, Mayor of Nicosia
A trailer to the marketplace
Get a taste of what awaits you at the local actions marketplace. Uncover where each city shines in the exhibition space, and hear short teasers from a few of them: just enough to make you want to see more.
Local actions marketplace
Discover 273 local actions from European cities driving sustainable urban development!
The local actions in the marketplace are clustered under five thematic areas: climate action, local economy, participative governance, social cohesion, and urban planning.
Walk around the stands, find out the story behind each action and think how this could work in your city.
National networking lunch
273 local actions in sessions
In these thematic sessions, discover the local actions carried out by URBACT cities to make a change on common challenges, and get inspired from them.
Each session builds on the actions implemented by different cities on a selected topic. These sessions showcase collaboration in practice, and the impact of URBACT Action Planning Networks on driving real change.
273 local actions in sessions (continues)
Pursue the thematic exploration of the 273 local actions implemented by URBACT Action Planning Networks' partner cities.
Welcome coffee
Highlights and preview of the day
Start early and fresh with getting a good snapshot about what’s yet to come.
Thematic sessions
The thematic discovery of URBACT cities continues in these sessions, which build on the experience of Innovation Transfer Networks’ partners.
Future of EU funding for cities
Get to know more about upcoming European Union’s funding opportunities for cities and the future of the URBACT programme.
Happy ending: closing plenary
Before we split in city visits, let's look back at the highlights of the 2026 URBACT City Festival.
Lunch
Walking tours of Nicosia
These walking tours, implemented in collaboration with the Nicosia Tourism Board, will take you to discover the rich history and dynamic present of our host city.
Each of these itineraries will showcase Nicosia under a different angle, including cultural diversity, architecture, and recent innovation created with European support.
Participation requires prior registration. A dedicated online form will be sent to confirmed participants of the City Festival only, for them to register to the walking tour of their choice.
Nicosia After Dark Party
Let’s wrap up the URBACT City Festival 2026 with an unforgettable Goodbye Party at the OLD GSP Stadium in Nicosia!
Live performances, DJ sets, interactive urban art, and local food experiences powered by the URBACT Action Planning Network "Cities After Dark"-- all in a unique riverside industrial space.
As we say goodbye to the 2026 edition, let’s celebrate the cities, people, and ideas that are shaping the future of urban Europe!