For three inspiring days, Manresa became a vibrant hub of collaboration and learning, as CITISENSE partners, elected representatives, local stakeholders and URBACT experts joined forces to explore how cities can create safer, more connected and more liveable spaces. By linking local experiences with European perspectives, the meeting strengthened a shared vision for inclusive and people-centred urban transformation.
Discovering Manresa: Learning from Local Action
In Manresa, learning began in the streets, with field visits offering an authentic view of the city’s ongoing transformation and how it is reimagining its spaces through collaboration, creativity and community spirit.
Participants walked through the narrow streets of the historic centre — from Baixada del Pòpul and Carrer Santa Llúcia to Plaça Europa and Mercat Puigmercadal — to witness first-hand how the city is breathing new life into its urban fabric.
Each stop revealed a story: murals turning forgotten corners into community canvases, new lighting improving safety or the Artifex Artisans project transforming old spaces into hubs of creativity.
The visits were also moments of dialogue — with youth associations, neighbourhood federations, business owners and the local police — revealing the social dimension of urban safety and inclusion. The city’s efforts to combine heritage preservation with community wellbeing resonated strongly with the goals of CITISENSE network.
From Ideas to Impact: Co-designing the Future of the Cities
Ideas gathered in the streets of Manresa quickly found structure and moved from reflection into action in the rooms of Biblioteca del Casino.
In a hands-on workshop on Revitalising Historic Centres, facilitated by Pablo Muñoz Unceta (Paisaje Transversal, URBACT Ad-Hoc Expert), partners explored how small-scale interventions can lead to long-term transformation.
Participants worked in mixed-city groups to map regeneration paths over a ten-year horizon, identifying milestones, stakeholders and the small actions that can spark lasting change. Lively exchanges between cities from across Europe — each bringing its own challenges and insights — created a collective sense of purpose: regeneration is not just about buildings, but about the people and partnerships that bring them back to life.
Building on this creative momentum, the Resourcing & Financing Investment Plans workshop, led by Pietro L. Verga (URBACT Lead Expert), tackled the practical question: how can these ideas be funded? Using the URBACTNested Wholes Diagram tool, partners mapped potential local, national and EU funding sources, learning how to connect financial tools with their cities’ strategic goals. The result was a powerful bridge between vision and implementation — showing that transformation happens where ideas meet resources.
Public Event: Shaping a More Liveable and Secure Manresa
Collaboration took centre stage at “Shaping Together a More Liveable and Secure Manresa,” a public event hosted at the Biblioteca del Casino and guided by Pietro L. Verga (URBACT Lead Expert). The dialogue connected local perspectives with European experiences, creating a space for genuine exchange.
Speakers including Antoni Josep Valentí Moll (Deputy Mayor of Manresa), Núria Tatjé Pons (S. Clara Foundation), experts from Paisaje Transversal and Barcelona and the CITISENSE Lead Partner (City of Piraeus), came together to share inspiration and explore innovative approaches and good practices for building more liveable and safe cities. The exchange underscored how collaboration between municipalities, communities and EU programmes can make public spaces more welcoming. What emerged was a shared understanding: urban safety begins with trust — between citizens, local authorities and the networks that connect them.
Reflecting and Looking Ahead
As the meeting unfolded, partners also took a moment to pause and reflect. The Mid-Term Reflection session, led by Pietro L. Verga (URBACT Lead Expert), provided space to look back on what the network has achieved so far — and to look forward to what lies ahead.
Each city shared its journey: the progress of its URBACT local group, the achievements reached and the challenges encountered along the way. The discussion was open, honest, and constructive. Together, the group identified emerging priorities for the next phase of CITISENSE and explored ways to fine-tune actions and resources to maximise impact at both local and transnational levels.
European Collaboration in Focus: CITISENSE at Smart City Expo Barcelona
The energy of the Manresa meeting carried forward as CITISENSE partners travelled to Barcelona to participate in one of Europe’s leading events for smart cities and innovation — the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC).
This global stage, known for shaping the future of smart and sustainable cities, became the next stop for CITISENSE, where the network brought the conversation on community-based urban security to both European and international audiences. With the support of the Barcelona Provincial Council, CITISENSE took to the stage with the session “Connecting European Cities Towards Community-Based Urban Security.”
The discussion – facilitated by Pablo Muñoz Unceta (Paisaje Transversal, URBACT Ad-Hoc Expert) - combined local and European perspectives, bringing together representatives from Barcelona (SP), Manresa (SP), Piraeus (GR), Naples (IT), Geel (BE), Liepāja (LV), Sant Boi (SP) and Heerlen (NL), alongside experts from URBACT, the European Urban Initiative and the Eurotowns network. Together, they shared insights on how collaboration and innovation can help build safer, more connected and more resilient European cities.
It was a fitting finale to three days of exchange and inspiration — and a powerful reminder that collaboration, social cohesion and innovation go hand in hand in shaping the future of Europe’s cities.
