Networks and cities' news

Cities After Dark - #5 Quarterly Journal

Citizen Dialogue in the Metaverse –Åbo Akademi and Nykarleby Test VR at the Culture Night

During the Culture Night in Nykarleby on August 21st, residents and visitors had a unique opportunity to step into the future of urban planning—literally. Åbo Akademi/Experience Lab invited people to try a VR experience where they could design their own version of the town square. The activity was part of the Metacity project, which explores how small and medium-sized cities can use immersive technologies to strengthen democratic participation and improve public services.

Understanding and addressing social isolation: insights from the Breaking Isolation Podcast 

The Breaking Isolation project works to understand social isolation root causes and develop effective solutions.

Nitra brings green and creative spaces to life: Two URBACT GreenPlace pilot events at Martin's Hill

During the summer of 2025, the city of Nitra (Slovakia) hosted two vibrant public events that marked important milestones in the implementation of its Integrated Action Plan (IAP) under the URBACT GreenPlace project. These events served as real-life tests of how the area of the former military barracks at Martin’s Hill could become a thriving space for community life, cultural activities, heritage appreciation, and sustainable development.

Both events were co-organized by ULG partners (URBACT Local Group), bringing together local institutions, experts, and community organizations engaged in the long-term vision for this historic and green area.

The European Forum on City Centres November 6th - 7th : this year’s flagship event for city centers in Europe

Following two successful editions, including the most recent held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Greater Paris Metropolis and the association Centre-ville en mouvement  are proud to announce the Third European Forum on City Centres. This landmark event will take place on November 6–7, 2025, at the Maison de la Chimie in Paris.

Pre-register here.

Seeding a new approach to local social cohesion across Europe’s cities

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” So said the American philosopher and futurist Buckminster Fuller. He could have been talking about the city of Utrecht and their innovative social transformation project that has turned traditional models of migrant reception on their head.

Utrecht (NL) has shown an approach that can meet the needs of new arrivals from their first day in the local area at the same time as the needs of the local community already in place. In doing so, they have created positive relationships, overcome distrust and fear and provided an example of local social cohesion that can, and should, inspire other cities across Europe.

This is the starting point of Plan Einstein Academy, a two-year Innovation Transfer Network supported by URBACT that is exploring how to transfer Utrecht’s innovative ‘Plan Einstein’ model to five partner cities in different European countries: Coimbra (PT); Suceava (RO); Thessaloniki (EL); Warsaw (PL); and Zagreb (HR).