Networks and cities' news

The URBACT Network “REinventing Culture in Urban Places”: a journey across Europe to reconnect communities

“Culture is not just an act of consumption, it is a dynamic process of creation.” This statement sums up the mission of the ITN REinventing Culture in Urban Places (RECUP) Network, an initiative funded by the European URBACT programme, which is reinventing the role of culture in urban (and peri-urban) places. Coordinated by Újbuda, RECUP brings together six European cities to explore how cultural co-creation can help confront complex urban challenges—from isolation to sense of belonging.

2nd Core Network Meeting, Mancomunidad de l’Horta Nord, 14-15 May 2025

The Partnership had its 2nd Core Network Meeting in Mancomunidad de l’Horta Nord. Read about their activities and experiences during the 2-day meeting! 

Organising a TNM? Here are the basics (by Jana Svobodová)

Organising a transnational meeting within the URBACT network is always a big challenge for a city. Usually the city wants to showcase local achievements to show off, but at the same time it wants to give the partners an idea of the challenges being addressed. Hradec Králové is always happy to accept such a challenge with openness, careful planning and the desire to share both our experience and our learning process.

A well-rounded approach: highlights from the Fourth Quarterly Network Report

After more than one year of network activity, through meetings and dedicated workshops, the Network has explored all topics included in the Cities@Heart methodology. This quarter, we have developed topics 6 and 7, focusing on Public Space and Managing Mixed Uses. Governance, integration, decision-making tools, sustainability, and inclusion have been transversal drivers of our learning pathway.

BiodiverCity Steps Forward: local action and peer learning take centre stage

Between January and March 2025, the BiodiverCity network may have appeared quiet on the transnational front, but beneath the surface, partner cities were buzzing with activity. Following the inspiring Mid Term Review in Guimarães (later crowned European Green Capital 2026) the network shifted its focus to local implementation and refinement of strategies for biodiversity-friendly urban development.

Walking a fine line: how civil servants can work with sustainable development amidst political polarisation

What’s the issue? 

When asked what sustainable development means to them, the participants of the Agents of Co-existence fifth online academy had lots of ideas: from “working together” and “co-creating a better world” to focusing on “balance between social, economic environmental dimensions” and “ensuring that there is enough for everyone, everywhere and always”, as well as “finishing projects” and “ensuring long-term funding”.