Networks and cities' news

The Role of Civil Servants in Strengthening Citizen Participation Lessons from the Agents of Co-Existence Network

Citizen participation is an essential pillar of democracy, yet many municipalities struggle to create effective and inclusive engagement processes. The Agents of Co-Existence (AoCE) Network, a European collaboration of cities working together as a URBACT action planning network, focuses on innovative ways to bridge the gap between governments and citizens. Basically, they look at two ways to improve citizen participation. On the one hand, they search for new ways and methods to include citizens in decision-making processes. On the other, they seek ways to foster meaningful engagement by redefining the role of civil servants. This requires experimenting with new participatory approaches and learning from each other. After 1,5 years of working and exploring together, it is time to share some relevant findings and key insights from the AoCE network and related studies, shedding light on how civil servants can better facilitate citizen participation at the local level

How do we make public participation more inclusive?

Public participation is a fundamental part of sustainable urban development, and yet traditional participation formats tend to preselect a rather homogenous group of citizens. How might we increase the diversity of those we are reaching and the voices we are including in our policy design?

How the movement “city of commons” was born in Bologna and spread over Italy

Over the past decade, Italy has undergone a remarkable transformation with the implementation of the concept of "city of commons." This idea, which originated in Bologna, has quickly spread across the country and has led to numerous initiatives aimed at social inclusion and urban renewal.

FROM LARISSA TO INDIA: HOW GREEN INNOVATION AND MANDALAS CONNECT EUROPE

It’s a sunny March morning in Larissa, Greece. A bus pulls up in front of a modern, striking building. As the doors open, around forty people step out, some still shaking off their early morning sluggishness, others pausing to take in their surroundings. The scene before them—a vibrant courtyard with colourful chairs and tables—could belong to a trendy café in Brussels or Barcelona. But this is no ordinary venue. A bold purple ‘J’ marks the glass façade of Joist Innovation Park, a place where creativity, entrepreneurship, and circular economy principles come together.

Just hours later, the same group finds themselves painting mandalas inside the building. But this is no student art class—it’s a group of urban professionals working towards Europe’s green transition. So, what exactly links the In4Green network, Larissa, mandalas, and India?

WELDI Journal Number 4 (03-2025)

Future STEAM Cities: Local Ambitions, Global Challenges, and the Role of STEAM in Shaping Tomorrow

In a world facing unprecedented turbulence where geopolitical instability, climate breakdown, rapid technological shifts, growing inequality, and democratic backsliding are testing our societies in ways not seen in decades, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) has never been more critical. But beyond education, can STEAM be a tool for resilience, innovation, and new forms of collective intelligence? This is the question at the heart of the Future STEAM Cities network, where five European cities—Aveiro, Alytus, Kolding, Oulu, and Płock—are tackling local challenges that echo some of the greatest dilemmas of our time.

Each city’s ambition is not just about transferring knowledge but about reshaping the role of education, industry, and governance in a world that demands urgent solutions. By looking at their efforts through the lens of global challenges, we see how Future STEAM Cities are not just adapting to change but actively pioneering new models of urban innovation.