Networks and cities' news

Unlocking Urban Potential: The Crucial Role of National URBACT Points

In the dynamic landscape of urban development initiatives, the significance of National URBACT Points (NUP) cannot be overstated. Recent events, such as the participation of Mollet de Vallès in the II Spanish Urban Forum, shed light on the pivotal role these NUPs play. Acting as intermediaries for knowledge exchange, collaboration facilitation, and strategic guidance, NUPs are the linchpins ensuring the success and sustainability across diverse administrative landscapes, serving as beacons of support, fostering cohesion among municipalities and steering them towards impactful urban transformations. 

More and more often, NUPs are organizing meetings that are gathering different URBACT project partners: 

• Lepida (Italy): 18/12/2023 (online) 
  
  

• Mollet (Spain): 17/10/2023 (in-person) & 1/12/2023 (online)  
  
  

• Gdansk (Poland): 7-8/12/2023 (in-person)  
  
  

• Jelgava (Latvia): 25/10/2023 (online)
   

• Iasi (Romania): 7/11/2023  
  
  

• Zenica Doboj-Canton (B&H): 03/03/2023 

It’s worth mentioning, Spain National URBACT Point is the only NUP that has celebrated two meetings; one online and other face-to-face, acting as invaluable catalysts for synergy and progress and nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of urban innovators and policymakers for Spanish municipalities. 

Recap of the network meeting in Genk & Breda

The first Core Network Meeting of the Agents of Co-Existence (AoCE) network took place from 13 to 16 November 2023. To minimise our ecological footprint, we chose to simultaneously visit two partner cities in close geographical proximity: Genk in Belgium and Breda in the Netherlands.

Cities After Dark: Baseline Study

"All things, to all people, at all times", the Cities@Heart Baseline Study

Covering themes from nightlife to the circular economy, the 30 URBACT IV Action Planning Networks began their journey of integrated urban development in June 2023. This baseline study, conducted from September to December 2023 in ten different countries, compiles urban analyses and site-specific visits to create the project roadmap for the URBACT Cities@Heart network, aiming to generate actionable knowledge for revitalising city centres.

The purpose of this baseline study is to define the framework for learning, knowledge exchange, and capacity building over the project's two-and-a-half-year duration. It establishes a clear methodology for focusing, categorising, and sharing network learnings.

Cities After Dark - #1 Quarterly Journal

Berane Municipality presented the ECONNECTING network to the Montenegrin Minister of European Affairs