The power of stakeholder engagement in the metaverse era
Engaging stakeholders is a powerful tool for reinforcing legitimacy and political ownership of sensitive topic, like the impact of digital transformation in our society, across different scales. By its nature, the metaverse challenges traditional forms of interaction and requires a rethinking of how institutions, citizens, and businesses collaborate. In this emerging digital environment, built on the development of immersive and responsive experiences, civic engagement allows municipalities to humanise discussions around advanced technologies and to connect abstract concepts such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and digital twins to tangible improvements in quality of life.
The active participation of residents, cultural institutions, and civil society also allows to rethink what role digital transformation can play for the creation of inclusive cities and to reflect on the risks connected to the adoption of these technologies and possible collaborative solutions for tackling them. The adoption of a cross-sectorial approach by the partners of METACITY contributed to enhance the impact of metaverse technologies but also made them more accessible to local communities, connecting them to ongoing governance frameworks and creating tangible impacts on the medium and long-term.
Mapping the local innovation ecosystem for shaping a tech legacy
In the METACITY partners, the engagement of local stakeholders in the participatory processes revealed the existence of rich and diverse ecosystems of local actors, like heads of departments and thematic agencies, city officials, experts of technologies, professors, teachers, technical experts, start-uppers, and representatives of the cultural and tourism sectors.
The active involvement of elected representatives was crucial for ensuring political legitimacy in the field of metaverse and digital transformation. Cities such as Fundão, Razlog, and Písek actively
involved mayors and deputy mayors in their URBACT Local Groups, ensuring alignment between digital innovation strategies and broader municipal goals.
The presence of senior officials and technical experts within the municipalities, not only from ICT sector but also from communication, urban planning and quality management, reinforced ownership and created a bridge between experimentation and long-term implementation of thematic policies and integrated strategies, while ensuring adherence between the ambitious goals of the IAPs and their operational feasibility.
Universities and schools played a crucial role in many cities of the network, not only as holders of technical expertise but also as multipliers of knowledge on metaverse and immersive technologies at the local level. In cities like Harnosand, Campobasso, and Fundão, educational institutions became incubators of new ideas, linking digital transition to learning, research, and workforce development. Professors and students were not just beneficiaries of new digital services but active co-creators of knowledge to be shared with local communities, shaping how the metaverse could serve public education and lifelong learning, with positive impact for different segments of the local community.
Private sector actors, such as representatives of start-ups and digital SMEs, also emerged as drivers of innovation in the participatory processes. Their involvement encouraged experimentation with concrete solutions, while chambers of commerce and business associations helped identify opportunities for economic diversification but also for connecting the innovation tested with METACITY to ongoing broader processes.
Cultural organisations, museums, and creative industries complemented this ecosystem by connecting digital innovation to local identity and tourism development strategies. While community participation remained limited in some contexts, cities expanding engagement through the inclusion of “unusual suspects” such as residents’ associations, youth groups, and civil society organizations, all categories that are not usually involved in projects regarding digital innovation but that gave a crucial contribution in the case of METACITY for grounding the conversation on immersive technologies to possible future applications.
Keeping the momentum: fostering long-term engagement for co-implementing strategies
One of the most significant elements that emerged from METACITY is the need to translate collaborative planning into real implementation, and to sustain relationships with local stakeholders beyond the project’s formal lifecycle in order to reinforce the impact of the innovation produced in the collaborative process.
Bold ideas such as the introduction of “digital champions” or “metaverse champions” emerged as an innovative practice for transforming these tech heroes, drawn from within city administrations, universities, or local communities, into local ambassadors who bridge technical innovation and civic participation. Their role is to communicate complex topics in accessible ways, demystify technology, and keep local momentum alive after the end of the network activities.
The organization of cross-generational and cross-sector events have also proven effective in reinforcing participation. Workshops bringing together students, seniors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers generate empathy across different perspectives and broaden ownership of digital
transition. Similarly, immersive workshops and participatory simulations using VR and AR technologies have allowed citizens to experience metaverse solutions first-hand, transforming abstract concepts into tangible experiences.
The network also demonstrated that strengthening ongoing communities of practice can be a powerful mechanism for sustaining dialogue. By transforming URBACT Local Groups into living knowledge hubs, cities can continue exchanging lessons, monitoring IAP implementation, and updating strategies as technologies evolve. These communities are also crucial for celebrating small wins, and for animating pilot actions, hackathons, or exhibitions that maintain public interest and showcase local success stories.
Metaverse as a tool for inclusive and sustainable modernisation
Beyond the excitement surrounding new technologies, METACITY partners shared a common vision of the metaverse as a tool for inclusive modernization. Across cities, the metaverse was seen as a vehicle to improve quality of life, enable active participation, and drive sustainable economic and cultural growth.
The analysis of the Integrated Action Plans highlighted the presence among the actions planned of several projects linking digital transformation with social inclusion, such as virtual platforms for citizen consultation, immersive experiences for heritage preservation, and VR applications for local education. All these ambitious actions highlight how digital tools can enhance accessibility, transparency and trust.
Several cities also explored how metaverse applications could support local business development, particularly in tourism, culture, and creative industries. Testing AR/VR solutions in museums or urban heritage sites revealed new opportunities for developing experiential tourism paths and innovative storytelling strategies with the contribution from NGOs, SMEs and local communities.
Building the foundations: from strategy to action
At a strategic level, the network’s partners identified several priorities for successful making metaverse a cornerstone of the local strategies of digital transformation. The modernization of digital infrastructures, the development of digital skills across all sectors, and the use of virtual modelling tools, such as digital twins, to support urban planning and participatory decision-making are some of the elements that emerged from the action of METACITY, which can inspire also other URBACT networks in rethinking different dimensions of sustainable urban development.
Digital skills academies, public training programmes, and living labs, designed to reduce the digital divide and prepare diverse audiences for the opportunities and challenges of AI and immersive technologies represent interesting opportunities for popularizing the conversation on metaverse at local level. Some municipalities might pilot the development of immersive rooms, physical spaces equipped with AR/VR technologies that make digital innovation tangible and inclusive.
On the governance side, cities are reforming internal structures to better coordinate digital strategies. The appointment of digital officers, the creation of interdepartmental taskforces, and the integration of metaverse initiatives into existing strategic plans are some of the governance innovations that will improve how cities manage technological change. By embedding these
projects within broader smart city frameworks, municipalities can ensure that the innovation produced with METACITY becomes systemic and connected to long-term strategies.
Bridging the digital divide: making metaverse understandable for all
A major challenge identified by METACITY partners concerns communication. Advanced digital topics are often perceived as abstract, overly technical, or disconnected from citizens’ daily lives. Bridging this gap requires the simplification of the language used, but also the development of strategies for contextualizing innovation and demonstrating concrete benefits linked to the implementation of these technologies.
Cities are learning to “make the intangible tangible.” Interactive demonstrations using AR/VR technologies, for instance, showcasing virtual reconstructions of historical sites or digital twins for urban planning, help residents understand how innovation translates into better services and immersive experiences. At the same time, the organization of low-threshold activities, such as digital literacy workshops or school-based programs, can promote inclusion among vulnerable groups and contribute to reverse possible negative perceptions related to artificial intelligence, metaverse and digital transformation in general.
The definition of a solid communication strategy combining traditional and digital media is equally essential. Contents like infographics, explainer videos, and storytelling campaigns featuring “metaverse champions” can humanize the process of digital transformation and foster active engagement of the users at local level. The development of permanent physical spaces, such as interactive rooms in libraries or museums, is an interesting strategy to anchor digital culture in everyday urban life but also to provide a reference point for continuing the dialogue on digital transformation on medium and long-term.
From co-design to co-implementation: promoting IAPs locally
The dissemination of Integrated Action Plans is a key moment to consolidate partnerships and mobilize local innovation ecosystems. In the coming months, METACITY partners will present their IAPs to local communities through a variety of formats, with the objective of reaching wider and more diverse audiences.
Digital tools will play a central role in this outreach strategy. Institutional websites and social media channels can be used not only to promote vision and strategic objectives but also to host interactive and gamified tools that make participation more engaging, in line with the role assigned to metaverse in the network activities.
Internal promotion within city administrations is equally strategic. Presentations to mayors, city departments, and local councils foster ownership and ensure that digital actions are integrated into broader policy agendas. Meanwhile, the organization of cross-city exchanges and peer learning activities also through the support of programs like the EUI City-to-City Exchange can strengthen transnational cooperation and allow cities to benchmark progress over time.
Celebrating results: the role of local final events
The organization of final local events for presenting IAPs represents both a conclusion and a new beginning. These events are designed as interactive platforms for dialogue combining institutional presentations with citizen debates, hands-on demonstrations, and thematic exhibitions.
Cities like Harnosand and Campobasso are using immersive technologies — such as 3D heritage films or virtual reality tours — to showcase the tangible outcomes of their work. Others, like Mostar, are embedding IAP presentations within larger innovation fairs, bridging the gap between policy, academia, and industry.
These events also serve to legitimize the IAPs at political level and within local communities, reinforcing public trust in the capacity of the local authorities to become brokers of innovation and leading actors in the implementation of digital transformation strategies. Beyond the innovative solutions developed through METACITY, cultivating a culture of digital participation that the metaverse itself seeks to symbolise stands as one of the most meaningful legacies produced by the network.