The meeting opened with official welcomes from Beata Górecka, Deputy Mayoress for City Development of Koszalin, alongside the Lead Partner from Ostrava and the Lead Expert, Daniele Terzariol. The programme then moved quickly into its core objective: facilitating the transfer of knowledge and good practices among partner cities.
Welcoming participants to the city, Beata Górecka said: “Hosting the We Create Space Network in Koszalin is a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and learn from diverse European perspectives. We strongly believe that participatory approaches and well-designed support schemes can empower residents to actively shape their city. Meetings like this help us strengthen cooperation, inspire new solutions, and move closer to creating more people-friendly urban spaces.”
A central part of the agenda focused on presentations of local grant schemes from participating cities, including Ostrava, Koszalin, Niš, Granollers, Bucharest District 6, Pescara and Métropole Rouen Normandie. Representatives introduced their approaches to supporting community-led projects, highlighting key features such as accessibility, transparency, and adaptability. Through these exchanges, partners explored diverse funding initiatives and discussed how selected elements could be transferred and adapted to enhance the We Create Space programme in their local contexts, as well as further develop the model implemented in Ostrava. These sessions also provided insight into the functioning of metropolitan areas and the importance of inter-municipal cooperation in strengthening participatory governance.
In parallel, the meeting offered a series of thematic “Deep Dive” sessions, led by representatives from Ostrava. These focused on key aspects of programme implementation, including:
Project delivery and pro-client approaches, emphasizing how public authorities can create supportive, inclusive environments for community initiatives,
Cost control, sustainability, and monitoring, addressing how to ensure effective use of funds and long-term impact,
Communication, marketing, and outreach, exploring strategies for engaging the public and increasing programme visibility.
These sessions combined presentations with interactive discussions, enabling partners to reflect on their own practices and identify areas for improvement. The programme also included a discussion of the first official project outputs - the Communication Plan and the Transferability Study.
Another important component of the programme was the work of URBACT Local Groups (ULGs). Through facilitated workshops led by the Lead Expert, participants engaged in practical activities such as Problem Tree Analysis, stakeholder analysis and engagement mapping. These methods support cities in better understanding local challenges, identifying key actors, and designing more effective participatory processes.
While the focus remained on knowledge exchange and capacity building, participants also had the opportunity to explore selected examples of local initiatives. A short study visit presented projects implemented through Koszalin’s participatory budget such as public safety improvements, community gathering spaces, and innovative urban features like Salt Graduation Tower.
The second Transnational Meeting in Koszalin marked an important step forward for the We Create Space Network. By combining practical presentations, expert-led discussions, and collaborative workshops, the event strengthened the foundation for transferring innovative approaches to participatory public space development across partner cities.