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. 

Bridging the Digital Divide: Insights from the "Digitali senza Frontiere" Pilot Course

In today's interconnected world, digital literacy is not just a skill but a fundamental requirement for participation in society. However, access to digital resources and the ability to utilize them effectively remains uneven, with certain demographics facing significant barriers. Addressing this issue, our DIGI-INCLUSION network italian partner, Lepida, organized a pilot course named "Digitali senza Frontiere: A Guide to Inclusive Digital Literacy" was conducted, marking a significant step towards bridging the digital divide, particularly in the Apennine region.

Led by Alessandro Borri from Centro Provinciale per l’Istruzione Adulti Montagna, the pilot course shed light on the stark reality of the digital divide, emphasizing gender inequalities in access to online services. Collaborators Mariangela Di Carolo and Fernanda Lozano Garcia of Bolab association highlighted the importance of empowering migrant women through co-designed pathways for acquiring computer skills.

The pilot, conducted within the framework of the DIGI-INCLUSION network activities and Festival of the Cultura Tecnica, was a comprehensive program aimed at bridging the digital divide for women enrolled in adult education, particularly in the Apennine region. Scheduled to kick off in October 2023, the program outlined five modules divided into six sessions each, catering to approximately 15 participants.

Taking place between October 17th and 27th, 2023, the pilot course represented a successful model for future initiatives. Organized by Lepida and their collaborative partners, the course showcased its effectiveness in promoting inclusive digital literacy.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Insights from Festival della Cultura Tecnica 2023

In December 2023, the Festival della Cultura Tecnica implemented its challenging program , focusing on the theme of Sustainable Development Goal 10: "Reducing Inequalities." The event, organized by the Metropolitan City of Bologna and various partners, sought to go in depth into the complex relations between technology, science, and integrated knowledge in the pursuit of equity and inclusion. A key highlight of the festival was the discussion on digitalization and its implications, shedding light on the challenges faced in the Apennine region. 

 

Second Transnational Meeting in person in Torres Vedras

On April 15th, 16th, and 17th, the second transnational meeting of the DIGI-INCLUSION network was held in Torres Vedras, Portugal and was attended by the network's Lead Expert, Ian Graham and the following delegations from all the network partners:

- Mollet del Vallès (Network leader)
 

- Jelgava Municipality (Latvia)
 

- Municipality of Alexandroupolis (Greece)
 

- Gdansk Entrepreneurship Foundation (Poland)
 

- Municipality of Iași (Romania)
 

- Boulogne sur mer Développement Côte de Opale (France)
 

- Lepida ScpA (Italy)
 

- Municipality of Torres Vedras (Portugal)
 

- Department of Development and International Projects of the Canton of Zenica-Doboj (DDIP ZDC) (Bosnia and Herzegovina

URBACT Local Group (ULG) Meetings: Fostering Collaboration and Digital Inclusion

In the realm of urban development, fostering collaboration and inclusivity is paramount to crafting effective strategies for growth and innovation. Within the DIGI-INCLUSION network, and indeed across all Integrated Action Plan networks of the URBACT program, URBACT Local Groups (ULG) emerge as linchpins for co-producing city strategies and Action Plans. The primary aim of the ULG is to convene various stakeholders, each with their own interests and viewpoints, to identify issues, establish policy priorities, and devise practical solutions in the most effective manner possible, using the Problem Tree method – to systematically identify and analyze the root causes of issues -. So far, there are two remarkable experiences by our DIGI-INCLUSION network partners: Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Foundation (Poland) and Jelgava Local Municipality (Latvia), where ULG meetings have catalyzed transformative change and paved the way for a more digitally inclusive future.

Green light!

Same Journey; new stages…

As I write this, I’ve just changed trains - moving to the next phase of a journey to another country in Europe. Whilst this current train journey is not related to the Digi-Inclusion project, that is a very different situation to the months before the New Year, when Digi-Inclusion travel was pretty much all I knew!

The initial period of any URBACT project is an intense yet rewarding experience, and that time last year was no exception – getting to see first-hand the starting point of all our nine project partners in the network, visiting each one in turn to meet their municipal teams, local stakeholders and partners, and to get a sense of the place and it’s local context.