Networks and cities' news

Dunaújváros organised the biodiversity festival

On Sunday, Dunaújváros celebrated nature with a vibrant Biodiversity Festival, organised as part of the URBACT BiodiverCity project. Held on the picturesque Szalki Island, the event placed a special focus on younger generations and aimed to bring the natural environment closer to the community through engaging and educational experiences.

More info in hungarian: https://dunaujvaros.com/hirek/202505/oko_napot_is_rendeznek_a_szalki_szigeten

Buzzing with sustainability: green day brings to Veszprém's schoolchildren

This year on 16 May, as a side event of Planet Lens, the "Green Day - Sustainability all the time" event took place in Veszprém, aiming to bring sustainability issues closer to the schoolchildren of Veszprém in an interactive and playful way. The URBACT BiodiverCity project was also represented at the event, where the city's apiary was presented by Erika Csiza and Péter Simon. The children were fascinated by the bees visibly working in the beehive and enjoyed tasting the sweet treats. The next time the people of Veszprém can meet bees, their keepers and the fruits of their labour will be on 22 June at the Biodiversity Festival.  

Some photos:

Beyond tree plantations: Celebrate mature trees that provide great benefits for cities and citizens!

Spring is here, and until June 2025, BiodiverCity partner cities are loud with BiodiverCity Festivals celebrating urban biodiversity. Our ad-hoc expert, Rita Szerencsés, facilitated partner cities in the last months to activate residents along those festivals and raise awareness towards the magnificent ecosystem services trees provide for us.

Tree plantations, guided tours, promotion of monumental trees, forest bathing, craft workshops, art exhibitions, cultural programmes and interactive activities promoting biodiversity are organised for all generations in these weeks in 10 corners of Europe. Urban green areas are indeed great assets to engage residents and explain the benefits of nature (the so-called ecosystem services). But while thousands of residents actively participate in tree plantations, which is great, of course, fewer people know that most of these ecosystem services are provided by mature trees. And in many parts of Europe, they face serious challenges: never seen drought, increased pollution (traffic, dogs, humans) and neglect by public utility companies when earthworks are needed.

So, how to raise awareness towards these essential issues? Our ad-hoc expert, Rita Szerencsés, summed up what is going on during the BiodiverCity Festivals and what challenges partner cities faced while organising the festivals. 

FIRST FLOWERS FESTIVAL IN VRATSA CELEBRATES SPRING AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

The first Flowers festival was organized in Vratsa during Easter time this year. The event involved over 20 florists from all over the country. The entire city was transformed with stunning flower-based decorations and installations, creating a colourful and joyful atmosphere in every corner. Streets, parks, and public spaces were adorned with beautiful floral arrangements, bringing the essence of spring to life. The city, usually known for its scenic beauty, became a living canvas, where each decoration was a reminder of nature’s fragility and the need to protect it.

Guimarães Spring Festival 2025 fills the Penha Mountain with nature, joy and over 2,000 visitors

After being postponed for a week due to rain, the Guimarães Spring Festival 2025 took place on the 29th and 30th of March on the Penha Mountain, a vital ecological asset in Guimarães, featuring 10 conservation-worthy habitats and hosting over 320 vascular plant species and 120 terrestrial vertebrate species. As part of the city's biocultural corridor, the Penha Mountain connects natural and urban areas via the Biodiversity Route, enhancing ecological connectivity and supporting both wildlife and community well-being.

Cieza celebrates its first BiodiverCity Festival: A week of nature, creativity and community

From 17 to 24 March 2025, Cieza celebrated the first edition of the BiodiverCity Festival, a vibrant and participatory event organized by the Department of the Environment, in collaboration with Aguas de Cieza, within the framework of the URBACT BiodiverCity project. The festival brought together more than 250 people through a wide range of inclusive, intergenerational activities designed to strengthen the connection between citizens and urban nature.