Networks and cities' news

2Nite Journal #3

The 2Nite network gathered in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, for its second Transnational Meeting, and various webinars, amongst which public space activation and storytelling. Hosted by the Municipality of Cluj-Napoca, the two-day event brought together project partners, local stakeholders, and community representatives.

The meeting served as a vital mid-term touchpoint to explore how European cities can better understand, measure, and improve public space liveability and safety perceptions, particularly within urban neighborhoods undergoing rapid demographic and spatial change. Through interactive workshops, on-the-ground field exploration, and strategic planning sessions, partners collaborated to shape the next phase of their Integrated Action Plans.

Scaling Up Innovation: Partnerships at the Heart of Successful European Projects

When European cities talk about the housing crisis, the conversation often centers on limits—tight budgets, restrictive legal frameworks, and a lack of space. However, true innovation means facing a complex future head-on. By building strong partnerships, cities gain the vehicle—and the co-created confidence—needed to overcome these challenges. The final conference of the Cities 4 Co-Housing Innovation Transfer Network in Brussels marked the culmination of two years of intensive work. The atmosphere was one of arrival, execution, and a shared look into the future.

Bringing to a close a journey that culminated in June 2026, the network's six partners gathered to answer a crucial, continent-wide question: How can affordable, inclusive, and collaborative housing models—like Brussels' pioneering CALICO project—be scaled up through different investment channels in Europe?
 

As the network wraps up its formal URBACT chapter, the lesson is clear: making affordable housing a reality across Europe requires robust partnership building at the city level, between European municipalities, and with other EU institutions and stakeholders. Partnerships are the key to transferring innovation, building the confidence to deliver even when national policies are absent, and maintaining momentum.

FINAL REPORT - REinventing Culture in Urban Places

This Final Report was edited and compiled by Elisa Filippi, Lead Expert of the URBACT RECUP Network, and reflects the collective work, experiences, and contributions of all RECUP project partners and stakeholders involved throughout the project. The report is published here with the original content. The original PDF version of the report is also available for viewing and download.

Credits: This report reflects a truly collective work and learning process. A warm thank you is therefore given to all the people on board of the journey, including partners, local stakeholders, URBACT experts and the URBACT Secretariat for the guidance and support.

Com’ON! How a Romanian city empowered young people that their ideas could change their community. And now it’s going European!

In Cluj-Napoca, a deliberate format in youth democracy has funded more than 1,000 initiatives since 2015. Now five cities across Europe are learning its secrets.

It started with a simple, almost naïve premise: what if you gave a group of youngsters €1,000, no strings attached, and trusted them to improve their neighbourhood?

The Moment Ideas Become Places

There is always a point in every project when conversations give way to construction sites, freshly planted trees, newly painted walls and people asking, "When can we use it?" For the 27 cities participating in the URBACT Pioneers Accelerator, that moment has arrived.

URBACT Pioneers Interim Results - Turning Urban Ambition into Local Action

Over the past 9 months, 27 cities from the Western Balkans have been quietly reshaping what collaboration looks like. Through the URBACT Pioneers Accelerator (UPA), they’ve moved from curiosity to confidence - exploring, defining, and now preparing to act.