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URBACT Pioneers Accelerator: call for applications closes with strong interest from municipalities

URBACT – Landesgartenschau Löbau 2012

When we decided to apply for the Greenplace project, we already knew what we wanted to share with the other project participants – our experience from the 2012 Saxon State Horticultural Exhibition (6. Sächsische Landesgartenschau Löbau 2012). For this exhibition, a 20-hectare industrial wasteland in Löbau was completely transformed. The site had previously housed several textile factories and various buildings of the Löbau sugar factory. Following the decline of these industries, the sugar factory—the last operating facility in this area near the city center—closed in 2002.

Οικοδομώντας μια καλύτερη Ευρώπη: 6 τρόποι με τους οποίους οι Ευρωπαϊκές πόλεις επαναπροσδιορίζουν τη συμμετοχική δημοκρατία

Ανακαλύψτε έξι αποτελεσματικούς και συναρπαστικούς τρόπους με τους οποίους οι πόλεις συμπεριλαμβάνουν τους πολίτες στις δημοκρατικές διεργασίες και την αστική διακυβέρνηση. Μέσα από αυτές τις ιστορίες, που αναδύθηκαν σε πόλεις μέλη των Δικτύων URBACT ActiveCitizens Action Planning Network (2019-2022) και Agents of Co-Existence (2023-2025), αναδεικνύεται η μεταμορφωτική δυναμική της ενεργής συμμετοχής των πολιτών και η ενίσχυση της δημοκρατίας (που επεκτείνονται και πέρα από την εκλογική διαδικασία). 

How Did Biodiversity Become a Core Organising Principle of Urban Development in Guimarães, Europe’s Green Capital 2026?

Urban biodiversity is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of sustainable city development. As cities continue to expand, the preservation and integration of biodiversity within urban landscapes become increasingly important, both for ecological balance and the well-being of residents. Guimarães, a city in northern Portugal, has emerged as a model for biodiversity-driven urban planning, integrating nature-based solutions into its governance framework.

Beyond car dependency & brain drain: How Ormož is striving for a more sustainable future

From February 3rd to 6th, 2025, urban practitioners and stakeholders from the URBACT EcoCore network gathered in Ormož, Slovenia for a transnational partner visit. The meeting provided an opportunity to explore innovative solutions in investment attraction, sustainable mobility, business zone development and industrial transformation. These topics resonate with cities across Europe facing economic transitions, talent retention challenges, and sustainability goals. In this article we share some of the key takeaways on these topics from our meeting in Ormoz. 

From Transnational Inspiration to Local Exploration: The Importance of Local Study Visits and Stakeholder Involvement

Hearing examples from other cities and seeking inspiration from different contexts has always been a cornerstone of URBACT networks. Transnational exchange and examples can provide excellent inspiration for local actions. URBACT provides the framework and motivation for sharing international case examples, however seeking local examples of practice is something that can often be overlooked in the day-to-day of local municipal activities. It offers value though, and is something that is well worth the effort.

Inspired by things they had seen and heard from other partner cities in the Digi-Inclusion network, the project team in the Lead Partner City of Mollet del Vallès decided to undertake a series of study visits to other municipalities in their region, during the autumn of 2024. The stories they heard from projects partners in Bolgna (IT) and Boulogne-Sur-Mer (FR) during transnational exchange provided the basis for some new thinking, and the Mollet team were keen to explore this further locally with their ULG. 

Having developed an idea for introducing some form of “digital facilitators” into the city as part of their URBACT Integrated Action Plan, they sought out local examples of cities who had this type of approach. Through EU awards and recognition schemes, they identified three regional examples, in the municipalities of Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sant Cugat, and Granollers, all in the Barcelona province.