News from our cities and networks – 18 June 2021

The URBACT III Programme currently supports 52 transnational networks of cities: 23 Transfer Networks (2018-2021), 23 Action Planning Networks (2019-2022), 5 networks piloting a transfer mechanism for UIA projects, and a newly launched pilot network on localising the Sustainable Development Goals.

Don’t miss content of interest to you! Check out our quick summary of their latest news and outputs below.

Business and solidarity

Guimarães (PT) joined the CITIES4CSR network looking for ways to connect businesses and NGOs to support social actions locally. With a new local group and tools like the ‘problem tree’, learnt at the URBACT e-University, dialogue and opportunities are now growing.

Meet Giorgos Sisamakis, Deputy Mayor of Heraklion

Find out how Greece’s fourth largest city is working with stakeholders to halt dereliction, improve social inclusion and boost business in an isolated historic neighbourhood. The latest in the series of KAIRÓS talks on cultural heritage as a driver for sustainable urban development and regeneration.

It's #TimeToShare

Towns and cities in URBACT’s 23 Transfer Networks – each led by an URBACT Good Practice city – have been learning from each other, making lasting positive changes as a result. A few of their latest stories…

Your city in your pocket, inspired by Gijon (ES)

• “We reveal our most precious secret…” Partner city learnings from this URBACT network on smart cards that help residents access city services.
• Also, watch two videos on how Jurmala (LV) and Aveiro (PT) successfully included the citizen card in their strategies.

Talking houses, Shared Stories, inspired by Újbuda, Budapest (HU)

• City ‘learning logs’: Seven cities adopting good practice from Budapest to celebrate their own local heritage and decrease social isolation. Fascinating stories in each city.
• Focus on Forlì (IT): an uncomfortable heritage told by inhabitants: how to approach the history of residential buildings built during the Fascist period, in a place some residents call “the only city in Romagna where it is not worth living”?

Urban agriculture for resilient cities, inspired by Rome (IT)

• Caen’s (FR) transfer story: an innovative approach to urban gardening

Enriching the urban jungle with bees, inspired by Ljubljana (SI)

• Transferring Ljubljana’s urban beekeeping good practice to five EU cities: amazing results in these five partner cities, who share their “invisible victories” and “eureka moments” – and their challenges.
• Also, a call for other cities to send in their inspiring Bee Stories and win a prize!

Alternative strategies to reactivate housing stock, inspired by Chemnitz (DE)

• Battling residential emergencies: city reflections on housing as “a physical and psychological setting for both hardship and relief”.
• “Ensemble c’est tout”: the dream of different living: a communal living space comes to life with three families and a flat-sharing community in the URBACT Good Practice city Chemnitz.

Improving the social dimension of urban regeneration, inspired by Łódź (PL)

• “Be inspired and act together with your residents!”: Pick a short podcast from this ‘tree of inspirations’ for including, integrating and building active neighbourhoods.
• Also, Łódź’ solutions for ‘weaving a city of collaboration’ in comic book form.

We hope you enjoy this URBACT city news round-up. If you have any news to share from URBACT cities, or ideas for more stories on sustainable urban development, get in touch!