News from our cities and networks – 25 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.

Building community spirit

Ten community projects in ten short videos from Võru, Estonian partner in the Find Your Greatness network, Europe’s first strategic brand building programme for smart cities.

Secret city tours

New ‘Innovative Touristic Tours’ are launched in Cáceres (ES), partner in the Tourism Friendly Cities network, guiding residents and tourists through some of the city’s less-visited areas. First up: an Ornithological Tour; and a Moorish and New Jewish Quarter Tour.

A call to end homelessness

The ROOF network’s call for EU and Member States’ action in four key areas to end homelessness. A response to the recent “Lisbon Declaration on the European Platform on Combatting Homelessness”, committing to ending homelessness by 2030.

Cities ‘prepare for the next big crisis’

Six UK cities share valuable advice on building community collaboration and resilience, based on their experiences as partners in URBACT networks during Covid.

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. Their latest stories…

Games for inclusive, healthy and sustainable cities, inspired by Udine (IT)

• A collection of the Playful Paradigm Toolkits for cities and policymakers: the keys to setting up local initiatives such as the Ludobus, Toylibrary, and Playful school programmes.

Volunteers connect cities, from compassion to action, inspired by Athienou (CY)

• Be a resilient city through participation and volunteerism:  interesting ‘transfer guide’ for any city building needs-based social solutions with volunteer help. How to encourage stakeholder co-responsibility and alleviate social budgets.
• Our journey at a glance: your chance to binge-read the full series of the network's newsletters!

Arts and culture leading climate action in cities, inspired by Manchester (UK)

• Mantova’s (IT) transfer story: “We art the change”

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

• How to detect outcomes and societal impact linked to a community-based and community-targeted intervention? Who’s most affected by these changes?... Project expert Rita Szerencsés shows, step by step, how her network monitored change.

Music schools for social change, inspired by L'hospitalet de Llobregat (ES)

• Grigny’s (FR) transfer story, starring 10-year old double bass player Maténé

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

City partners give details on how they learnt from Ljublijana’s good practice, starting with an ‘enlightening’ first boot camp in 2019.

• Amarante’s (PT) bees bloom!
• Bydgoszcz (PL): “We care for nature!”
• Cesena (IT): bees good for food
• Budapest’s Hegyvidék district (HU): pollinators on the rise
• Nea Propontida (EL): BeePathNet an open door to new adventures
• Lead Partner view from Ljublijana (SI): “How we transferred the BEE PATH good practice and achieved so much more…”

TechRevolution – Maximising the job creation potential of digital, inspired by Barnsley (UK)

• • Bacau (RO): URBACT partners “challenged old ways and opened doors to new ones”
• Schiedam (NL): innovative ways to work better with public and private stakeholders
• Nyíregyháza (HU): futureproofing the local economy, especially the SME sector
• Pardubice (CZ): minimising Covid’s negative impacts on the local economy
• Pireaus (EL): Barnsley’s good practice complements strategy to boost the Blue Economy
• Vilanova i la Geltrú (ES): new e-health and gamification hackathons, entrepreneur programmes, a local innovation manifesto… and more!            
• Lead Partner view from Barnsley (UK): “TechRevolution has enabled us to constantly check and challenge what we do so that we continue to learn and adapt as we grow."
• Also, 'Tech Revolution 2.0' is now set to transfer good practice from Barnsley’s Digital Media Centre and Enterprising Barnsley to yet more EU towns.

Read our new publication for more stories from cities understanding, adapting and re-using URBACT Good Practices: Good Practice Transfer – Why not in my city?

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!