Final Conferences of URBACT Networks: It’s time to celebrate, draw lessons and share results

While the URBACT Managing Authority and the Member States are defining the last details for the launch of the first Call for Proposals for the new URBACT III 2014-2020, the 15 Thematic Networks and the 9 Pilot Networks (6 Transfer Networks and 3 Delivery Networks) approved under URBACT II are now on their final stage before the official end of their activities.

Final conferences are first of all the last occasion for URBACT partners to gather together and celebrate the progresses made in designing better and integrated urban policies. As well as these events are also conceived as an “open window” towards a wide range of policy-makers and practitioners interested in the results of the URBACT networks, their good practices, messages and recommendations.

The European local authorities actively involved in the 15 on going Thematic Networks have been working hard (at transnational and local level) to design integrated action plans to address at 360° the urban challenges they have identified. The final conferences will be the ideal framework to present the innovative solutions and actions that each local authority has co-designed with local stakeholders and included in the Local Action Plans.  But the final conferences will also be the moment when Thematic Networks will officially share the final publications that capture the main conclusions and policy recommendations for policy-makers at EU, national and regional level.

Over the last 12 months more than 20 local authorities have been testing a new approach for the re-use and transfer of good practices for sustainable urban development in the framework of Transfer Pilot Networks. The transfer process is a rather long process and it will continue after the end of the URBACT experience. The final conferences will offer an opportunity to analyse the state of play in the different cities. While also creating the opportunity to discuss about the enabling factors and barriers for a successful transfer and adaption at local level of good practices already implemented elsewhere.

Finally, the three Delivery Pilot Networks will also conclude their experience in the coming months. The three networks have been focussing on the main challenges linked to the implementation of integrated strategies for sustainable urban development. Pilot Delivery Networks agreed to organise one common final meeting in order to reinforce their common messages and recommendations. The event will take place in Brusselles and it will be divided into two parts. The morning will focus on the thematic learning of each network while the afternoon will be focused on the experience of and lessons learnt from developing, implementing and delivering a Local Action Plan at city level using the URBACT method.

Find below the calendar of the final conferences:

• CSI Europe – 05/02/2015  – Lille (FR)
• Re-Block – 26/02/2015 – Iasi (RO)
• Enter.Hub – 26-27/02/2015 – Reggio Emilia (IT)
• TUTUR – 02-03/03/2015 – Rome (IT)
• My Generation at Work – 04/03/2015—Rotterdam (NL)
• Joint Final Meeting Pilot Delivery Networks (ESIMEC, EVUE, Roma-Net) – 04/03/2015 – Brussels
• PlaceMaking for Cities – 05/03/2015 – Dun Laoghaire (IE)
• Diet for Green Planet – 10/03/2015 – Mollet de Valles (ES)
• Sustainable Food in Urban Communities – 16/03/2015 – Bristol (UK)
• EUniverCities – 20/03/2015 – Delft (NL)
• Gastronomic Cities – 20/03/2015 – Burgos (ES)
• Healthy Ageing – 20/03/2015 TBC – Udine (IT)
• Genius:Open – 24/03/2015 – York (UK)
• JobTown – 24/03/2015 – Bruxelles (BE)
• URBACT Markets – 25/03/2015 – Barcelona (ES)
• CityLogo – 25-27/03/2015 – Utrecht (NL)
• 4D Cities – 31/03 – 01/04/2015 – Igualada (ES)
• PREVENT – 9-10/04/2015 – Nantes (FR)
• USER – 9 -10/04/2015 – Grenoble (FR)
• Wood Footprint – 24/04/2015 – Paços de Ferreira (PT)
• Creative SpIN – 21-22/04/2015 – Birmingham (UK)
• UseAct – 23-24/04/2015 – Naples (IT)

Networks will publish detailed agenda of their final events in the respective websites. (accessible through the hyperlinks provided above).

In line with the URBACT way of working, all networks are now working hard to make sure that the final events will be as interactive as possible and to make them a real learning experience for all participants.

So, stay tuned and check regularly the website of the different networks and join the URBACT cities in their final conferences!

Photo Credit: Ezra Winanto Flickr