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Good Practice with a difference

Edited on

12 January 2018
Read time: 1 minute

As has been widely promoted through URBACT channels, including this newsletter, URBACT has launched a Good Practice Call for all European cities, no matter their size or geographical area.  The key aim of this Call is to promote, reward and transfer the great work that towns and cities are doing in the field of integrated urban development.

We, as Irish National Contact Points for URBACT, have no doubt that there are fantastic examples of integrated urban development, community engagement, environmental management, place-making, and community resilience taking place across local authorities in Ireland.  Being at the coal-face, you have been charged with interpreting national and indeed EU policies into local actions that address such challenges as urban poverty, climate change and an ageing demographic.  You have been directed towards the creation of smart cities, creative quarters, healthy communities, age friendly places, urban farms.  You have been called upon to aid in improving the health of the nation through greenways, blueways and outdoor gyms.  Working to tighter and tighter budgets, you have been faced with the many socio-economic issues that stem from economic decline and stagnation; the fortunes of your towns and cities having been blighted by the economic crisis.  As the range of activities grows, you have had to become more innovative and creative in terms of how you do things, how you work with other key stakeholder agencies and how you secure funding for the actions required.  And, by and large, this happens ‘off radar’.

However, in celebration of your expertise and dedication to your communities, we ask you to think seriously about participating in this Call.  You undoubtedly have good practices that you are both proud of and which you believe have the potential to be replicated elsewhere as appropriate.  We encourage you to raise your hands and put yourselves forward as Places of Good Practice.

 

Read more here.