News from our cities and networks – 11 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.

Circular economy hubs

How do city ‘resource centres’ bring people together and boost local circular economies? Watch this short video to explore a solution to encourage waste prevention, re-use, repair and recycling – and communities. The URBACT Resourceful Cities network in a nutshell.

Food branding

Whether it’s ‘quality’ (Bordeaux), ‘institutional’ (“I feel Slovenia”), or ‘collective’, the right type of branding can really help sustain territorial food systems. Insights from the Lead Expert of the FOOD CORRIDORS network, with regional food brand examples from URBACT cities.

It's #TimeToShare

URBACT’s 23 Transfer Networks – each led by a city with the URBACT Good Practice label – have been sharing their ‘transfer stories’. All about cities learning from each other, making lasting positive changes as a result. Here’s our latest selection…

Re-growCity and ALT/BAU A tale of two German cities: Altena, in the West, and Chemnitz in the East. Both have experience in dealing with declining populations. Both shared this good practice as URBACT network Lead Partners: Altena on developing sustainable initiatives locally and Chemnitz on activating vacant buildings. URBACT Local Group member Volker Tzschucke reports. See also a warm thank you message to ALT/BAU's volunteers, the unsung heroes of the network.

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

• Warsaw’s Targówek district (PL): “So much more than the IKEA quarter”

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

• Coruña (ES): A local urban garden strategy for the long term
• Krakow (PL): New community gardens, green classrooms, training for residents – a city “deeply transformed”
• Loures (PT): Training ‘gardenisers’ key to boosting the municipal strategy for communitarian urban gardens
• Thessaloniki (EL): A new urban gardening network sustaining the city’s ‘edible’ landscapes (and a bonus update on new urban garden workshops for children)
• Vilnius (LT): “Gardening has wider impacts on the city that one would expect”

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

• Gelsenkirchen (DE): Building a creative alliance for climate action – adapting the Manchester model in the heart of the Ruhr
• Agueda (PT): C-Change local group now self-sufficient & committed to future climate action

Pooling Urban Commons, inspired by Naples

• Naples (IT): Enhancing the care of the city (Lead partner view)

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!