Networks and cities' news

Prešov and urban commons: a few words with Peter Formela

Prešov's project manager Peter Formela introduces the involvement of the Slovakian city in the Civic eState Network and how they are working to recover an abandoned public space

Inteview by Matúš Žák

Pärnu, an integrated health approach: from the planning to sustainable management of green areas

By becoming a healthy city, Pärnu envisions improving access to green areas and increase the everyday use of public green spaces. The city wishes to develop a better network of roads so citizens can use them in their daily commute to work or school. Since Pärnu also struggles with seasonality, the city will need to be better adapted to this new context.

As part of the project, we have focused on the riverside area. Our desire is to find a solution together with the stakeholders on how to make the existing Jaanson health trail even more attractive, while maintaining the green areas next to it. Jaanson Trail, winding path along the left bank of the Pärnu River forms a single circle with the path on the opposite bank. Both are 4 km long, but still different in appearance.

Although this area is currently in use, we hope to find the best solutions to make this area better during the project. The final goal could be said that the wish would be to make the riverside area as attractive as we have been able to make the beach area in Pärnu. We have had some good project in the beach area and we would like to continue with the riverside.

City plans to create visitor infrastructure also on beach meadow area next to river to continue beach promenade, to introduce Pärnu city’s unique and variable landscape and nature values and also create more opportunities to visit beach side and spend time in open air.

It would certainly be mentioned that in the course of the project we hope to find more solutions on how to combine urban planning and health.

A good example of integrated and sustainable management of the protected green area of the beach can be found in our project for the introduction of urban cows.

This project is linked to the city's desire to generate a healthier environment through the protection of green areas, the promotion of active mobility and also the respect for biodiversity.

Positive narratives on integration- building inclusive cities

Following the workshop hosted by Rumourless Cities  at the 18^th European Week of Regions and Cities, Lead Expert Ruth Essex reflects on how developing and reinforcing  inclusive city narratives is more important that ever…

First steps and projects of collaboration happening: Exhibition „Quarantine“ in Dubrovnik

URBACT „Active NGOs“ project in Dubrovnik started with the idea of bettering the communication and collaboration between various public and civil actors that are engaged in public-civil partnerships and are dealing with the topic of participatory governance, especially in the forms of cultural and social centers. One of the goals was made specifically in bettering the communication and collaboration between the Platform for Lazareti located in the quarantine complex Lazareti and Youth Center Dubrovnik. Such collaboration and crossover happened during the beginning of September 2020!

Krakow analyzes sustainable tourism policy within its ULG

On October 6 th, the ULG online meeting in Krakow gathered a large number of participants (52 people) to analyze and discuss the new strategic document of the city entitled "Krakow's sustainable                              tourism policy for 2021-2028".

ULG VIEWS, Aleksandra Sołtysiak-Łuczak

URBACT Local Groups are key in the construction of partner cities’ Educational Innovation Networks (EIN). They represent the different stakeholders that will take part in the future Educational Innovation Networks and they are contributing to lay its foundations.

What do the ULG members think about the EIN and its future? Todays it's Aleksandra's Sołtysiak-Łuczak turn to tell us about it.