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European cities are driving change through the URBACT Action Planning Networks \u2013 and URBACT urges all to check out the areas of action and the latest updates.<\/h3>\nEuropean cities are driving change through the URBACT Action Planning Networks \u2013 and URBACT urges all to check out the areas of action and the latest updates.<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
URBACT writes:<\/p>\n
From 1 June 2023 to 31 December 2025,\u00a0252 individual partners from 28 European countries\u00a0have embarked on 30\u00a0Action Planning Networks\u00a0(APN), under the\u00a0URBACT IV\u00a0programme. Within their URBACT journey, they aim to build their knowledge and skills to co-design and develop long-term\u00a0Integrated Action Plans\u00a0(IAP) to tackle their local challenges. These plans will define the actions to be implemented, covering timings, responsibilities, costings, funding sources, monitoring indicators and risk assessments.<\/p>\n
Each network is composed of a Lead Partner and another 8-10 project partners. Among the 252 partners,\u00a0half are newcomers to the programme\u00a0while the other half already has experience with URBACT III (2014-2020).<\/p>\n
All the approved URBACT Action Planning Networks (2023-2025) are aligned with the\u00a0EU Cohesion Policy\u00a0and will contribute to its five specific Policy Objectives (POs): PO1 A more competitive and smarter Europe; PO2 A greener Europe; PO3 A more connected Europe; PO4 A more social and inclusive Europe; and PO5 A Europe closer to citizens.<\/p>\n
Beyond their geographic diversity, the 30 networks also stand out for their wide variety of topics. The\u00a0URBACT method, which all networks follow, ensures that an integrated approach is applied; stated simply, regardless of the topic, the social, economic, environmental and territorial aspects are considered.<\/p>\n
To help you navigate the list, we have clustered them here by their main thematic areas: Participative governance; Urban planning; Local development; Climate action; and Social cohesion.<\/p>\n
Networks under the participative governance thematic focus on a wide variety of topics, including citizen engagement, health, localising the Sustainable Development Goals and much more.<\/p>\n
Led by\u00a0Genk\u00a0(BE),\u00a0Agents of Co-Existence\u00a0fosters\u00a0innovative approaches\u00a0to societal challenges and strives for\u00a0inclusive local policies\u00a0with active community involvement by strengthening the skills and competences of civil servants and creating\u00a0new organisational structures and cultures.<\/p>\n
Developing\u00a0locally-adapted governance processes\u00a0is the main objective of\u00a0Cities for Sustainability Governance, with\u00a0Espoo\u00a0(FI) as the Lead Partner, but specifically by using UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a strategic vehicle.<\/p>\n
From the heart of\u00a0Paris\u00a0(FR), the European cities involved in\u00a0CITIES@HEART\u00a0work towards a\u00a0balanced and inclusive city centre\u00a0for all users, reversing the loss of attractiveness for cities of different sizes and backgrounds.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0One Health 4 Cities\u00a0network, guided by\u00a0Lyon\u00a0(FR), aims to promote the integration of the\u00a0One Health approach\u00a0into urban strategies and projects, developing tools that empower decision-makers and operational teams to increase the positive impact of urban projects on the\u00a0well-being and health of people, animals and the environment.<\/p>\n
Urban planning networks address a range of hot topics such as\u00a0mobility, accessibility,\u00a0sustainability, public spaces, spatial linkages and territorial cohesion.<\/p>\n
PUMA\u00a0(Planning Urban Mobility Actions) helps cities such as\u00a0Liepaja\u00a0(LV), its Lead Partner, develop\u00a0integrated mobility action plans\u00a0in order to achieve climate-neutral and sustainable mobility in small and medium-sized cities. It is\u00a0people-centric, prioritising the needs and well-being of individuals.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0S.M.ALL\u00a0network is all about \u201cSharing urban solutions towards accessible, sustainable mobility for all.\u201d Led by\u00a0Ferrara\u00a0(IT), they navigate the complexity of\u00a0two URBACT mobility paradigms: inclusivity and sustainability.<\/p>\n
Romagna\u00a0Faentina\u00a0(IT) is at the forefront of\u00a0ECONNECTING\u00a0– Greener & closer communities, a network that focuses on sustainable urban-rural mobility solutions within the\u00a030-minute territory, designing and implementing\u00a0proximity strategies\u00a0for rural-urban functional areas.<\/p>\n
SCHOOLHOODS\u00a0puts children\u2019s health and safety on the menu of a\u00a0safe, green and happy way to school. Led by\u00a0Rethymno\u00a0(EL), the cities belonging to this URBACT network work hand-in-hand with pupils, parents and teachers to co-create solutions allowing pupils to actively go to school on their own.<\/p>\n
From\u00a0Balbriggan\u00a0(IE) to the borders of Europe, the main goal of the\u00a0EcoCore\u00a0network is to accelerate the\u00a0green transition\u00a0especially in the work environments of the industrial areas of the partner cities, which are transitioning to\u00a0low-carbon energy sources\u00a0for transportation, heating and electricity.<\/p>\n
In a mission to connect urban-rural communities, Creacci\u00f3 Ag\u00e8ncia d’Emprenedoria of\u00a0Vic\u00a0(ES) is currently leading the\u00a0Beyond the Urban network, which promotes\u00a0urban-rural mobility\u00a0through the testing and implementation of sustainable, accessible and integrated mobility solutions, with a focus on intermodality,\u00a0multi-level governance, inclusion, gender equality, and digital tools.<\/p>\n
Local economy, territorial marketing and\u00a0digital transformation\u00a0are a few of the topics covered by the local development networks.<\/p>\n
C4TALENT, whose Lead Partner is\u00a0Ny\u00edregyh\u00e1za\u00a0City with County Rights (HU), pursues the objective of building\u00a0business & startup friendly environments\u00a0in cities to lessen the effects of brain drain, attracting and retaining talented young professionals.<\/p>\n
After the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the transformation around how work is organised,\u00a0Dubrovnik\u00a0Development Agency (HR) initiated\u00a0Remote-IT, a network that tackles the new challenges cities are experiencing connected to the future of work by facilitating the\u00a0remote and hybrid work\u00a0for thriving cities.<\/p>\n
Another Croatian city is leading a local development action planning network.\u00a0Sibenik\u00a0(HR) is at the head of\u00a0Residents of the future, which addresses the issue of\u00a0urban depopulation within small and medium-sized cities.<\/p>\n
With\u00a0Fund\u00e3o\u00a0(PT) as a Lead Partner,\u00a0METACITY\u2019s\u00a0main goal is to\u00a0increase competitiveness\u00a0of\u00a0small and medium tech-aware cities, benefiting from the opportunity to enhance service efficiency and citizen satisfaction provided by the metaverse.<\/p>\n
NextGen YouthWork, headed by\u00a0Eindhoven\u00a0(NL), is also contributing to the digital transformation, by going one step further and\u00a0improving online youth work through innovative digital solutions\u00a0at the city level.<\/p>\n
Boosting no-tech and digital local communities, facing specific challenges in terms of diversity, gender equality and inclusion, is the objective of\u00a0TechDiversity, a network composed of small and medium-sized European cities and guided by\u00a0Trikala\u00a0(EL).<\/p>\n
Led by\u00a0Mollet del Vall\u00e8s\u00a0(ES),\u00a0DIGI-INCLUSION\u00a0also promotes inclusion through digital tools,\u00a0tackling social exclusion and boosting digital inclusion\u00a0not only by granting access to technology but by enabling people to develop the necessary skills and to become sufficiently empowered to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital world.<\/p>\n
Life in cities continues even after dark. This is the main statement of the network\u00a0Cities After Dark. Led by\u00a0Braga\u00a0(PT), this network promotes the\u00a0‘Night Economy’, through activities that are essential for a city to function 24 hours a day and play a significant role in the global economy.<\/p>\n
Climate action networks tackle several concerns; green transition, circular economy, green funding and reconversion of spaces, among other subjects.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0COPE\u00a0(Coherent Place-based Climate Action) network, driven by\u00a0Copenhagen\u00a0(DK),\u00a0unlocks the green potentials of citizen action\u00a0through a place-based approach, recognising citizens and local action groups as fundamental stakeholders working to accelerate the green transition.<\/p>\n
Led by Munich (DE),\u00a0LET’S GO CIRCULAR!\u00a0cities focus on the\u00a0circular transition of cities. This network addresses all issues relevant to a holistic strategy of circular city ecosystems, fostering innovative solutions.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0BiodiverCity\u00a0partners, with the support of\u00a0Duna\u00fajv\u00e1ros\u00a0(HU) as Lead Partner, support and\u00a0enable communities to plan powerful, nature-based solutions, foster pro-environmental citizen behaviours and draft Urban Greening Plans, contributing to the achievement of the EU Biodiversity Strategy.<\/p>\n
In4Green\u00a0is a collaborative network of industrial cities, headed by\u00a0Avil\u00e9s\u00a0(ES), with a shared commitment: to implement\u00a0the green transition\u00a0in industrial areas\/cities while remaining competitive and inclusive.<\/p>\n
Restoring \u201cforgotten\u201d urban areas into valuable places for and with residents is the mission of\u00a0GreenPlace. This\u00a0Wroclaw-led (PL) network aims to restore urban spaces and make them friendly to both the residents and the environment, by optimising the use of existing resources in the context of ecological crisis, the financial and geopolitical situation.<\/p>\n
A variety of topics are addressed by the social cohesion thematic networks, from urban regeneration and place-making togender, equality, diversity and inclusion.<\/p>\n
Under the leadership of\u00a0Clermont Auvergne M\u00e9tropole\u00a0(FR), the objective of\u00a0FEMACT-Cities\u00a0is to support the drafting of eight \u201cLocal Action Plans on Gender Equality\u201d about the main challenges regarding women’s liberty and empowerment, through\u00a0protection, education, emancipation and economic autonomy.<\/p>\n
GenProcure\u00a0also addresses gender equality, focusing on\u00a0Gender-Responsive Public Procurement, and it is headed by\u00a0Vila Nova de Famalic\u00e3o\u00a0(PT). This network promotes gender equality through working purchases, supplies and services in the public sector.<\/p>\n
Re-Gen\u00a0is a European network of cities led by\u00a0Verona\u00a0(IT) that aims to support\u00a0sustainable urban development and social inclusion\u00a0thanks to the protagonism of secondary school students, aged between 10 and 18, from disadvantaged backgrounds.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Cinisello Balsamo-led (IT)\u00a0U.R. Impact\u00a0prioritises\u00a0social impact in urban regeneration, ensuring social inclusion and community development during urban renewal. They place citizens and their social, economic and environmental well-being at the centre of the processes.<\/p>\n
The main goal of\u00a0Breaking Isolation, a network driven by\u00a0Agen\u00a0(FR) that\u00a0fights against isolation by creating social bonds\u00a0and links between young and elderly and promoting social diversity.<\/p>\n
In order to build more inclusive and resilient societies,\u00a0WELDI\u00a0empowers local authorities for a\u00a0dignified integration of newly arrived migrants. In achieving this objective, cities of this network, led by\u00a0Utrecht\u00a0(NL), collaborate with migrants and other residents, as well as with local, national and international partners.<\/p>\n
ARCHETHICS\u00a0network brings together European cities that share the presence of heritage linked to a complex and controversial historical past (totalitarian regimes, contentious borders, etc), such as its Lead Partner\u00a0Cesena\u00a0(IT). Their goal is to transform the heritage into places for locals and visitors to share knowledge and come to\u00a0multi-perspective understandings of the past and new visions for the future….<\/p>\n
This is just a snapshot of the URBACT\u00a0Action Planning Networks, but stay tuned for more insights from the Lead Experts and partner cities, themselves! You can also follow the journey of these networks on their project pages and social media, benefit from the lessons learned and try them in your own city.<\/p>\n