At the Christo and Jean-Claude Centre, Gabrovo reviews its NONA progress

On 16 May, project partner Gabrovo Municipality organised the local final work meeting under the NONA project held at the Christo and Jean-Claude Centre. The meeting focused on wrap-up, reporting, and future planning, and brought together the local project team and stakeholders to review progress and outline next steps after the end of the project.

Particular focus was placed on the role of culture, youth communities, and participatory urban design in the activation of underused public spaces, including discussions around sustainable and community-driven approaches to temporary urban interventions and skateable public infrastructure.

The discussion focused on Gabrovo's contribution to NONA's broader objective of developing new governance models for green investments and sustainable territorial development in the Danube Region. As one of the project's pilot cities, Gabrovo has worked on strengthening cooperation between public institutions, local stakeholders, civil society, and potential investment actors in support of the revitalisation of degraded and underused urban spaces. The meeting additionally explored how creative practices, upcycling approaches, and collaboration with local youth and skate communities could contribute to the long-term identity and social use of these spaces.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to reflect on local achievements, lessons learned, and practical opportunities for applying the project's results beyond the project lifetime. Special attention was given to future planning and to the potential of NONA's approach to support Gabrovo's long-term vision for a greener, more innovative, inclusive, and attractive urban environment. Participants discussed opportunities for continued community engagement, future cultural programming, and the development of site-specific interventions that connect sustainability, public space, and local creative communities.