NONA pilot process: Festival day at Letnjikovac pilot site - celebrating community, local creativity and collaboration

On 30 May 2025, the Letnjikovac pilot site in the City of Šabac hosted a vibrant Festival Day as part of the NONA project - bringing together a large number of children, educators, local stakeholders, and city officials to celebrate creativity, participation, and urban transformation.

The central event was the exhibition and award ceremony for the artistic and literary competition “Letnjikovac of the Future – The Place I Want for All of Us”, which encouraged young people to imagine inclusive and green public spaces. Winning entries were recognised with certificates and prizes, while supporting institutions received official appreciation letters.

The Mayor of Šabac opened the ceremony with a highly supportive address, underlining the importance of the NONA project for the city’s development and confirming strong political commitment. He was followed by the President of the City Assembly, who reaffirmed the city’s dedication to inclusive urban planning. After that, welcome remarks were given by a representative of the City Administration of the City if Šabac and IAUS Institute of Architecture and Urban & Spatial Planning of Serbia, project partners in Serbia.

Two parallel interactive workshops were organised:

·         The Urban Gardening workshop, led by the team from Terrador  enabled both children and adults to learn the basics of sustainable gardening through the creation of their own plant terrariums. Participants gained insight into the ecological value of green spaces in urban areas.

·         The Birdhouse Making and Urban Biodiversity workshop was implemented by the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia. Through a practical, hands-on approach, participants created birdhouses while learning about the importance of biodiversity conservation and the role of individuals in protecting urban ecosystems.

The event also included a special contribution by NONA project partners during the AGE+ programme, through a joint presentation delivered by IAUS and the City of Šabac. The presentation was held within the session titled “Special Purpose Area – Region of Intergenerational Solidarity and Cooperation Letnjikovac”, reflecting the growing synergy between the two projects in fostering integrated, participatory neighbourhood development.

This Festival Day reaffirmed Letnjikovac’s role as a dynamic testing ground for co-creation, learning and long-term institutional commitment. The momentum will continue toward the National Investment Forum in October 2025, where the pilot site will be featured as a model for inclusive and sustainable urban transformation.

Information about this event has been featured in local and national media, as well as on official and partner social media platforms.