NONA partnership holds first live meeting and study trip in Bulgaria: a milestone event for green investment

The first in-person meeting of the NONA partnership consortium took place from March 11th to 14th 2024, in Gabrovo Bulgaria. Hosted by the lead partner Geodetic Institute of Slovenia GIS, in collaboration with ISKRIVA Institute for Development of Local Potentials, The Collective Foundation, and Gabrovo Municipality, this four-day event marked a significant step forward for the consortium’s mission to promote green investment and responsible land use in line with ecosystem capacities.

Collaborative workshops and strategic brainstorming

Throughout the meeting, partners participated in interactive workshops and brainstorming sessions on key topics, including green investment strategies for revitalising degraded areas. Together, they worked on defining the building blocks for a shared methodology. Five pilot cases were discussed in group sessions, where teams identified specific issues at the pilot sites, potential investors, and actionable development plans. Each team gathered critical information on past land use, ownership status, degradation levels, amenities, and traffic accessibility to propose innovative solutions for revitalisation. The discussions were enriched by expert presentations from stakeholders such as Business Park Sofia and Magnet Bank, who shared their perspectives on sustainable investment and financial frameworks.

Site visits highlight Gabrovo’s revitalisation potential

As part of the study trip, the group visited key sites in Gabrovo, including the Industrial History Museum and the now-degraded Textiles Vocational School along the Yantra River. This former industrial complex is set to be transformed into the Center for Contemporary Art Christo and Jeanne-Claude, positioning Gabrovo as a future cultural and educational hub. The partners also toured the Open-air Ethnographic Museum “Etar” which showcases Bulgaria's rich heritage in craftsmanship and traditions, offering a glimpse into the potential of cultural tourism in regional revitalisation efforts. The meeting continued with a visit to Sofia, where partners explored best practices in tactical urbanism with The Collective Foundation. The Sofia tour also featured a deep dive into the city’s architectural and urban development, providing insights into sustainable urban planning.

Looking ahead: future events and initiatives

The event concluded with a discussion of upcoming activities, including the Danube Future Works conference in Ulm, which took place in May, and the next in-person meeting in June in Chisinau, Moldova. These events continued to build momentum toward NONA’s goals of fostering green investment and transforming degraded spaces across the region.