NONA project meeting: status of pilot activities at Koroška Central Library

The NONA Project meeting, held on Thursday, December 5th, gathered NONA project and associated partners at the Koroška Central Library and Museum at the Castle to review the progress of pilot actions, discuss challenges, and explore strategies for building a sustainable community of practitioners and investors. The meeting started with a welcome address and an outline of session objectives from the lead partner Geodetic Institute Slovenia. The primary focus was on the status of the pilot action activities, with each pilot area being discussed in brief 5-minute presentations followed by a lively discussion. These presentations allowed participants to review the current progress, address any challenges encountered, and collaborate on possible solutions for the next steps.

• Pilot process short overview

Project partner Verband Region Stuttgart presented the pilot in an urban-metropolitan area of Stuttgart Region (DE) which is focusing on three areas within the regional context: Hallschlag, Altbach, and Neckargröningen, with ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing urban spaces. Cluj-Napoca Metropolitan Area (RO) introduced a rural-urban governance model for green investments, identifying key areas such as Avram Iancu, Iuliu Maniu, and a rural space in Ciurila village school for sustainable development. Chisinau Municipality (MD) presented the restoration of the architectural monument Red Mill, which is listed in the Registry of Monuments of Moldova. The project aims to integrate it into Moldova’s creative industries. For the mid-sized cities, the project partner Gabrovo Municipality (BG) highlighted the transformative development of the riverfront, bridging nature and culture to revitalise the city. The Municipality of Town Veszprém with County Rank (HU) provided an update on pilot action activities in Gyárkert, focusing on urban regeneration efforts. The City of Cazin (BA) discussed early-stage efforts to identify opportunities and challenges for green investments in the city. The City of Šabac (RS) identified the degraded area of Letnjikovac, evaluating its characteristics, challenges, opportunities, and the involvement of both public and private sector investors. For the micro-sized towns project partners Municipality of Ravne Na Koroškem (SI) presented the revitalisation plan for the Old Ironworks Museum Area, titled From Old Ironworks to Future Works, to preserve industrial heritage while creating new cultural and economic opportunities. The City of Virovitica has defined the pilot area outlining revitalisation steps and setting a timeline for future development. The meeting fostered valuable exchanges on each pilot's progress, challenges, and future strategies, ensuring a collaborative path forward for sustainable development in the participating regions.

• Associated partners at the NONA project meeting

The meeting continued with case studies on Building a Community of Practitioners and Investors to Support Pilot Actions. This session featured valuable case studies aimed at fostering stakeholder engagement and bridging the gap between project implementation and investment support. Gioele Racca from ICLEI shared insights on “Stakeholder Engagement - Lessons from NEB Technical Assistance” emphasizing the importance of inclusive and participatory approaches. Selma Harrington from the European Association of Architects followed with a case study on “Building a NEB Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina” shedding light on effective strategies for engaging local communities and practitioners.

• Towards building a relationship with investors

The discussion then moved towards connecting stakeholder engagement with investor relations. ISKRIVA and MARA led the session on “Towards Building a Relationship with Investors”, emphasizing the need for clear communication, strategic engagement, and fostering long-term partnerships to ensure the success of pilot actions. The final segment of the meeting focused on project management, where GIS presented conclusions and outlined the next steps. The meeting ended with a collaborative outlook on the path forward, ensuring continued progress on pilot actions and building stronger networks for future investment and sustainability in the project’s target regions.