NONA travelling academy: shared progress at Letnjikovac, insights and future directions from the Šabac on-site visit

On 10 April 2025, a coordinated on-site visit was held at the Letnjikovac pilot area in Šabac, organised through a joint initiative of the Geodetic Institute of Slovenia, the Institute for the Development of Local Potentials Iskriva, the City of Šabac, and the Institute of Architecture and Urban & Spatial Planning of Serbia (IAUS). The visit brought together institutional and local partners to review current developments and further shape ongoing pilot activities.

The working session, hosted by the City Administration of Šabac, began with presentations of recent progress by the Serbian partners. Emphasis was placed on community-oriented initiatives and tangible outcomes achieved through close cooperation between local institutions and project teams. These include:

• Surveys conducted among residents and key stakeholders to gather insights on spatial needs and priorities—providing a valuable knowledge base for future planning decisions and participatory interventions.

• The preparation and launch of a creative competition titled “Letnjikovac of the Future – The Place I Want for All of Us”, involving school and preschool children, and senior citizens in reimagining the public space.

• Plans for a public festival scheduled for 30 May 2025 will feature an open-air exhibition of selected artworks, hands-on workshops, and thematic educational programmes aimed at diverse age groups.

• Targeted efforts to identify funding opportunities—both local and international—focused on developing green infrastructure components such as a botanical garden and recreational zones for children.

A site tour followed the working session, offering participants a direct view of existing facilities and spaces within Letnjikovac, including the Centre for professional development, the Training centre, the Science park, and the Intergenerational cooperation centre recently revitalised within the AGE+ project. These visits served as a basis for on-site discussions about future improvements and opportunities for enhanced community use.

The exchange concluded with a joint lunch meeting, where impressions were summarised and next steps aligned among participants. The Slovenian delegation expressed strong interest in the progress made so far and reflected on possibilities for further cooperation and knowledge exchange with other pilot cities in the project.

The visit was marked by strengthened cooperation among partners and a renewed focus on shared project goals. It also further enriched the collaborative work on the ground and contributed to deepening the relationship between local priorities and broader project values.