NONA travelling academy: study visit and project meeting in the City of Cazin

BauNOW and NONA meet up in Cazin
25th - 27th February 2025

From 25th to 27th February 2025, project partners of the Interreg Danube Region projects BauNOW and NONA gathered in the City of Cazin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, for a joint study visit and project meeting. This event, organised as part of the NONA Travelling Academy, served as a valuable opportunity for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and progress assessment of both projects. The visit aimed to review the status, needs, and challenges related to the pilot implementation and to provide on-site support by the project team.

The NONA project, through a study visit from the 25th and 27th of February in the City of Cazin, brought together project partners from the Geological Institute of Slovenia, the Institute for the Development of Local Potentials Iskriva, and Biberach University of Applied Sciences, Institute for Architecture and Urbanism.

The study visit began with a guided tour of the City of Cazin, providing participants with insights into the city's characteristics, development objectives, and strategic plans. This introduction allowed partners to familiarise themselves with Cazin’s urban landscape and long-term goals. On the second day, the participants visited the „Ratkovac“ business zone, where discussions were held on how the City of Cazin can align the development of the business zone with the objectives and activities of the BauNOW and NONA projects. The aim was to explore synergies that would enhance economic growth while incorporating sustainable solutions.

Following this, a meeting was organised at PU Vodovod Cazin, where one of the four solar power plants within the BauNOW project will be constructed. Representatives of the utility company highlighted that this pilot action would provide valuable experience in the use of renewable energy sources, supporting future projects that aim to meet the electricity demands of the water supply system. Meeting participants exchanged views on the pilot action and were updated on current and upcoming activities by the City of Cazin representatives.

The final day of the visit featured a meeting at the Department for Development of the City of Cazin, where discussions focused on the pilot action of the NONA project. Various proposals were considered, and it was concluded that the most suitable action would involve the development of a part of the degraded urban area at „Zlatnih Ljiljana“ square. Participants offered their expertise and assistance in defining and refining the pilot action to ensure successful implementation within the NONA project framework.

Project partners will provide recommendations on the proposed pilot action, and additional individual meetings will be arranged to offer support for each pilot case. The meeting in Cazin strengthened the commitment of all partners to fostering innovation and sustainability in the Danube Region. The insights gained and partnerships reinforced during this event will contribute to the successful implementation and long-term impact of the BauNOW and NONA projects.