Final Conference of the ReInd-BBG Project Held

The final conference of the Reindustrialisation Based on the Principle “Brownfield Is Better Than Greenfield” – ReInd-BBG project was held on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, at the Svilara Cultural Station in Novi Sad.

The conference opened with an address by Mr Aleksandar Dunđerski, Director of the Bačka Regional Development Agency, followed by a speech from Mr Žarko Mićin, Mayor of the City of Novi Sad. In his address, Mayor Mićin highlighted the importance of revitalising abandoned industrial sites as an opportunity for the city’s further development, pointing to Svilara and the Creative District in Novi Sad as examples of successful brownfield redevelopment. Ms Tanja Faganel, representing the project’s lead partner, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, also welcomed the participants. 

The opening session provided an overview of the project’s objectives, partnership and key achievements. Particular attention was given to the mapping and analysis of brownfield sites across the Danube Region, as well as to opportunities for their revitalisation and future use in support of economic and territorial development.

The conference continued with presentations of the six pilot sites from Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Romania. Project partners shared their starting points, the progress and results achieved, the next steps ahead, and lessons learned that could be applied in other local communities.

An important part of the programme was a presentation of the Svilara Cultural Station, delivered by Ms Violeta Đerković, Coordinator of the Cultural Stations Network. Participants learned more about the history of the site, its transformation and its new role within the city. Holding the final conference at Svilara also carried a strong symbolic message, as the site is itself an example of the successful regeneration of a former industrial, or brownfield, location.

The panel discussion, “From Planning to Implementation – How Can Brownfield Sites Become Investment-Ready?”, focused on the challenges local authorities face when regenerating brownfield sites, as well as on ways to prepare these locations for new investments and development projects.

The conference concluded with the presentation of the Roadmap and key recommendations for local authorities, designed to provide practical guidance for the future planning and development of brownfield sites. The completion of the project was highlighted as an important foundation for continued cooperation among the partners and for making further use of the knowledge, tools and experience developed throughout the project.

The final conference brought together partners from all participating countries to present the results achieved, exchange experiences and explore opportunities for continued cooperation in brownfield regeneration and sustainable territorial development.

On the second day of the programme, 9 September, the project partners visited the Agrosavez pilot site in Sombor. The visit provided an opportunity to learn more about the site, its potential and the activities carried out during the project. It was followed by a project partners’ meeting, where participants discussed the final project activities and results, lessons learned, and opportunities for future cooperation beyond the project’s completion.