SOFIA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION was founded as non-profit organization with the decision 348
of the Sofia Municipal Council to work for the sustainable development of the capital.
FINAL CONFERENCE OF THE BE READY PROJECT HELD IN CHIȘINĂU, ADVANCING CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN EUROPEAN CITIES
On April 22, 2026, the city of Chișinău hosted the final conference of the Be Ready project, organized by our partners from Chișinău Town Hall—an important European initiative focused on helping cities adapt to climate change and address the urban heat island effect. The event brought together nearly 80 participants from 14 countries and 20 European cities, creating a dynamic platform for exchanging ideas, experience, and best practices.
As the project’s lead partner, we see our involvement not only as an honor, but as a meaningful step toward shaping more resilient and sustainable urban policies. Be Ready demonstrated that urban transformation is not an abstract ambition, but an achievable goal—when driven by collaboration, a shared vision, and practical solutions.
One of the conference’s central themes was the “urban heat island” effect—a phenomenon in which cities retain more heat than surrounding areas, leading to significant environmental and social challenges. Participants discussed both the need for more accurate measurement and understanding of this issue, and practical responses such as expanding green spaces, using sustainable materials, and improving urban planning, supported by real-world examples.
Ion Ceban highlighted the importance of the project and the city’s commitment to active climate policies, while Ilie Ceban emphasized the value of a pragmatic, step-by-step approach—starting with available resources and building over time. This demonstrates that even cities with limited capacity can achieve tangible progress.
International cooperation emerged as a key driver of sustainable development. The Be Ready project has built a strong network for sharing knowledge, innovation, and practical solutions among participating cities. Yulda Kiylite from the European Union Delegation to Moldova noted that such initiatives are vital not only for technical advancement, but also for fostering collaboration and a shared sense of purpose. Marina Lungu further emphasized their role in accelerating climate adaptation and supporting informed decision-making.
Behind every successful project are people with vision and dedication. Special recognition goes to Sevdalina Voynova, project manager and program director at the Sofia Development Association, whose leadership and professionalism were key to the project’s success.
We also extend our thanks to Nadezhda Bobcheva, Advisor at the Ministry of Energy of Bulgaria, for her active participation and valuable contributions to the expert discussions of the final conference.
Although the Be Ready project is now in its final phase, its impact is only beginning to unfold. The partnerships built, knowledge shared, and solutions developed will continue to support European cities on their path toward a more sustainable future.
The project’s conclusion will be marked in Sofia during the city’s first climate festival, taking place from June 4 to 6, 2026. The event will bring together citizens, experts, and organizations to explore climate innovation, sustainable art, and practical solutions for urban environments.
Be Ready may be formally concluding, but its mission continues—through new partnerships, shared ideas, and concrete actions that shape greener, more resilient, and better-connected cities across Europe.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.
BE READY MULTIPLIER EVENT IN SOFIA SHOWCASES SOLUTIONS FOR URBAN HEAT
Sofia Be Ready multiplier event, organized by Sofia Development Association and the Bureau for Integration and Social Innovation on April 20, 2026, brought together stakeholders to present the project’s results, tools, and pilot actions to a wider audience beyond the project consortium.
The event gathered local authorities, experts, civil society, and citizens to share knowledge on urban heat island mitigation and climate adaptation, promote tested solutions (e.g. “green, blue, and white acupuncture”, UHI assessment methodology, digital tools, online training platform, etc.), and encourage their replication in other cities and by other stakeholders.
The multiplier event also served as a platform for discussion, co-creation, and policy dialogue, helping translate project outcomes – Sofia action plan, pilot intervention and policy recommendations - into practical measures for improving urban resilience and preparedness to climate change.
The multiplier event in Sofia aimed to amplify the impact of Be Ready by transferring knowledge, engaging stakeholders, and supporting the uptake of climate resilience solutions at local and regional level.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.
FINAL BE READY CONFERENCE IN CHIȘINĂU
Cities across Europe are facing increasing pressure from rising temperatures and the growing impact of Urban Heat Islands (UHI). On 22 April 2026, policymakers, climate experts, and urban resilience practitioners will gather in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, for the Final Be Ready Conference, hosted by the City of Chișinău.
The conference will highlight the outcomes of the Be Ready project, an initiative focused on helping cities better understand and respond to extreme heat in urban environments. As climate change intensifies heat risks, the event will serve as an important platform for sharing knowledge, presenting practical tools, and discussing strategies that support climate adaptation in cities.
Participants will explore the project’s key findings and learn about innovative solutions and pilot actions developed to mitigate urban heat. The program will also feature real-life experiences from cities already implementing adaptation measures, offering valuable insights into effective urban planning and policy approaches.
Beyond presentations and discussions, the conference will provide opportunities for networking and collaboration among city officials, researchers, and practitioners working on urban resilience across Europe. By bringing together diverse expertise, the event aims to strengthen cooperation and accelerate the adoption of practical solutions to address rising urban temperatures.
The Final Be Ready Conference will take place in person in Chișinău and marks the concluding event of the Be Ready project.
Interested participants can register here: https://forms.gle/Ni9ykgpvfQpYLTvn6
This conference is supported as part of Be Ready, an Interreg Danube Region Programme project co-funded by the European Union.
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TACKLING URBAN HEAT DISCUSSED AT BE READY WEBINAR
On 10 March 2026, the Be Ready project, led by Sofia Development Association, organised a webinar dedicated to policy recommendations for addressing urban heat in European cities.
Over the past two years, the Be Ready partnership has generated substantial evidence and practical experience on tackling urban heat. The project has organised 20 local workshops in 10 countries, developed a dedicated methodology and local research, implemented 10 pilot actions based on the urban acupuncture principle, carried out 10 peer review visits, and collaboratively prepared 10 local action plans. Building on these results, the consortium has formulated a set of policy recommendations targeting different governance levels – local and regional, national, the Danube Region, and the EU – as well as sector-specific recommendations for areas most affected by urban heat.
The webinar aimed to foster synergies with other projects and initiatives working on climate adaptation and urban resilience. It brought together nearly 60 participants from across Europe, representing more than 20 projects funded under different European programmes, and served as a platform for knowledge exchange and alignment of policy approaches to strengthen urban climate resilience.
Gusztáv Csomor, Senior Project Officer at the Danube Programme Managing Authority/Joint Secretariat, highlighted the importance of cooperation between projects and policy actors:
“Be Ready is one of those projects that works beyond its own bubble. The partnership strives to create synergies, share experiences and influence the policy level. This webinar is a very good example of cooperation across projects, levels and borders, and I look forward to learning from Be Ready and its sister projects about their recommendations.”
The discussions highlighted the growing urgency of addressing urban heat island effects, which are intensifying due to climate change and urbanisation. Participants presented policy recommendations aimed at improving governance, urban planning, stakeholder participation, and investment in urban heat mitigation. The need for harmonised standards, monitoring frameworks, and stronger transnational cooperation was also emphasised.
Dr. László Balatonyi, Priority Area Coordinator within the Hungarian Coordination at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, underlined the critical role of municipalities in implementing climate policies:
“Within the Danube Region Programme there are several strategic projects connected to Priority Area 5, and the Be Ready project is one of them. One of the strengths of the Be Ready consortium is that many municipalities are directly involved. When addressing climate change and water management, local actors are essential because real solutions are implemented at the local level.”
This webinar proved to be a two-way street – not only did other projects learn from Be Ready, but we also provided valuable ideas. The discussion confirmed the relevance of the project’s work in addressing existing policy gaps and proposing practical solutions. The next step for the Be Ready partnership will be to further refine the policy recommendations, connect them with existing tools to make them more accessible to stakeholders, and present them to the relevant policy bodies.
This conference is supported as part of Be Ready, an Interreg Danube Region Programme project co-funded by the European Union.
TURNING URBAN HEAT EXPERIENCES INTO ACTIONS
On February 25, 2026, the Sofia Action Plan to Tackle Urban Heat Islands was officially presented, discussed, and endorsed during a special meeting at SofiaLab.
Developed by the SDA project team with the support of BISI and Sofia Municipality in the framework of Be Ready project, the draft followed the Interreg Danube Region Programme guidelines. It was peer-reviewed by Association Technopol of Galati, Romania, and further refined based on expert feedback.
The meeting brought together members of the local coalition established at the start of the project, alongside the Bulgarian Climate Ambassadors from the European Climate Pact, strengthening the link to the European Green Deal and supporting the wider dissemination of the Be Ready experience.
With strong interest and active participation, stakeholders co-designed and refined actions under the three specific objectives, including timelines and resources. The Action Plan received broad endorsement and marks an important step forward in Sofia’s commitment to climate resilience and sustainable urban development.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.
POLICY WEBINAR “CITY PREPAREDNESS AND CAPACITY TO TACKLE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT” TO TAKE PLACE ON 10 MARCH 2026
On 10 March 2026 at 09:30 CET, an international webinar titled “City Preparedness and Capacity to Tackle Urban Heat Island” will be held, organised by the Be Ready project under the Interreg Danube Region Programme, co-funded by the European Union.
The event will bring together projects and initiatives working in the fields of climate change adaptation, urban resilience, public health, spatial planning, and environmental policy to develop concrete recommendations for better understanding, preventing, and mitigating the Urban Heat Island effect.
The webinar will convene stakeholders from across the Danube Region and beyond to collaboratively formulate solutions at local, national, regional (Danube Region), and EU levels. Discussions will build on project pilot activities, practical experience, and key EU strategic frameworks such as the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change and the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change.
The main objectives of the webinar are:
- To identify policy gaps and implementation barriers;
- To align project results with real needs;
- To co-create practical, evidence-based, and actionable recommendations.
The organisers emphasise that the expertise and experience of participants are essential for developing coordinated, science-based, and effective responses to the growing challenges related to urban heat.
Participation in the webinar requires prior registration: https://forms.gle/wzVk4wC3FTS2NTuRA
The Be Ready project aims to support cities and regions in developing effective strategies to enhance climate resilience and address the Urban Heat Island effect.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.