CIVICAct SECOND CITIZENS LAB HELD IN BELGRADE

On Friday, 18 September 2026, the 2nd Citizens Lab was held at Hotel Palace in Belgrade as part of the international project CIVICAct – Civic Activism for Resilient Democracy, organized by the Teachers Union of Serbia, a partner in the CIVICAct project.

A day earlier, on 17 September, the CIVICAct project team also met at Hotel Palace. Partners from Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania and Montenegro exchanged updates on the activities carried out so far, survey results and experiences from the first period of project implementation. They also discussed the next steps, upcoming local activities and partner responsibilities for the next phase of the project.

The Citizens Forward Looking Lab brought together around 40 participants, including representatives of educational institutions, older citizens, young people, students and colleagues from partner organisations in Montenegro, Albania and Bulgaria. The main topic was “The Future of Civic Activism and Democracy in Our Society and the Role of Educational Institutions”, with particular attention to the role of schools, teachers and local communities in strengthening democratic culture and active citizenship.

The Lab was opened by Valentina Ilić, President of the Teachers Union of Serbia, who underlined the importance of education workers taking an active role in processes that strengthen democratic values, social dialogue and cooperation with the community. She also reflected on the results and insights from the 1st Citizens Lab which took place in June.

Following the opening, Borka Višnić presented the main findings of the CIVICAct online survey and the respondents’ views on the challenges to more meaningful citizen participation in democratic processes. This provided a starting point for the discussion, after which the floor was given to young researcher Aleksandar Milovanović from the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory. Together with the participants, he led an interactive discussion on “Social Dialogue, Democracy and Active Citizenship”, linking his research experience with questions and examples raised by the participants themselves. The discussion touched on how citizens perceive their own influence, what encourages or discourages them from taking part, and how open institutions are to hearing their voices.

In the second part of the seminar, Dušanka Ćuruvija, an educator with many years of experience in education, facilitated a discussion covering several topics. Working in groups, participants shared experiences, reflections and views, discussed the obstacles they face and suggested ways of encouraging more active citizen participation in the next 10-15 years in Serbia. Particular attention was given to the role of schools, teachers, students and local communities.

The group work also brought out concrete examples of good practice and achievements to date, as well as recommendations on what could be improved in the future. The discussions showed that there is considerable room for initiative in schools and local communities, but also a need for better information, stronger support and clearer channels through which citizens can see that their participation makes a difference. Participants also shared their views on the Balkan Awards for Civic Activism which the CIVICAct has initiated and discussed what civic achievements could be nominated and recognized.

The Citizens Lab ended in a positive working atmosphere, with many ideas exchanged and different perspectives shared on the same challenges. Participants left with new information, experiences and points for further reflection, as well as suggestions they may be able to apply in their future work in schools, trade unions and local communities.

This activity marks another step in the implementation of CIVICAct and provided an opportunity to discuss, through direct exchange and practical experience, questions that concern us all: how to encourage more active citizenship, how to make institutions more open to dialogue, and what role education can play in that process.

The project is funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), CERV Programme.    

CRAFT-TOUR OPENS EUROPEAN CALL FOR CRAFTSPEOPLE, WITH AT LEAST 30 PROJECTS TO RECEIVE €5,000 GRANTS

The European CRAFT-TOUR project is opening applications from 15 September to 16 November 2026 for professional craftspeople and artisanal SMEs across the European Union. The initiative offers funding and technical support to help applicants develop or improve traditional products, strengthen their marketing and create new opportunities linked to cultural tourism.

Co-funded by the European Union, the CRAFT-TOUR call offers a €5,000 lump-sum grant per project, funded at 100% of the agreed amount, together with nine months of free technical mentoring. It is open to professional craftspeople and artisanal SMEs with up to five employees, registered in an EU Member State and working in an eligible sector and NACE code. Applications must be submitted by 16 November 2026 at 12.00 CET, Brussels time, through craft-tour.eu/open-call.

About the project

CRAFT-TOUR — Crafting Heritage and Tourism Across Europe — began in January 2026 with a total budget of €831,695, 90% co-funded by the European Union. The project supports at least 30 projects focused on developing new products, improving traditional products, strengthening marketing strategies and creating craft-based tourism experiences such as craft trails and visitor workshops.

The project is coordinated by the Chamber of Commerce of Kozani in Greece and brings together partners from Greece, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Finland and Estonia. The call is open to craft sectors rooted in local heritage, including ceramics, games and toys, musical instruments, jewellery, textiles, woodwork, leatherwork, alabaster and marble, among others.

Selected projects will receive a €5,000 grant, with no co-financing requirement, as well as tailored technical support for nine months from January 2027. The grant will be paid in two instalments: 70% after the initial project check and 30% following approval of the final report. Applications will be assessed on their relevance, quality of design, innovation, sustainability and contribution to linking crafts with tourism.

Expected impact

The project aims to strengthen the resilience and visibility of craft businesses by encouraging cooperation between craftspeople, support organisations, tourism operators and other local stakeholders. It will also support the development of digital tools, training activities and opportunities for cross-border cooperation.

A Digital Collaboration Platform will give craftspeople the opportunity to share good practice, showcase their products and find partners in other European countries. By bringing traditional skills together with innovation and tourism, CRAFT-TOUR will contribute to the recognition of cultural heritage and the development of local economies.

Particular attention will be given to projects submitted by women, young professional craftspeople and businesses led by people under 35, as well as proposals that promote inclusion, accessibility and non-discrimination.

Next steps

The call will remain open from 15 September to 16 November 2026. Applications will be assessed in November and December 2026, with applicants notified and grant agreements signed in January 2027. Selected projects will start in January 2027 and run for nine months. An interim report is expected in May 2027, followed by a final report in September 2027.

The CRAFT-TOUR consortium operates under Grant Agreement No. 101299673 and is co-funded by the European Union through the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport — DG MOVE. It brings together organisations from six European countries and will run for 24 months, from January 2026 to December 2027.

GREENER. BLUER. COOLER SOFIA

How can we make our urban spaces better equipped to cope with rising temperatures and the growing impacts of climate change?

Green and blue infrastructure offers part of the answer. More trees and shaded areas, sustainable rainwater management, water features, and multifunctional public spaces can help create a cooler, more resilient urban environment while strengthening the connection between people and nature.

On 4 September, SofiaLab brought together experts and representatives of Sofia Municipality, SofiaPlan, academia, civil society and non-governmental organisations to discuss the future of a 1.45-kilometre section of the Slatinska River between Shipchenski Prohod Boulevard and Boyan Magesnik Street.

Held as part of the COOLING HAVENS project, the meeting provided an opportunity to exchange experience and explore good practices from Athens, while considering how nature-based solutions could be adapted to Sofia’s urban context.

A key focus of the discussion was the potential transformation of the Slatinska River corridor into an integral part of Sofia’s Green Ring — a greener, cooler and more attractive urban space that supports recreation, active mobility and sports, while creating new opportunities for urban biodiversity.

Developing spaces like these is an important step towards a more climate-resilient Sofia. It also highlights the value of bringing institutions, experts, civil society and local communities together to shape solutions for the city’s future.

Because climate adaptation is not only about responding to change — it is about creating better, healthier and more resilient places to live.

EUROPEAN STUDY TO INVESTIGATE HOW THE ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS PEOPLE'S HEALTH IN SOFIA

Air pollution, heatwaves and changing weather patterns with longer periods of sunshine are becoming increasingly familiar to residents of Sofia. Researchers now want to better understand how these everyday environmental exposures affect people's health over time.

To answer this question, Sofia Development Association, Health and Life Sciences Cluster and Virtech are preparing to launch the local phase of ENACT (Environmental Effect on Healthcare and Wellbeing), a Horizon Europe research project bringing together experts from across Europe to investigate how the environments in which we live, work, and move influence the development of non-communicable diseases.

Over the past 18 months, the ENACT consortium has laid the foundations for this next stage of the project. Researchers have compiled scientific evidence on environmental exposures and health and have developed the digital tools needed to combine environmental and health data securely. The consortium has also designed sensors and wearable monitoring technologies capable of measuring a person's exposure to factors such as air pollution, temperature, noise, and ultraviolet radiation throughout the day, alongside physiological data.
These advances now make it possible to begin prospective studies in five pilot sites across Europe, and Sofia is one of them. Although each pilot focuses on different health challenges, they all share the same objective: to better understand how environmental conditions contribute to disease and how this knowledge can support healthier communities and more effective prevention strategies.

In Sofia researchers will investigate how weather conditions affect patients with cardio-vascular diseases. The study will involve adults, who have cardio-vascular problems, who will contribute information through health assessments, questionnaires, and environmental monitoring over a defined period. The results will help researchers understand how everyday environmental exposures influence cardio-vascular conditions in the local population.

The information collected across the five pilot sites will contribute to the development and validation of new AI-based models capable of identifying relationships between environmental exposures and health outcomes. In the future, this knowledge could support healthcare professionals, public authorities, and policymakers in designing more targeted prevention measures and healthier living environments.
Recruitment for the study is expected to begin September 2026 Further information about participation will be available from Sofia Development Association and Health & life science cluster.

About ENACT
ENACT (Environmental Effect on Healthcare and Wellbeing) is a Horizon Europe research project involving partners from across Europe. The project combines environmental science, medicine, digital health, and artificial intelligence to improve understanding of how environmental exposures influence health and to support future disease prevention strategies.

More information at https://enact-he.eu/

The proejct is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action.

HACK THE HATE, RENEW DEMOCRACY

SDA shares good practices on promoting migrant and refugee inclusion and countering anti-migrant narratives in the 2026 No Hate Speech Week in Strasbourg.

This year’s event has brought together representatives from 44 countries to discuss how democratic institutions, public authorities, civil society, media and technology actors can better prevent and combat hate speech. The conference took place against the backdrop of growing concerns about the spread of hate speech online. In his opening address, Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, underlined the global impact of the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech and urged for multi-level actions to combat hate speech.

SDA was invited to lead a workshop on inclusive practices and designing public campaigns to counter anti-migrant narratives, together with the city of Barcelos (Portugal) and CEAR (Spain). S. Gabova presented SDA’s initiatives, including the LEAD Online project, GenderEd, and the UNHCR-funded project focused on integration of refugees and building inclusive communities in Sofia. The experience of engaging youth in designing counter-narratives addressing migrant hate through hackathons and leading public awareness campaign attracted great interest from practitioners and civil society organizations in Strasbourg.

SDA’s participation in this year’s No Hate Speech week solidifies its leading position on the topic of migrant inclusion and countering hate speech online in Sofia. We are motivated to continue our work and engage young innovators, experts and practitioners to develop real solutions capable of responding to the challenges of hate speech and discrimination in the digital age.