THE FIRST YEAR REVIEW OF BEREADY ENDS SUCCESSFULLY

The consortium partners of BeReady reported successful completion of the planned deliverables and reaching key milestones for the first 18 months of implementation. Hosted by JINAG in Brno, partners met on 1-2 April 2025 for intense discussions and progress review, led by the project officer Guzstav Csomor from JS/MA of the Interreg Danube Program.

During the review period, the 19 partners from 12 countries engaged in monthly online meetings, held over 25 dissemination and knowledge sharing events and meetings, signed local coalition pacts with over 131 members, engaged over 230 participants in workshops and capacity building events. The 10 city partners completed comprehensive Urban Heat Islands risk and vulnerability assessments, with some partners carrying out the analysis for the first time for their cities. We are proud to report reaching out to over 95,000 citizens in the partner countries through online and offline communication activities.

Numbers aside, the first project year was critical for placing the UHI topic in the spotlight of local authorities, climate change experts, citizens, the media. Partners have identified important gaps – institutional, technical, scientific, in the cities’ preparedness and capacity to tackle the vulnerabilities and effects of UHI on the urban infrastructure, urban climate, and most importantly, residents and vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases. To aid city authorities in planning UHI-resilience measures, BeReady has also launched an online platform for UHI risk assessment in four critical areas, i.e., urban climate, exposure of buildings and materials, vulnerable groups, city preparedness and adaptive capacity. The platform is accessible at HERE.

In the following months from July to September partner cities will be launching local pilot projects to address the UHI challenges in their cities, following an urban acupuncture approach; each city will implement a “blue,” “green,” or “white” measure in a selected city zone. City residents and local stakeholders across the partnership are invited to take part in the activities, helping to make their cities more UHI-resilient and ready to adapt to climate changes.

Read more about the project on the website https://be-uhi-ready.net/ and our social media https://www.facebook.com/bereadyprojecteu.

This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.

OVER 100 PARTICIPANTS FROM 13 COUNTRIES DISCUSSED SOLUTIONS TO COUNTERACT URBAN HEAT ISLANDS

The topic of urban heat islands (UHI) is still not at the top of local and national strategies to tackle climate change, despite the increasing number of days a year with prolonged heat waves. The past year 2024 was declared the hottest year since temperature measurements were made (according to the EU's Copernicus (C3S) Climate Change Service).

The international project BeReady (Strategy for sustainability, preparation and mitigation of urban heat islands), which focuses on assessing the UHI risks and vulnerability of cities in the Danube region, aims to create the capacity of local and regional authorities to use analytical tools to improve their preparedness to deal with the challenges of this phenomenon. The project partners have created an online platform that helps city authorities to assess their risk for UHI against 4 components (urban environment, materials and infrastructure, vulnerable social groups, preparedness of the local administration for UHI prevention and mitigation).

On March 17, 2025, Sofia Development Association, together with partners KVA, Hungary, and ATG, Romania, organized an international webinar with over 100 participants from 13 countries, where they presented the platform and shared key conclusions related to reducing the harmful effects of heat islands. The main challenges facing cities continue to be the lack of systematized data on the urban climate (the available data are not always free, which makes them inaccessible to municipalities with small budgets); the exposure of buildings and infrastructure to high temperatures, as well as the sporadic survey of social groups that are most at risk of heat waves (young children, the elderly, people with chronic diseases, the poor). Insufficient funding for work on the topic has been allocated to the current European programmes and structural funds, and planning for the next period has not yet begun. Cities' efforts to plan targeted actions to counter TRP are hampered by existing practices in public procurement to select a contractor at the lowest cost, which does not allow support for innovation and technologically efficient solutions. The sharing of good practices and continuous exchange between research institutes, business, citizen science and local authorities should be a leading approach in the creation of long-term strategic documents and action plans in this area.

The webinar discussion engaged representatives of EUSDR, DRP, European Committee of the Regions, local and national authorities, NGOs, universities and business organizations.

From the beginning of July this year, pilot projects will be launched in ten Danube region cities to reduce the effects of UHI, applying the blue, green and white urban acupuncture approach.

Be Ready is an INTERREG Danube Region project co-financed by the European Union.

POLICIY WEBINAR: CITY PREPAREDNESS AND CAPACITY TO TACKLE URBAN HEAT ISLANDS

Policiy Webinar: City Preparedness and Capacity to Tackle Urban Heat Islands
17 March 2025, 15:00 – 16:30 PM (BG), via Zoom

The urban heat island (UHI) effect presents a growing threat to the livability of urban environments. As the climate crisis intensifies, the issue of UHIs is increasingly affecting not just city centers but also a wide range of built-up areas beyond urban boundaries.

The policy webinar will present major outputs and insights from the work of the 19 city and associated partners from the Danube River Region. We invite you to join us for an expert discussion and policy exchange on how to improve the cities’ adaptive capacity to tackle UHIs. During the webinar we will present a state-of-the-art methodology for UHI risk and vulnerability assessment and an online platform which allows cities to self-assess their preparedness level to mitigate the effects of UHI.

Key speakers include Mr László Balatonyi, Priority Area 5 Coordinator for the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), Mr Gusztáv Csomor, DTP JS, Ms Tzvetelina Zarkin, Sofia municipal councilor and member of the Committee of the Regions, BeReady partners and more.

Join us for an engaging discussion and mutual learning between cities, policymakers and experts!

The webinar is organized by the project UrBan hEat islands REsilience, prepAreDness and mitigation strategy (BeReady).

Date: 17 March 2025

Time: 3:00 – 4:30 PM (BG time)

Registration link: https://forms.gle/aWho31q6Tq2ZVtjc8

Live stream via Facebook: HERE 

This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE 50+: SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE DIGITAL SKILLS COURSE

On February 24, 2025, the Digital Skills course, part of the "Career Opportunities for People 50+" initiative under the Synclusive project, successfully concluded, marking a significant step in equipping employed and unemployed people with the tools needed to thrive in the modern workforce. Over three weeks, more than 30 participants, both online and in-person, gained valuable knowledge in high-demand areas such as:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Cloud Computing
• Cybersecurity

The course content was created following discussions with employers regarding the skills in demand in the labor market and is tailored to the needs of the learners.

As part of the Sofia Development Association’s ongoing efforts to facilitate labor market access and mobility, participants had the unique opportunity to engage with an HR expert and meet potential employers.

Certificates for successfully completing the program were presented by Ekaterina Yordanova, Chairperson of the Sofia Development Association’s Board and a Sofia Municipal Councilor, which reflects the commitment of the Council.

Participants shared their thoughts on the course, reflecting on its impact:

"The topics covered were extremely relevant, highly practical, and important to my career. I feel confident in applying everything I learned to my current work."

"The course was incredibly beneficial—both the materials and the organization were top-notch. The instructor was patient, thorough, and attentive. I truly believe the skills I’ve gained will help me find employment and advance my career."

The completion of this course is just one of many steps in the initiative’s broader goal of supporting the 50+ workforce. With an emphasis on lifelong learning, the program not only boosts the employability of participants but also equips them with skills that will serve them throughout their careers.

Looking ahead: The next course in the series will focus on developing personal skills and workplace competencies! Details HERE!

THE PLOUTOS PROJECT WRAPS UP: PIONEERING PATHWAYS FOR THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION OF THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS IN EUROPE

The PLOUTOS Project, dedicated to fostering the social and economic integration of Third-Country Nationals (TCNs), has successfully concluded its mission with a final event held on December 6 in Brussels. Under the theme "Building Communities Together," the event celebrated the project's achievements and brought together stakeholders to reflect on the initiative's profound impact on TCNs and local communities.

Since its inception, the PLOUTOS Project has delivered meaningful results, empowering TCNs to overcome barriers to integration and enhancing local communities through economic collaboration. The key outcomes include:

· An Innovative Learning Platform: The PLOUTOS Practice Business Virtual Environment has provided a unique platform for hands-on learning and business development.

· Comprehensive Training: Over 250 TCNs have been trained in essential skills such as financial literacy and business language, while an additional 40 TCNs received training in community interpreting.

· Curriculum Development: The project developed extensive curricula, including a Business Language Curriculum featuring 24 modules and a Financial Literacy Curriculum comprising 12 modules.

· Business Acceleration Program: More than 30 TCNs completed the Business Acceleration Program, which included practical simulations designed to enhance their entrepreneurial skills.

The tools and programs developed by PLOUTOS addressed linguistic, financial, and cultural challenges, empowering participants with skills essential for economic independence and social inclusion. Beyond numbers, the project fostered meaningful community engagement and inspired innovation, collaboration, and resilience among its beneficiaries.

The Final Event in Brussels gathered support organizations and experts to showcase the project's impact and discuss strategies for continued TCN integration. During the first panel, lead project partners from work packages 1 through 6 presented their results. In the second panel, Anna Zurek from the European Investment Bank (EIB) outlined European-level instruments and programs aimed at promoting TCN integration. She emphasized the critical role of providing TCNs with tailored Business Development Support (BDS), including mentoring, coaching, and specialized training initiatives.

A highlight was the "Third-Country Nationals Entrepreneurs – Opportunities and Challenges" panel, where entrepreneurs like Sally Ghannoum and Yolanda Bilé shared their success stories and lessons learned. Notable speakers included representatives from organizations dedicated to supporting TCNs, such as BAPA Bxl, Shedidit, Microstart, Singa, and European Network for Migrant Women. The event concluded with a diploma ceremony recognizing participants' achievements.

QUOTES

Sally Ghannoum, TCN entrepreneur
We started in 2016 although most of my friend told me that it is very expensive. I opened my business. Then I closed it. I have restarted it through the help of Microstart.

Anita Zigah, TCN entrepreneur
I received coaching from Microstart (Business Acceleration Program). With their help I have improved my cost calculation, my business plan, my sales strategy. Microstart (Business Acceleration Program) helped me to also improved my "Why" - during the journey I tend to forget my why and the help of David from Microstart I manage to remind why I started my business

Christelle Sermon from BAPA BXL
Most of the challenge the public faces are the language barrier to satisfy the basic needs like a stable house, a job. The social support is personalized to each person due to the different profiles. We offer free language courses. Another challenge is recognising their diploma and experience. It is a complicate procedure in Belgium. It is difficult to have a job and access to market with these kinds of challenges.

Frohar Poya from European Network for Migrant Women
As a network we play a crucial role in shaping the social policy for migrant women. We offer legal, social, support, shelter for women that run from domestic violence

As the Ploutos Project concludes, its achievements will continue to resonate within the communities it served, paving the way for future initiatives aimed at supporting Third-Country Nationals.

PLOUTOS is implemented with the support of the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.