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.
Shortcuts
SDA HOSTS INSPIRenov PROJECT MEETING
The INSPIRenov partners gathered in Sofia for a 3-day workshop dedicated to the piloting of a blended financing scheme for multifamily buildings in Bulgaria. The innovative financing scheme will be the first in the country to offer alternative financial products to households for energy efficiency retrofits of multifamily building. The meetings included a series of discussions with local and international experts from the World Bank in Bulgaria, EnEffect – Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia, and Hungary on the challenges to energy efficiency and buildings renovation. INSPIRenov is set to provide technical assistance to banks to co-develop and test blended financing products to support families in the process.
SDA, a partner in INSPIRenov, hosted a meeting focused on the role of local authorities for promoting such products and facilitating homeowners’ access to them. The alternative funding sources will allow households to make home improvements to withstand increasingly volatile climate changes, among them prolonged and persistent heat waves, flooding, etc. Currently, SDA coordinates a 19-partner project - BeReady - funded by the Interreg Danube Program, which tackles multiple challenges linked to the phenomenon of urban heat islands. During the discussions, we had an opportunity to share with the international experts initial findings from BeReady and to identify channels for collaboration in the next two years.
SYNCLUSIVE FIRST REVIEW MEETING
SYNCLUSIVE project had its first review meeting, organized by the EC project officer, the lead partner TNO, two external experts, and the project work package leaders. It took place at TNO’s headquarters in the Hague, Netherlands, on June 10th, 2024. The review meeting discussed SYNCLUSIVE work plan progress, deliverables and milestones, and evaluated them against the project objectives.
TNO presented the overall project achievements and status, whereas the work package leaders presented the technical and scientific progress at the work package level.
The experts evaluated the project as well structured and well managed, and its objectives successfully achieved within the timeline The first year implementation is important for the proof of concept. The process of social dialogue and governance is critical for today’s society. Аs work package leader for communication, dissemination, and exploitation, SDA presented the achieved in this area.
The experts offered their advice on enhancing our research and innovation project to ensure it effectively responds to new challenges and delivers impact for our citizens and target groups. Among the recommendations were to develop a strategic approach to engaging policy makers, to focus more on the dynamics of the social dialogue process, to make deliverables both concise, with a clear message, and provide the details experts would expect.
Stay informed about more news via our website, X, and LinkedIn channels!
.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101094526
CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS: GENDER ED CIVIC HACKATHON!
Are you passionate about combating gender disinformation and advancing media information literacy education? Join us for an exciting Civic Hackathon dedicated to making a tangible change against gender disinformation!
Date: 25-27 September 2024
Location: Umbria, Italy
You can apply if you are:
– Aged above 18 years;
– Involved in media and information literacy education;
– Committed to countering gender disinformation online and offline;
– Comfortable expressing yourself in English;
– Available for the entire duration of the Hackathon;
– Based in Italy, France, Bulgaria, Greece, or any other EU Member State;
– An activist, designer, content creator, journalist, teacher, student, a professional in education, mass media, gender studies, journalism.
What’s in it for you?
Opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals.
Travel, accommodation, and daily subsistence covered for traveling participants.
Make a tangible impact on feminist online communities.
Selection Procedure:
We’re selecting up to 40 participants for on-site participation based on gender balance, age, geographical region, and background. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Application Deadline: 28 June 2024
How to Apply:
1. Fill out this short form in English: https://forms.gle/pa3Y5qwV4Qd8Zbh79
2. Look out for our confirmation email in your inbox after you’ve registered and follow the steps we have laid out for you in it.
Let’s work together to create a safer and more informed online space! Tag your friends who might be interested and spread the word.
The project GenderED Coalition is funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), Creative Europe Program (CREA), under the call CREA-CROSS-2023-MEDIALITERACY.
SDA WITH A KEY NOTE SPEAKER AT TECHNOLOGY FORUM THESSALONIKI
The 11th edition of Thessaloniki signature innovation event – the Technology Forum – was held on April 25, 2024. It is a joint effort of 24 Greek institutions, universities and businesses and aims to present cutting-edge technologies to enterprises that could be used to produce innovative products and services, to bridge the gap between research and industry, to foster the start-up environment and the global links and presence.
This year one of the key note speakers was Sevdalina Voynova with Sofia Development Association. Sevdalina share the experience of Sofia over the last decade in working with data and AI, start-up and innovation ecosystem support, the need of social innovation toguarantee just transition.
The Technology Forum was accompanied by BEYOND - the largest meeting for digital transformation, technology and innovation in Greece, with the participation of world leaders in the technology and innovation, the largest AI congress in Greece, numerous business meetings, career days, and a wealth of conferences, colloquiums, and workshops.
LEAD PARTNER SEMINAR FOR THE INTERREG DANUBE PROGRAM
The Serbian Chamber of Commerce hosted in Belgrade the lead partner seminar for the Interreg Danube Program April 23-25, 2024. As the coordinator of the Be Ready Project, SDA also took part in the event. The seminar brought together over 120 representatives of project consortia, funded under the 1st call of DTP Interreg in 2023. The 2-day event was an opportunity to meet with the management of the program, to learn the do’s and don’ts of successful project management, and to network with sister projects and organizations from the partner countries in DTP.
SDA has already started the implementation of its project, Be Ready, which addresses the climate mitigation capacities of local authorities in 12 countries of the Danube region, with a special focus on urban heat islands. Follow the project’s Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to find out more about the project activities and how to get involved.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.
ON EARTH DAY, WE PRESENT A PROJECT CONTRIBUTING TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE
On Earth Day (April 22), let's acknowledge the efforts and contributions of projects in our city that help preserve both the city and the planet for future generations.
In the face of growing global climate change, the need to respond to its impacts has never been more urgent. The Danube Transnational Programme (DTP) promotes economic, social, and territorial cohesion in the Danube River region, enabling partners from 14 countries to test innovative solutions for climate resilience.
The first call of the Interreg Danube Region Programme attracted 290 concepts, of which 89 passed to the second stage, and 60 reached the stage of financing agreements. Twenty of these projects fall under the priority "A greener, low-carbon Danube Region."
One innovative project from this selection is Be Ready (UrBan hEat islands REsilience, prepAreDness and mitigation strategy). The project aims to provide local and regional authorities with tools to identify urban heat islands and understand their causes and consequences on human health, productivity, energy consumption, and biodiversity. The project brings together 19 partners from 12 countries jointly developing solutions to mitigate the effects of heat islands in urban environments. Partner cities, including Sofia, will develop action plans to overcome urban heat islands through data analysis, urban planning solutions, regulations, increased awareness, and infrastructure measures.
A key aspect of the project's approach is the concept of "urban acupuncture" - specific small interventions with a large effect. Urban pilot activities will explore solutions in three areas: "green acupuncture," using vegetation; "white acupuncture," using innovative surfaces and materials; and "blue acupuncture," related to new ways of using water resources.
You can get involved and support actions fighting climate change in Sofia, and make the world more sustainable for everyone. Find more information about the project on our social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as on the project website: https://www.interreg-danube.eu/projects/beready.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.