KULTINCLUSION LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN THE CULTURAL SECTOR IN SOFIA

The KultInclusion project has contributed to the development of sustainable policies in Sofia’s cultural sector through the creation of practical guidelines and their pilot implementation.

Within the project, handbooks were developed to support cultural operators in integrating environmentally sustainable practices. As part of this process, a pilot event was carried out in partnership with “Helios” – Sofia, testing the applicability of these approaches in a real-life setting.

As a result of the experience gained and the achieved outcomes, the “Green Sofia” team at the Sofia Development Association developed a handbook for the sustainable management of cultural events. It provides practical guidance and tools for applying sustainability principles in the cultural sector.

The handbook will be implemented within the Culture Programme of Sofia Municipality, aiming to encourage long-term sustainable practices and support organisations in their transition towards more environmentally responsible activities.

The KULTInclusion project is funded by the Erasmus+ program, priority area KA220-ADU - Cooperation partnerships in adult education.

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.

HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE CHANGE DEMOCRACY? INTERNATIONAL DISCUSSION BRINGS BALKAN EXPERTS TO SOFIA

On March 12, 2026, an international discussion titled “Skills for Democratic Civic Participation” will take place at SofiaLab. The event will bring together experts, representatives of civil society organizations, and institutions from the Balkans and across Europe. The event starts at 9:00 a.m. and will be held at 1 Serdika St., 3rd floor, with English as the working language.

The forum is part of the international project CIVICAct, which brings together organizations and experts from Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Serbia to promote civic participation and the exchange of knowledge and innovations in support of democratic processes. The project explores civic participation from a historical perspective and traces the development of civil society before and after the political changes of 1989 in the Balkans and Europe.

Participants will discuss how local authorities can better support citizens in shaping their communities, as well as what tools and knowledge citizens—especially young people—need in order to participate more actively in public life. The discussion will also draw on research examining the attitudes of young people in Bulgaria toward civic education and their involvement in the development of public policies.

After the discussion, participants will visit the National Assembly of Bulgaria and meet with the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Youth and Sports.

Those wishing to join the visit should send their full name to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 10:00 a.m. on March 9, 2026.

The CIVICAct project works in four main areas: developing civic education and intergenerational dialogue, mobilizing civil society through local civic activism forums, establishing Balkan Civic Engagement Awards, and promoting EU values of active citizenship, inclusion, and solidarity. The project is implemented by the Sofia Development Association and funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency under the EU programme Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme.

The event is open to everyone interested in the development of democracy, civic participation, and the role of young people in public life.

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

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.

  Be Ready е проект по Програма Интеррег „Дунавски регион“, съфинансиранот Европейския съюз.

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.