KICK-OFF MEETING OF THE ENACT PROJECT

The partners of the Environmental Effect on Health Care and Wellbeing and Active Interventions (ENACT) project gathered together on Jan. 22, 2025 for a kick-off meeting. SDA is part of the large European consortium and will work together with other two Bulgarian partners, Health and Life Sciences Cluster Bulgaria and Virtech Ltd., on the initiative. SDA will be involved in the project research, analysis, and public engagement activities in Sofia. The project envisions close collaboration with local hospitals and healthcare professionals to conduct studies on the effect of environmental pollutants on non-communicable diseases.

ENACT aims at building a pathway to generate clinical, technological and economic short & long-term impact targeting local and regional stakeholders and create impact by developing a state-of-the-art environmental risk score and analyser driven framework and platform to predict, monitor and prevent the exposomic risk of acute and chronic health conditions of chronic vascular and non-vascular NCDs.

The project is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action.

PLOUTOS PROJECT FINAL EVENT: BUILDING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

On December 6, in Brussels, was held the final event of the project. The conference brought together project partners, civil society representatives, policy and decision-makers to discuss the challenges to the integration of third-country nationals as well as to showcase good practices from Ploutos for building stronger and inclusive communities.

An AMIF-funded initiative that gathers a consortium of 11 partners from 7 EU member states, PLOUTOS aims to support migrants and promote social and financial inclusion throughout Europe. The conference offered an opportunity to present the project outputs, among them a business language course, a financial literacy course, a practice business program and an online support platform for would-be entrepreneurs.

Ekaterina Yordanova, a municipal councilor in Sofia Municipality and a chairperson of the Governing Board of SDA, was an invited speaker in the panel focused on policies and strategies for integrations. In her presentation, she emphasized the challenges that local authorities – and not just in Sofia – face in designing meaningful, resource-backed pathways for integration: a dynamic process of migration that makes long-term planning difficult, changing political priorities at EU and national levels, financial constraints to implement wide-scale integration measures, and shifting public support to local initiatives. At the same time, she also stressed that integration is a multisectoral issue and requires a multi-stakeholder approach and constant communication to society, to convey the benefits of integrating migrant talents in the local economy.

Anna Zurek from the European Investment Bank shared similar insights; she focused on EIB’s current work for introducing financial instruments for the integration of migrants, in three key areas: microfinancing, housing and social impact investing. Establishing one-stop-shops to support the coordination of such initiatives and the offer of business development services to migrants is a good practice, Zurek said. Sofia is proud to have established the first in Bulgaria such one-stop-shop, a bureau for integration and information to third country nationals.

Though PLOUTOS comes to an end, we at SDA will continue to collaborate with Sofia Municipality and local organizations to support integration initiatives. The resources created in PLOUTOS will enrich the database of knowledge, good practices, learning and training resources that we have gathered over the past five years, working on integration. Supporting the migrant communities in Sofia is an essential part of ensuring that we live in an open and inclusive society, built on dialogue and shared values.

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

FIRST LOCAL WORKSHOP OF THE GENDERED COALITION PROJECT HELD IN SOFIA

On November 29, SofiaLab hosted the first local workshop within the framework of the international GenderED Coalition Project. The Bulgarian project partners – the Sofia Development Association and the Bureau for Integration and Social Innovations – welcomed students and teachers from the Public Administration program at the University of National and World Economy (UNWE).

The workshop brought together 24 young participants who engaged in dynamic activities focused on the topic of harmful gender-based stereotypes. This initiative is part of the GenderED Coalition Project's efforts to raise awareness and promote active measures against stereotypes that impact society and hinder gender equality.

What Happened During the Workshop?

The participants worked in four teams on practical and interactive tasks. They identified key stakeholders who could play a role in an upcoming initiative under the project and discussed strategies for effective communication with them. Additionally, the young people practiced their skills in challenging widespread gender stereotypes using examples from everyday life and various professional contexts.

The campaign the participants worked on will be implemented as part of the GenderED Coalition Project in the coming months. Its goal is to reach a broader audience and encourage a shift in attitudes regarding gender roles.

The workshop concluded with group presentations and a discussion of their results. The work on the project continues, and the Bulgarian team is already planning the next stages of its implementation.

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.

FOSTERING INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION IN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Sofia Development Association team hosted in an inspiring meeting with professors from Universite Abdelmalek Essaasi, Marocco and Arab Academy for science, technology and maritime transport, Egypt. The working meeting was initiated by the University for National and World Economy, Bulgaria. The discussion focused on sharing experiences and best practices in research, innovation, and digitalization.

During the event, Sofia Development Association presented its diverse portfolio of initiatives and projects implemented over the years, showcasing its commitment to driving digital transformation and innovation locally and internationally.

Together, we’re building bridges for impactful global partnerships!

VIENNA SHARES WITH SOFIA ITS EXPERIENCE IN TACKLING URBAN HEAT

On November 27, 2024, an online workshop titled "How to Tackle Urban Heat?" was held, organized by the Vienna City International Office in Sofia in cooperation with the Sofia Development Association. The event brought together experts and stakeholders to discuss the challenges of climate change and innovative solutions for adapting urban environments.

Dr. Johannes Luther, Head of International Relations and Strategic Partnerships at Urban Innovation Vienna – the Climate and Innovation Agency of the Vienna City Administration, presented the city’s strategies for addressing the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. He highlighted that urban heat significantly impacts quality of life, public health, biodiversity, and tourism, while also increasing the demand for cooling.

According to the agency’s estimates, the cost of inaction in this area could reach:

          - Between €300 million and €1 billion annually by 2030;

          - Between €490 million and €2.7 billion annually by 2050.

Vienna is implementing an integrated strategy that includes:

          - Climate-sensitive neighborhood planning;

          - Heat-resistant (re)design of urban spaces for all residents;

          - Returning rainwater to the natural water cycle;

          - Developing tools to address the climate crisis.

Gottfried Strugl, Head of Operational Organization and Management at Vienna Parks and Gardens (Department MA 42), couldn’t join the event but shared presentation comprehensive insights with participants on the role of Vienna’s parks in combating urban heat. He emphasized the importance of green spaces for improving the microclimate and mitigating the effects of overheating in urban environments.

In the context of the Sofia Development Association and Sofia Municipality's work on the Be READY project, which aims to raise awareness and develop strategies for addressing urban heat effects, the discussions and shared experiences proved extremely valuable.

To stay informed, please visit the website and the social media accounts of the BeReady project: website (https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/be-ready ), Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bereadyprojecteu, LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/beready-project/.

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