One of the key objectives of oPEN Lab is to involve local agents, especially citizens, to become active agents in urban transformation processes. Although this is necessary, it is often a challenge. Within the framework of the oPEN Lab project, we have encountered problems and difficulties in this respect, but we have also found successful tools.
As in our case, other related projects and institutions experience similar situations. For this reason, in a continuous interest in achieving greater involvement of local agents through successful tools, the UPV/EHU is creating a work and information-sharing network. The aim of this network is that all parties can benefit from shared knowledge and experiences, as well as collaboratively seek strategies and solutions to implement.
Looking for synergies between European projects, a meeting took place in Turin on September 18th between research staff from different institutions and projects, focusing on how to improve the participation of local actors and, particularly, of citizens. representatives of the UPV/EHU, HSLU, Eurac Research, and Planet Smart City, who brought a rich diversity of perspectives and experiences, attended this inaugural event.
During the event, the European projects oPEN Lab, PERSIST, and ProLight, and national projects such as EVCELL and LANTERN were able to share their reflections on the topic, as well as the successful experiences of each project. In this session, work began on identifying challenges, as well as potential strategies to address them. The participants defined a common digital working environment to further develop the topic and thus explore the different facets of the issue in more depth. This digital environment is designed to be inclusive, allowing other interested organisations to join the process.
The long-term goal is to continue to work together along these lines, holding regular meetings to share progress made, experiences gained and lessons learned. This ongoing collaboration will not only strengthen the network of organisations involved but will also contribute to the creation of more effective strategies.
