Bolder Agency provided public relations support to the Association of Cities, which organized the second edition of the Urban Forum titled “Perspectives of Sustainable Cities.” The event gathered about one hundred participants, including representatives of the European Commission, local and regional self-government units, development agencies, and ministries. The goal was to identify solutions, best practices, and financing models for all cities aiming to plan sustainably, considering the ecological and social dimensions of local development. Urban development is extremely important because cities are the economic engines of the European Union, generating 85 percent GDP and 75 percent of employment.
The event presented the initial results of the Urban Development Fund, which has so far approved 24,4 million euros. A total of six projects were financed: construction of a sports center, construction of an office building, an Integration Center, renovation of a resort, and reconstruction of a cultural center and interpretation center.
During the forum, guidelines for the new EU agenda for cities and the urban dimension of the 2028–2034 financial period were also presented, with an emphasis on European priorities for sustainable urban development. It was concluded that urban development is much more than spatial planning, and the main question is how cities will respond today to all possible climate, digital, social, economic, and security challenges.
