Re-Gen project Study visit in Dobrich, Bulgaria
September 26th 2023 / Dobrich Municipality
The second Re-Gen project study visit took place in Bulgaria on 26th of September 2023. Hosted by Dobrich Municipality, as official partner of the URBACT IV project “Public space regeneration through integrated urban sports’ hubs for the participation of young citizens (Re-Gen)”, the event offered an opportunity to present the urban challenges and what the city of Dobrich has achieved so far, to initiate meetings and discussions between local stakeholders, the project coordinator and the lead experts, as well as site visit to urban spaces and the Re-Gen pilot site.
The study visit started with presentation of Dobrich as rapidly developing city with smart urban planning and innovations based on local entrepreneurship and civic initiative. The Deputy Mayor of Dobrich Municipality Mrs. Rositsa Yordanova officially welcomed Mr. Marco Buemi, the project Coordinator from Verona Municipality (Italy), Lead partner of the Re-Gen Project and Mrs. Raffaella Lioce, URBACT Lead Expert and stated that the municipality is proud of its development, modern urban vision, safe and attractive center for life, high potential for business and personal development.
The subsequent meeting with the local stakeholders held in the People’s Community Center “Yordan Yovkov”, involved many young active people and civil society associations of Dobrich, sport clubs, parents’ cooperative, young entrepreneurs, architects, students and representatives of the municipal administration and of the Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities (UBBSLA). They all together discussed the possibility of developing the RE-GEN pilot site, what its current status and situation, what is the potential for its development as an attractive, modern and multifunctional urban place (HUB) for sport activities, recreational and cultural events, etc. that will attract not only the people from the neighborhood to visit it, but also guests and tourists of the city. The purpose of the stakeholders meeting was not only to present the specific good practices and the expertise of Dobrich behind in providing leisure opportunities for young people, youngsters at social risk and their integration into society, but also to launch the series of brainstorming meetings with stakeholders, envisaged by the project, and the actual discussion, collaboration and generation of ideas for the development and regeneration of the Dobrich pilot site, famous as “The Apple” among the local people.
As the Re-Gen aims to create international networks for participative governance in the field of sustainable urban development and social inclusion, the study visit provided an opportunity for directly involvement of the municipal administration and local stakeholders in order to present to the project lead experts from Italy the local situation in Dobrich in relation to the transfer process, needs, experiences and solutions.
.