As phase2 of the PROSPERA project is slowly coming to an end, the final event took place between the 11th and 12th of May in Varberg, Sweden.
In the first section of the event on the 11th of May, participants could hear interesting presentations related to the project.
First, Tobias Carlsson, Vice Mayor of Varberg and Martin Andersson, head of business and development welcomed the participants. Then, Carlotta Bonvicini Deputy Mayor for Sustainability of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia and Andrea Porcelluzzi researcher from CRPA (Researcher Center on Animal Production) held a presentation about the overview of the ambitions of the PROSPERA project. Anne Rocheteau, Interreg Europe joint secretariat presented the results of the Interreg Europe Programme 2014-2020, the first call of the new programmeing period and the opportunities in the second call. Before the coffee break, Anna Verhoeve and Jeroen De Waegemaeker, Senior Researchers at ILVO (Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) made an engaging presentation about the peri-urban area and the need for new coalition building.
In his interactive presentation, Giuliano Mingardo (Senior researcher of Urban and Transport Economics at the Erasmus Centre for Urban, Port and Transport Economics of the University of Rotterdam) talked about the process of learning, public attitudes and its changes towards more sustainable mobility and even the 15 minutes concept.
After a short break, participants could “visit” the partner cities through their stakeholders as ILVO asked about their experience in the project and how it influenced their work at the local level, which was followed by a panel debate. PROSPERA partners had an interesting conversation about the leverage of interregional and local learning on policymaking during the panel discussion.
In the afternoon, participants could learn about one of the long term project “old tracks”of Varberg from Anna Beuerman communication manager and Jenny Ryden project manager of the project. After the presentation, partners could see the construction of ongoing project from a beach train during their trip to the next good practice Lassabacka Landfill. At Naturum Getterön, Lina Gyllensvärd explained the process of covering the landfill, using the surplus masses from the construction of a railway tunnel through the city, and the development of a popular excursion destination. After a short walk on the former landfill, participants met Josefin Bergström, a member of the Local Action Group of Hunnestad. She and Ulrika Rylin, project manager of the PROSPERA project, presented the good practice of Rural village development strategies.
On the 12th of May, PROSPERA partners held a project management meeting. After the presentation of the Lead Partner Reggio Emilia about the project management tasks and a presentation, EDC Debrecen presented the communication tasks and result. In the next session, partners had a discussion about the implementation process of their Local Action Plans.
The final event in Varberg was a good opportunity for the partners and their stakeholders to meet again for the last time during the PROSPERA project and share their thoughts and experiences.
