Category: Participation and urban planning

Green Corridors in the city and its surroundings

Posted on by burkhard

Kick-off Event: 7th – 9th April 2026 (TBC) in Egypt

Local authorities in Germany, North Africa, and the Middle East face similar challenges in the face of climate change. They are called upon to translate general strategies for climate change adaptation and climate protection into concrete local measures. One option is to develop green corridors – e.g., as green walkways in city centers or as green corridors in the surrounding areas and new neighborhoods. These enable improved fresh air supply, quality of life, and more efficient water management. Green corridors can also be used for local recreation and heat protection in municipalities.

Against this backdrop, Connective Cities offers experts from German and Arab local governments the opportunity to develop concrete solutions for their own contexts and exchange ideas with each other as part of a one-year learning process.

Main areas of Work

The structured learning process will focus on:

  1. Green corridors as fresh air corridors between cities and their surrounding areas
  2. Green paths in cities and old city centers
  3. Green new and existing neighborhoods

 

The methodology

The learning process follows a modular approach with the following objectives:

  1. Supporting participating municipalities in developing solutions through peer learning and tailored technical advice to promote green corridor solutions.
  2. Developing the participants’ skills so that they are better able to implement organizational changes and improve procedures and methods in their own municipalities.
  3. Supporting participating municipalities in their methodological approach and the development of financially viable solutions.

 

As part of the learning process, best practices for green corridors and climate-friendly urban planning will be presented. Participating municipalities will engage in peer learning with others to develop concrete solutions for their individual contexts. These solutions can bring about organizational changes to improve procedures, methods, and data availability, as well as the concrete implementation of pilot measures.

Using a co-creative approach, participants will be involved in a structured creative problem-solving process. This includes

  1. observing and understanding current municipal practices to identify challenges and gaps,
  2. brainstorming and developing concrete solutions, and
  3. testing the solutions with a group of stakeholders, including citizens and experts, to obtain feedback.

 

Duration

The learning process will span a period of one year, beginning with a kick-off workshop in Egypt in March 2026. A total of two German and approximately 10 municipalities from the MENA region will participate in the learning process.

Participation and contact

We are looking for German and Arab experts from municipalities (district offices, city administrations, municipal companies, etc.) who can contribute a project or idea for a solution for green corridors to the learning process. Ideally, two experts from one municipality will apply and be able to anchor the change process in the administration in the long term. The participation costs (accommodation and board) are covered. The conference language is English and French.

If you are interested in the learning process, please apply by February 1, 2026, via this link: Learning process MENA Green Corridors 2026/2027 | Connective Cities Network stating your municipality, position, and the project/challenge in the area of green corridors.

If you have any questions, please contact jelena.karamatijevic@giz.de

Further information about: Connective Cities’ learning processes

From Vision to Reality

Posted on by burkhard

Working Group: Sustainable & Affordable Housing – Connective Cities

Affordable and sustainable housing remains one of the most pressing challenges for cities worldwide. In the next phase of the Connective Cities Sustainable & Affordable Housing Working Group, this online workshop introduces visualisation methods as a practical tool to support planning, communication, and peer learning among cities.

Building on previous working group exchanges, the session integrates principles of the New European Bauhaus and explores how AI-based visualisation can help cities translate strategic housing goals into tangible spatial concepts.

 

An old high-rise building in Bucharest. In front of it, a paved square filled with parked cars.
Photo: Connective Cities
The same building, but now there is a park with benches in front of it where people can sit and relax.
Square in Bucharest redesigned with the help of AI

The workshop combines hands-on visualisation with a mini peer-learning format, allowing participating cities to reflect on concrete cases related to building rehabilitation, public spaces, infill development, and neighbourhood upgrading.

Objectives

  • Introduce AI-supported visualisation approaches for affordable and sustainable housing
  • Apply NEB principles (sustainability, inclusion, aesthetics) to real city cases
  • Strengthen peer consultation and collective learning among Connective Cities alumni
  • Bridge the gap between visual concepts and implementation planning

 

Format

  • Short expert inputs
  • Live AI-based visualisation session using selected city cases
  • City-led peer consultation with feedback from peers, experts, and the Connective Cities team

 

The same image now with an additional cycle path through the park
Alternative visualisation models

The same image, now with an additional lane for buses

Practical information

  • Date: 22 January 2026
  • Time: 10:00–13:00 CET
  • Location: Online (Connective Cities Platform)
  • Language: English
  • Participation: Free of charge, registration required


The workshop is open to the public. Active participation in the AI-based visualisation (including uploading own photos) is reserved for members of the Connective Cities Sustainable & Low-Cost Housing Alumni Group.

In case of questions, please contact:

Moses Munuve – moses.munuve@giz.de or Jelena Karamatijevic – jelena.karamatijevic@giz.de

Combination of future-proof mobility forms

Posted on by burkhard

From 25 to 27 November, Connective Cities hosted a dialogue event in Bonn. 38 experts from 20 municipalities in 11 countries followed the invitation to share their innovative project approaches with colleagues and collaborate on new implementation ideas.

Stefan Wagner, Head of the City of Bonn’s Office for International Affairs and Global Sustainability, warmly welcomed the guests, especially his colleagues from La Paz, Bonn’s twin city. The two cities are already collaborating on numerous sustainability projects. Bonn itself has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2035, with the aim of achieving 75% CO₂-free mobility by then.

Jan Strehmann is standing to the right of the presentation screen, with the participants' heads in the foreground.
ighlighted the complexity of regional mobility planning in Germany. | Photo: Aschoffotografie, Engagement Global

In his opening speech, Jan Strehmann, Head of Mobility at the German Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB), highlighted the complexity of regional mobility planning in Germany. Various levels of government — federal, state, district and individual municipalities — are often involved, either as financiers or planning units. Additionally, municipal and private transport providers frequently collaborate to establish transport associations responsible for providing public inter-urban local transport services. In this context, it is not competition, but rather tailor-made cooperation, that plays a decisive role in ensuring smooth passenger transport.

In her presentation, Melanie Schade, project manager at the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), introduced Mobilikon. This online encyclopaedia compiles information on mobility in rural areas, helping local authorities to prepare and implement mobility measures more easily. The database contains 104 measures, 110 instruments for their implementation and 79 implementation aids for areas such as external communication and data collection. It also contains 206 practical examples. Various filters, e.g. for spatial structure, costs and implementation duration, facilitate the search for suitable measures.

In his welcoming speech, Jürgen Kretz, the new head of the Countries and Municipalities Division at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, expressed his delight that Connective Cities had entered a new phase in October 2025 and was now more broadly positioned within Germany with three additional partners: the DStGB, the German County Association (DLT), and the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU).

The Connective Cities team led to the technical part of the event and the project presentation.

The participants are standing on the steps of Bonn's old town hall.
The participants in front of the old town hall in Bonn | Photo: Aschoffotografie, Engagement Global

Small municipalities such as Schlangen in the Teutoburg Forest in Germany, with a population of around 9,000, were represented, as well as metropolises with millions of inhabitants, such as Rio de Janeiro and Munich. The innovative approaches were equally diverse. The free electric line-car-sharing service in Borgholzhausen, unique in Germany, connects rural communities with the nearest train stations. Meanwhile, Kisumu in Kenya has developed a battery exchange model for electric motorcycle taxis; La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, plans to integrate its 36-station cable car network — the largest in the world — more closely with the bus network; and Rio de Janeiro is developing a multimodal network comprising express buses, buses, cycle paths, bicycle parking facilities, and e-bike rentals. Despite or because of the war, Vinnytsia in Ukraine is gradually converting its public infrastructure to make it barrier-free. Monheim is focusing on autonomous shuttle buses and Windhoek in Namibia is providing students with electric bikes on loan. Poti in Georgia and Strumica in North Macedonia are expanding their cycle path networks, while Dortmund is systematically expanding its charging infrastructure for cars and e-bikes. Munich is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to link the various CO₂-free forms of mobility as closely as possible, including through an app and mobility hubs. These are just a few examples of the projects underway.

Despite all the structural, geographical and cultural differences, it quickly became clear during the various experience-sharing sessions that the challenges faced were largely similar. These include:

  • complex institutional frameworks;
  • conflicts over the use of limited public space;
  • lack of standards in data collection and processing;
  • infrastructure damage due to vandalism and theft;
  • changing political guidelines and/or unclear legal frameworks;
  • different and high expectations of stakeholders;
  • changing the usual behaviour patterns of citizens in terms of mobility;
  • insufficient financial resources for project implementation;
  • and finally: obtaining know-how about similar projects.

The last point was largely resolved during the conference. Implementation challenges in Bergholzhauen, Kisumu, La Paz, Munich, Poti, Trabzon (Turkey), Strumica and Windhoek were discussed in depth during peer consultations.

Further project ideas were considered in the action planning stage:

  1. ‘Pedestrian Angles’: public relations work to promote walking in Kisumu
  2. Integrated mobility planning with political backing in Windhoek.
  3. Improved data management in Vinnytsia.
  4. Development of safe cycling infrastructure in Poti.

The dialogue event concluded with an excursion to a bus depot operated by Stadtwerke Bonn (SWB), which has charging infrastructure for electric buses. The group also visited the bicycle station (‘Radstation’) at Bonn Central Station and mobility stations offering services such as cargo bicycle rental, secure bicycle parking boxes, car-sharing parking spaces, and municipal charging facilities for electric vehicles in Bonn’s Südstadt district.

Marcella Sobisch, the project coordinator, will continue to supervise the learning process in the coming year and is the contact person for the group and other interested parties: marcella.sobisch@engagement-global.de .

Impressions

    

All photos: Aschoffotografie, Engagement Global

Enhancing Local Governance for Climate Action in the MENA region

Posted on by burkhard

Local governance plays a critical role in advancing climate action across the MENA region, where cities and municipalities are increasingly at the frontline of responding to climate-related challenges such as water scarcity, extreme heat, and urban vulnerability. Despite national climate strategies, local authorities often face limited financial and technical capacities to implement sustainable solutions. However, there is growing recognition of the need to decentralize climate governance by empowering municipalities with the tools, knowledge, and resources to plan and implement locally tailored climate initiatives. Collaborative efforts—such as regional networks, peer-learning platforms, and partnerships with civil society and the private sector—are helping to strengthen local capacities and foster more inclusive, participatory approaches to climate resilience in urban and rural settings alike. Against this background, Connective Cities has organized on the 13th October 2025 an insight session to showcase good practices and achievements from municipalities in the MENA region in this field.

Planungsrahmen für die kommunale Hitzeanpassung in Assuan
Planning framework for municipal heat adaptation in Aswan| Photo: Connective Cities

Dr. Marwa Ahmed (General Manager of International Cooperation and Community Participation at the Urban Development Fund in Egypt), presented the good practice ‘Integrated Heat Action Framework Development in Aswan, Egypt’, where the Urban Development Fund partnered up with Aswan governorate to channel its institutional knowledge while putting together fragmented parts that will form the base for an Integrated Heat Action Framework in Aswan. The aim was to 1) establish a core working group with the most relevant departments to be involved in the process of developing a heat action plan, and 2) develop the general framework and select a zone for piloting. International experiences showcased and discussed as part of the deep dive were adapted to serve in the local context. Capitalizing on the local native knowledge in Aswan on climate-responsive design and construction methods, the local building codes will be reviewed and modified. The general framework includes measures for 1) adaptation planning and implementation, 2) preparedness, communication, and workers’ safety, 3) built environment, infrastructure, and managed spaces, and 4) ecosystem-based adaptation.

Voting for area prioritization and selection was conducted and resulted in choosing “Elsail Elgadida” as a pilot area. Initial needs assessment meetings with local residents revealed a myriad of urban challenges, among which is the lack of safe public spaces. Accordingly, it was suggested to designate one of the districts numerous wide streets to this purpose by converting it into a pedestrian-only area and rehabilitating it with tree planting, shading elements and urban furniture. Local residents expressed their willingness to collaborate by watering the planted trees.

 

Sechs Straßenbilder zur Einschätzung der Fussgängerfreundlickeit in Constantine
Assessment of pedestrian-friendliness in Constantine | Photo: Connective Cities

Mr. Al-Hani Maghzi (representative of Constantine municipality-Algeria) presented the initial results and roadmap for improving walkability and transitioning into transit-oriented development in Constantine. He showcased the multi-stage roadmap that incorporates a wide range of procedures that are categorized as structural (e.g. review of mobility plan), comprehensive (e.g. reducing car use, widening sidewalks, reorganizing parking spaces) and priority actions (transforming the city center into a pedestrian-friendly area). He concluded his presentation with the statement that green and liveable cities prioritize pedestrians over vehicles.

In conclusion, the examples showcased how decentralized cooperation supports knowledge exchange, strengthens global partnerships, and drives innovation in local climate adaptation and climate protection efforts. Through the resulting lively discussion, the participants were provided with  actionable insights and tools for municipalities to integrate climate resilience into local planning, infrastructure, and service delivery while ensuring social equity and long-term environmental sustainability.

 

The recording and presentations are accessible via Connective Cities platform .

Author: Shalan Muna, Connective Cities

Cities Leading by Example

Posted on by burkhard

Cities play a dual role in climate change—they are both major contributors to it and highly vulnerable to its impacts. This dynamic creates a feedback loop that exacerbates urban challenges, where urban contributions to climate change worsen the very risks that urban centers face. As cities worldwide experience the impacts of climate change including rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves, the need for proactive, risk-informed planning has never been more urgent.

Cities Leading by Example: A Guidebook on Risk-Informed Planning and Heat Mitigation serves as a practical guide for municipal actors, urban planners, policymakers, and community leaders seeking to adopt risk-informed approach and to integrate heat adaptation into their planning processes. Drawing on practice-oriented examples, this guidebook delves into city experiences in devising policies and strategies, optimizing the institutional set-up and steering structures, pursuing effective communication and public engagement as well as utilising evidence-based planning using climate data.

Building New Bridges: Integration of Syrian cities in Connective Cities regional network

Posted on by burkhard

This workshop contributed to strengthening the exchange of municipal experiences and paved the way for Syrian cities to be integrated in the network and become active members. Representatives from Damascus and Reef Damascus Governorates shared the current state of comprehensive planning, highlighting the challenges of pursuing a long-term vision for sustainable development while aiming to turn the complexities of post-war reconstruction into an opportunity to build back better.

The participants sit at two round tables and listen to the lecture on Damascus.
Participants during the lecture on planning in Damascus | Photo: Muna Shalan, Connective Cities
A colleague from Amman during the PowerPoint presentation on the digitisation process in his city.
Presentation of the digitisation process in Amman | Photo: Muna Shalan, Connective Cities

They also discussed their aspirations for digital transformation in their city administration. Their counterparts from Greater Amman municipality delved into practical experiences in these thematic fields, sharing a wealth of knowledge and lessons learned grounded in the local context of implementation.

Collage of three photos showing students discussing in small groups.
Peer consultation and presentation of good practices | Photo: Muna Shalan, Connective Cities

Through interactive peer learning activities, the participants showcased good practice examples and fleshed out success factors and impediments faced by municipal workers in the process of city planning, municipal service delivery, and digital transformation. The discussions created an open and honest exchange, allowing both sides to learn from each other’s successes and obstacles.

Two photographs showing the participants standing in a semicircle on the grounds of the Al-Zuhour Green Triangle while the project is being explained to them
Field visit to Al-Zuhour Green Triangle – a model for green infrastructure | Photo: Muna Shalan, Connective Cities

A site visit to a good practice example was also organized as part of the workshop namely to  Al-Zuhour Green Triangle – a model for green infrastructure. On an area of 2300 sq. m, this pilot project that was implemented by Greater Amman municipality and UN-Habitat Jordan demonstrates two concepts of green stormwater management; stormwater bioretention and stormwater detention.

The workshop resulted in a roadmap for future cooperation and institutionalization of knowledge exchange, which outlined priority action areas. Key focus areas include legislation and governance, with an emphasis on fast-tracking a fair reconstruction law in Syria, adopting standardized tendering and contracting procedures, and activating public-private partnership (PPP) frameworks where appropriate. In terms of decentralization, participants agreed on the need to delegate selected powers—particularly in transport and traffic management—to municipalities, supported by technical committees to ensure that master plans align with sectoral strategies. Strengthening resources and capacities was also identified as critical, including securing adequate human and financial resources, and investing in in-house expertise and ongoing training.

The participants, some standing and some seated in the conference room, with a screen displaying the Connective Cities logo in the background.
Group photo of participants | Photo: Muna Shalan, Connective Cities

Placing the community at the center of urban planning emerged as another key principle, with commitments to maintain public participation through Citizen Hubs and feedback mechanisms that reflect both the social and economic dimensions of urban life. Finally, under the banner of “Build Back Better,” participants called for addressing data gaps, improving cross-sectoral coordination, and using reconstruction as a platform for long-term, sustainable development.

Further information about the presentations can be found on Connective Cities platform.

Call for participants: Urban Labs – Tried and Trusted

Posted on by erik

Urban Labs have emerged globally as a valuable public policy tool, enabling regular collaboration among diverse stakeholders to co-create innovative solutions for complex urban challenges. These platforms emphasize participatory, cross-sectoral, and inclusive approaches. However, the implementation and experiences of Urban Labs vary significantly from city to city.

This event aims to bring together urban practitioners and city representatives from Southeast Europe and Germany, along with experts from multiple sectors, to explore and discuss the transformative role of Urban Labs in shaping sustainable and resilient cities.

The gathering will promote knowledge exchange, foster new partnerships, and inspire actionable strategies among key stakeholders in urban planning, sustainability, and innovation.

In addition, the GIZ Georgia bilateral project Sustainable Urban Development (SUD) has produced a publication titled “Urban Labs: Tried and Trusted”. This publication offers an in-depth overview of the Urban Lab concept, highlighting their practical impact across different cities. It outlines how Urban Labs operate, showcases real-world examples, and explores the key phases, internal processes, and external factors critical to their success.

Target Audience

  • City representatives and urban practitioners  

from Southeast Europe, Germany and other European countries engaged in urban transformation and policy development.

  • Non-Governmental Organizations:  

Organizations involved in urban development, community engagement, climate action, sustainability, and social innovation.

  • Academic Institutions 

Researchers, scholars, and students focusing on urban studies, innovation, sustainability, and public policy.

  • Urban Planning and development Experts:

Urban planners, and municipal representatives from Georgia and other SEE countries with an interest in urban innovation and sustainable city development.

  • International Experts:  

Representatives from international organizations and professionals with practical experience in designing, implementing, or supporting Urban Labs around the world.

Participation and contact

We herewith kindly invite you to participate in the upcoming Insight Session taking place on Thursday, 17th July 2025, 13:30 – 15:30 CEST. The event is addressed to urban practitioners from local governments as well as from academia, the private sector and civil society. The conference language is English with simultaneous translation in Georgian.

Further information and enrolment here: https://community.connective-cities.net/en/insightsession-urbanlabs

If you have any further questions about the programme or your participation, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Ketevan Papashvili – Regional Coordinator in Southeast European Region: Ketevan.papashvili@giz.de

Jimmy Yoedsel – Junior Advisor Connective Cities: jimmy.yoedsel@giz.de

Date:    Thursday, 17th July 2025, 13:30 – 15:30 (CEST, Berlin time)
Location:    Virtual Event on Connective Cities Community
Enrolment: https://community.connective-cities.net/en/insightsession-urbanlabs

Conference Tool:            Big Blue Button (best operated with Chrome or Firefox)
Conference language:    English/Georgian

The Haus der Statistik

Posted on by erik

A new district for administration, housing, social affairs and culture is being built on the large site of the former administrative building for the Federal Statistical Office – Haus der Statistik – in the center of Berlin. A civil society initiative had prevented the demolition of the existing building from the 1960s and, together with the administration and other stakeholders, developed the concept for the conversion – a beacon for alternative approaches to urban development.

Avoiding vacancy by opening buildings to interim use

Posted on by erik

During the process of redefining a building’s purpose and outlining the procedure and financing of the venture, constructions might fall vacant. A vacant building is wasted potential in many ways, for both the community and the cities’ urban development.

Moreover, an unused building often leads to an increase in visual and atmospheric pollution due to the accumulation of waste, water infiltration and possible growth of mold or toxic materials. Besides these ecological consequences, vandalism may increase as well as insecurity in the surroundings. Hence, the revitalisation of vacant buildings can come costly to municipalities and possible investors.

How can vacancy be avoided? Opening public buildings to interim use was one of the topics that participants of the learning process “2nd Hands on Public Buildings” wanted to focus on during the one-year-long learning process on reusing public buildings from the 1960s and 1970s. Therefore, experts from Germany, Kenya, Palestine and Montenegro came together virtually on March 12, 2025.

During the meeting, the German guests Oliver Hasemann, ZwischenZeitZentrale Bremen, and Moritz Tonn, Transiträume e.V., elaborated on the facilitation of interim use in Bremen and Berlin. With years of experience and quite some examples of moderating agreements between the buildings’ owners and users, the inputs allowed for a general understanding of the opportunities and challenges related to intermediate tenants. Given the vibrant cultural scene in Berlin, Transiträume e.V. has successfully allowed artist to transform vacant halls to impressive exhibition spaces, attracting large numbers of visitors. Among other, ZZZBremen showcased its “Wurst Case” (translates into “Sausage Case”), in which a sausage factory was reused involving the public in an extended participation process. The factory was then rented in a small scale to local entrepreneurs, artists, and for social initiatives and artisans testing of various kinds of use (offices, workshops, studios).

Giving the buildings a temporary use helps their protection, reduce the operational and maintenance costs for public vacancy and can support the cultural and creative industry. Through the participation of neighbourhoods, the interim use of vacant buildings also helps revitalizing disadvantaged areas. The main challenges consisted in setting a frame for interested users, which means to create the basic infrastructure and the legal framework for working in the abandoned buildings as well as finding sponsorships and raising awareness for the new project.

Based on these inputs, the group of experts discussed their project examples and ideas regarding a possible temporary use. Twenty floors of the former Hilton Hotel in Nairobi are currently vacant and the participants were interested in how interim use might lead to the attraction of possible investors. Although in one case an investor who had visited an exhibition in Berlin had finally bought the complex, the guests stated that this was not the main objective of interim utilisation. Financing was also a concern of a participants from Montenegro and Regensburg.

The consense was that those who profit most from the interim use should also be hold financially responsible. In most cases, tenants only pay a symbolic rent, but their conservation of the building presents an economic advantage for the owner. Cases are very individual. In Regensburg, the activation of central heating in the concerned building would have caused high costs. While the guest suggested house in house solutions, Regensburg had yet found creative forms of interim use and offered the fireguard and police to use the building for training purposes. Asked from Hebron, questions concerned the public participation process and best practices. The ongoing Connective Cities learning process will offer another follow-up activity on the involvement of the public, soon.

„Think about your interim project from the end. How is it guaranteed that the project ends in everybody’s consent?” Oliver Hasemann, ZweischenZeitZentrale Bremen

The Voluntary Local Review (VLR) of Amman: Accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Posted on by erik

With four million inhabitants, the Jordanian capital is home to around 40 per cent of the country’s total population. In 2021, Amman’s city administration, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), decided to create a VLR – the first in the Arab region. In the summer of 2022, the VLR was finalised and presented together with the Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the UN High-Level Political Forum in New York.

The VLR has proven to be a complete success – both as an analytical tool and as a process:

  • An ‘ecosystem’ for collecting validated data has been developed.
  • Sustainability goals (SDGs) were integrated into various areas of policy, strategy development and administrative action.
  • New formats for citizen participation were trialled.
  • New projects and partnerships were initiated and ongoing ones strategically interlinked;
  • The digitalisation of the administration is very advanced.

The simultaneous creation of VNR and VLR ensured policy coherence and mutual support between the two levels.