Category: Local economic development

Call for Participation – Global Green Sports: Implementing Sustainability Strategies for Major Sports Events

Posted on by burkhard

Version française ci-dessous

Major sports events inspire billions of people worldwide – while also standing at the centre of the global sustainability debate. How can cities design major sports events in ways that create ecological, social, and economic added value? Which solutions are already proving successful in practice – and what can cities learn from one another?

In Berlin, these questions are being explored intensively. Together with Connective Cities, the district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport are inviting five additional German and six international municipalities to participate in a dialogue event on sustainability strategies for major sports events.

Who is the call for participation addressed to?

We look forward to welcoming two experts from your municipality, particularly from the fields of event management, sports, sustainability & climate action or Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

The event language is English. Travel costs will be covered by Connective Cities.

How can you participate?

If you would like to participate in the dialogue event, please send us the following information via email:

  • the name of your municipality / organisation (including universities or NGOs) and your role/function,
  • a short description of a project from your municipality that you would like to present to the other participants as a good practice. You are also welcome to describe a local challenge you are currently facing and would like to discuss with the other municipal experts.

 

Applications still possible. If you are interested, please contact us as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Nikola Krause, project coordinator Connective Cities
nikola.krause@engagement-global.de; +49 (0)228 20717 2922 and connective-cities@engagement-global.de

Further information can be found in the Call for Participation (download on the right).

Appel à candidatures – Global Green Sports : mise en œuvre de stratégies de durabilité pour les grands événements sportifs

Invitation adressée aux experts municipaux à participer à la rencontre de dialogue à Berlin, du 20 au 22 octobre 2026

Les grands événements sportifs enthousiasment des milliards de personnes – tout en étant au coeur du débat mondial sur la durabilité. Comment les communes peuvent-elles organiser les grands événements sportifs
de manière à créer une valeur ajoutée écologique, sociale et économique ? Quelles solutions fonctionnent déjà dans la pratique – et que peut-on apprendre les uns des autres ?

À Berlin, les responsables s’occupent déjà activement de ces questions. Aujourd’hui, l’arrondissement de Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf et l’administration sénatoriale chargée des affaires intérieures et des sports, en collaboration avec Connective Cities, invitent 5 autres communes allemandes et 6 communes internationales à échanger, lors d’une rencontre de dialogue, sur les stratégies de durabilité pour les grands événements sportifs.

À qui s’adresse cet appel à participation ?

Nous nous réjouissons de la participation de deux experts de votre commune, notamment issus des domaines de la gestion d’événements, du sport, de l’éducation au développement durable ou des services de l’ordre public.

La langue de l’événement est l’anglais. Les frais de déplacement seront pris en charge par Connective Cities.

Comment participer ?

Si vous souhaitez participer à cet événement de dialogue, veuillez nous envoyer les informations suivantes par e-mail :

le nom de votre municipalité / organisation (y compris les universités ou les ONG) et votre rôle/fonction, une brève description d’un projet de votre municipalité que vous souhaiteriez présenter aux autres participants en tant que bonne pratique. Vous pouvez également décrire un défi local auquel vous êtes actuellement confronté et dont vous aimeriez discuter avec les autres experts municipaux.

Il est toujours possible de postuler. Si cette offre vous intéresse, veuillez nous contacter dans les plus brefs délais.

Vous trouverez toutes les informations complémentaires dans
l’appel à participation [pdf]

Si vous avez des questions, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter:

Nikola Krause, coordinatrice du projet Connective Cities
nikola.krause@engagement-global.de ; +49 (0)228 20717 2922 et connective-cities@engagement-global.de

The Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre in Windhoek

Posted on by burkhard

Windhoek, capital and economic centre of Namibia as well as home to around 500,000 inhabitants, draws young people from all corners of the country seeking higher education and training, employment in government and corporate sector jobs, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Around 40 percent of the population of the capital region Khomas is aged between 15 and 34.

The regional and local authorities thus have made start-ups and entrepreneurship a strategic priority, significantly improving the political and regulatory framework for business creation. The Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre supports small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly start-ups run by young people. Over the past 16 years, the centre has reached out to and supported an estimated 1,200 young people aged between 18 and 35 in their entrepreneurial activities.

Initially, it operated primarily as a business incubator, providing basic infrastructure for SMEs. When, over time, it became clear that physical space alone was insufficient to enable businesses to operate beyond their day-to-day activities, the Centre introduced training, business development support and other capacity-building activities to foster sustainable business growth. Currently, the Centre is exploring its future strategic focus, undergoing an organisational development process supported through its sister city Bremen.

Call for Participation: Strengthening Local Economies – Globally Competitive, Profitable and Fit for the Future

Posted on by burkhard

Rising energy costs, changing supply chains, climate impacts and new technologies are reshaping local economies worldwide. At the same time, new markets, innovative technologies and new forms of cooperation offer municipalities significant opportunities to strengthen their economic base, attract investment and create new prospects for businesses and employment.

Connective Cities invites municipalities and other local economic development actors to join the new international Deep Dive “Strengthening Local Economies – Globally Competitive, Profitable and Fit for the Future.”

Over approximately 1.5 years, participating municipalities will exchange experiences internationally, analyse their local economic structures, challenges and opportunities, and develop concrete strategies, partnerships and local projects for more resilient, innovative and future-oriented local economies.

Depending on the priorities of participating municipalities, the Deep Dive may address topics such as:

  • local competitiveness and structural change
  • business- and investment-friendly municipalities
  • innovation ecosystems and future technologies, including AI and sustainable energy
  • cooperation between municipalities, businesses, universities and other local actors
  • financing growth and turning ideas into implementable projects

 

The programme combines in-person workshops, digital exchanges, expert input and peer learning, with opportunities for short expert missions and peer visits.

Key information

  • Virtual kick-off: End of November 2026
  • First in-person workshop: Early February 2027 (3 days)
  • Duration: Approx. 1.5 years
  • Target group: Municipal and regional administrations, economic development agencies, municipal enterprises and other relevant institutions
  • Regions: Germany, Southeast Europe and the South Caucasus, Sub-Saharan Africa, and MENA
  • Working language: English
  • Submit your Expression of Interest by 31 October 2026

 

Interested in participating?

Find further information on the objectives, thematic focus, participation conditions and application process in the full Call for Participation [PDF].

Apply here: https://community.connective-cities.net/en/form/connective-cities-deep-dive-stre

Startups and Innovation: Labor Market Opportunities and Prospects for Young People

Posted on by burkhard

Startups and entrepreneurship offer young people opportunities to secure their livelihoods and advance their careers, while also serving as crucial factors for the well-being of local communities and for local economic development.

Municipalities play a central role: They engage in networking with stakeholders, provide advice and support to founders, provide infrastructure and resources, and facilitate access to funding or contacts with investors. In short, they create a founder-friendly climate and ecosystem at the local level.

From 30 June to 2 July 2026, around 25 experts from 11 local authorities and seven countries gathered in Bremen to exchange experiences, learn from one another, and develop new approaches together. The focus was on the opportunities that start-ups and entrepreneurship offer for employment, economic development, and the social inclusion of young people. Despite their different circumstances, many municipalities worldwide face similar challenges, such as a lack of role models and networking opportunities, bureaucratic hurdles, and inadequate infrastructure. However, 13 examples of good practice also demonstrated how these challenges can be overcome. The event marked the launch of a new Connective Cities learning process. Take a look at our comprehensive documentation!

Start-ups and Innovation: Labour Market Opportunities and Prospects for Young People

Posted on by burkhard

How can municipalities help young people successfully start businesses while also driving local development? This question was at the heart of the international Connective Cities dialogue event “Start-ups and Innovation: Labour Market Opportunities and Prospects for Young People”, held in Bremen from 30 June to 2 July 2026. Around 35 experts from 11 municipalities and seven countries came together to exchange experiences, learn from one another, and jointly develop new solutions.

The event focused on the opportunities that start-ups and entrepreneurship create for employment, economic development, and social participation among young people. A key finding was that, despite differing local conditions, municipalities around the world face many similar challenges. Young entrepreneurs need access to advisory services, networks, financing, suitable infrastructure, and practical education. Municipalities play a crucial role as facilitators, supporters, and enablers of thriving local entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The participants are discussing in a historic hall
Reception for participants at Bremen City Hall | Photo: Connective Cities

Participants gained insights into successful municipal approaches from Germany, Namibia, North Macedonia, Rwanda, Serbia, South Africa, and Zambia. Examples included business incubators, one-stop shops for advisory services, digital platforms, mentoring programmes, and initiatives supporting women, migrants, and young people in rural areas. Particularly impressive was the diversity of solutions tailored to local challenges.

“We use storytelling and share the stories of start-ups so that others can see: this could be my story as well.”
Oliver Götz, Gründungswerft e.V., Germany

One example from the Global South came from Windhoek, Namibia. The Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre supports young businesses with affordable infrastructure and training opportunities to help them enter national and international markets. The centre has successfully assisted companies in sectors such as crafts, the creative industries, and food production. It also specifically promotes business concepts focused on resource efficiency and recycling, thereby strengthening the circular economy in Windhoek.

From Germany, Bremen presented its closely connected start-up ecosystem, which brings together stakeholders from business, academia, and public administration. Through Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven, the city offers a central point of contact supporting aspiring entrepreneurs with advice, networking, financing, and funding opportunities. Bremen also promotes entrepreneurship awareness among young people through partnerships with schools and universities.

 

Eine Frau aus Sambia steht vor einem Pinboard und erklärt mit viel Gestik ihr Projekt,
Project presentation from Choma, Zambia | Photo: Connective Cities

The connection between education and entrepreneurship was a central theme throughout the event. Professor Dr. Jörg Freiling of the University of Bremen emphasized that young people today need skills such as creativity, initiative, problem-solving abilities, and entrepreneurial thinking to succeed in an increasingly complex world. Universities, schools, and companies must therefore work more closely together and expose young people to real-world challenges and innovation processes at an early stage.

“I often tell my students: you are the innovators in our society.”
Professor Dr. Jörg Freiling, University of Bremen

During the working groups and peer-to-peer consultations, participants developed numerous practical solutions. Topics included strengthening the links between education and business, creating new training and mentoring formats, introducing mobile advisory services for remote regions, and reducing bureaucratic barriers for entrepreneurs.

Drei junge Leute stehen vor einer Tafel. Die Frau in der Mitte hält eine Karte hoch mit der Aufschrift: Bureaucratic barriers".
Presentation of the group work | Photo: Connective Cities

Representatives from Munich contributed ideas on how to better support entrepreneurs with migration backgrounds. Proposed measures included multilingual information services, mentoring programmes to help navigate administrative procedures, and closer cooperation with Welcome Centres and other advisory institutions.

Another widely discussed solution came from eThekwini, South Africa, addressing the challenges faced by remote and rural communities. Participants explored the concept of mobile hubs—vehicles that regularly deliver advisory services, training, digital infrastructure, and information on funding opportunities directly to hard-to-reach communities. This approach would allow young people outside major urban centres to access essential support services.

We need to encourage young people to not just work for self-sustenance, but to create jobs to the local communities as well.“
Dumisani Nhlengethwa, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa

The dialogue programme was complemented by study visits to Bremen and Bremerhaven’s start-up ecosystem. Visits to Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven, the hoi startup factory, and other local initiatives demonstrated how a well-connected innovation ecosystem can support entrepreneurs throughout their journey.

The event marked the beginning of a new Connective Cities learning process. Additional online formats, expert exchange visits, and a closing online event will continue the collaboration among municipalities in the coming months. The strong interest and vibrant discussions highlighted that supporting youth entrepreneurship is increasingly seen worldwide as a key driver of sustainable economic and social development.

“This event gave me a bird’s-eye view. It is often difficult to see what is truly important when you are deeply involved in projects.”
Era Bektashi, Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany

 

Further Impressions:

Photos: Connective Cities

Author: Katrin Riß, text+welt

Insight Session – Municipalities Advancing Nature-Based Solutions

Posted on by Lennart Kreuzfeld

We are pleased to invite you to our upcoming virtual Insight Session on ‘nature-based solutions for urban resilience’, which will take place on July 15, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM CET.

Cities in sub-Saharan Africa, Germany, and other regions are increasingly relying on nature-based solutions to address flooding, climate risks, biodiversity loss, and the associated urban development challenges. However, integrating these approaches into municipal planning, management, and implementation remains a complex task.

This Insight Session brings together research, policy and community network perspectives to present practical approaches for planning, integrating and implementing nature-based solutions.

We invite the following discussion partners:

Andreas Wolter, President of Climate Alliance
Presentation: From Local Action to Collective Impact: How Municipal Networks Advance Climate Resilience

Andreas Wolter will present the Climate Alliance network and highlight its role in supporting municipalities to strengthen local climate action. His presentation will provide important insights into how city networks learn from each other, promote knowledge exchange, advocacy, and collaboration, while simultaneously helping municipalities translate climate commitments into practical measures – such as nature-based solutions to strengthen municipal resilience.

McKenna Davis Senior Fellow and Coordinator for Nature-Based Solutions at Ecologic Institute, Berlin
Presentation: Mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions: Insights and Practical Examples from the Urban Governance Atlas

McKenna Davis will share insights and practical examples from the Urban Governance Atlas and the Climate Adaptation Naturally project, highlighting how nature-based solutions can be integrated into municipal policy and planning.

Dr. Kirk B. Neu,Researcher in the fields of landscape architecture, landscape planning and urban resilience
Presentation: Evidence-based Lessons on Planning Nature-based Solutions for Flood Resilience in Sub-Saharan African Cities

Drawing on research from Ghana and the wider Sub-Saharan African region, Kirk Enu will present practical lessons on how municipalities can use research evidence to plan and implement nature-based solutions for inclusive flood resilience.

 

The event offers participants the following:

  • practical examples of nature-based solutions for strengthening the resilience of urban flood zones;
  • Insights into the framework conditions for governance, policy and planning required for implementation;
  • Insights from the compatibility of research results with municipal decision-making processes;
  • Perspectives on the role of municipal networks in promoting climate protection measures; and
  • an opportunity to exchange experiences with practitioners and experts from different cities and regions.

 

The event will be held in English, with French translation provided.

Date:Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Time:13:00 – 14:30 CET
Format:On-line
Registration: https://community.connective-cities.net/en/node/1607

We cordially invite municipal practitioners, urban planners, climate and resilience experts, researchers, development partners and other interested members of the Connective Cities network to participate.

We look forward to welcoming you to the event.

If you have any questions or require support, please contact: moses.munuve@giz.de

Driver of Green Transformation: Connective Cities Expert Mission in Waterberg

Posted on by Lennart Kreuzfeld

From 8 to 12 June 2026, Connective Cities, in partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the Waterberg District Municipality, organised an international expert mission on economic transition and green industrial development at the municipal level. The mission brought together municipal representatives, researchers, and experts from industry and practice from South Africa (SALGA, Waterberg District Municipality, and the local municipalities of Lephalale and Mogalakwena), Germany (the Economic Development Agencies of the Cities of Karlsruhe and Heilbronn, as well as the Baden-Württemberg RegioClusterAgency), Namibia (Lüderitz Town Council), and Kenya (the County Government of Nakuru). Participants exchanged experiences, discussed shared challenges, and explored the opportunities that the emerging green hydrogen economy—based on the production of hydrogen using renewable energy sources—offers for local and regional development.

Visit at SALGA | Photo; Grace Karanja

The mission formed part of broader efforts for the Just Energy Transition and complemented the work of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Municipal Council (JETMC), which is strengthening municipal readiness for a shift toward cleaner and more sustainable energy systems. Through policy discussions, technical presentations, and site visits to strategic infrastructure such as the Eskom Matimba Power Station and Exxaro Solar Power Station, participants gained valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing regions transitioning from coal-dependent industries.

Central themes of the mission were the role of green hydrogen in driving local economic development, industrial diversification, and job creation. Waterberg District Municipality highlighted the importance of ensuring that the transition is both environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. Participants learned about progress made in Waterberg District municipality in cooperation with both Lephalale and Mogalakwena Local Municipalities, including municipal skills development initiatives, governance structures, funding mobilization efforts, and partnerships supporting green hydrogen capacity building.

The Waterberg Development Initiative (WDI) presented its vision for a coordinated regional development model that aligns municipalities, industry, and communities around shared economic and sustainability goals. Discussions also featured contributions from national government representatives, development partners, and municipalities already advancing hydrogen-related projects, demonstrating growing momentum behind South Africa’s hydrogen economy.

Final workshop with stakeholders in Waterberg | Photo: Elwin Gaoseb

The mission concluded with a strategy workshop, where participants jointly developed a 36-month roadmap for regional development. The roadmap identified priority actions in infrastructure development, skills readiness, investment attraction, and partnership building to support the creation of a future “Waterberg Hydrogen Corridor.” These outcomes complemented Hydrogen Cities Working group discussions on municipal capability development, finance mobilization, and energy access, while addressing challenges such as financing constraints and uneven municipal preparedness.

The expert mission reinforced the critical role municipalities play in South Africa’s energy transition. Through international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and practical planning, the initiative demonstrated how green industrialization can drive sustainable economic growth while ensuring communities remain at the center of the transition to a cleaner, more resilient future.

Meeting with Mayor and Employees at Lephalale Municipality | Photo: Elwin Gaoseb

Startups and Innovation: Labour Market Opportunities and Prospects for Young People

Posted on by burkhard
Connective Cities invites two experts from your municipality to participate in the international exchange of expertise in Bremen and the subsequent learning process

 

Do you support the startup scene in your municipality? What opportunities do you offer young people in the job market? What challenges do you face in your work?  The City of Bremen is already well-connected on this topic—including internationally. Now, in cooperation with Connective Cities, the city invites you to join five other German and six international municipalities in Bremen to exchange expertise on startup initiatives and incubators, as well as municipal incentives and support programs for startups and new businesses.

Opening new perspectives and promoting skills development are equally important for young people in Germany and the Global South; the opportunity to enter the labour market is essential. In Bremen and Bremerhaven, the number of startups is high by national standards. The startup scene is vibrant, innovative, and well-connected. The Bremen Senate Chancellery also already has valuable international contacts: its partner cities Windhoek (Namibia) and Durban (South Africa) contribute experience with their own startup centres and instruments for startup support.

The goals of this dialogue event are to learn together by sharing good practices at the local level, to discuss challenges through peer consultations, to develop solutions to the challenges identified, and to foster networking among participants.

We look forward to the participation of two experts from your municipality, particularly from the fields of economic development, labour and social affairs, or youth work.

Further information: Call for Participation [PDF, 2 pages]

Application deadline: 26 April 2026

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Marcella Sobisch, Project Coordinator, Connective Cities, marcella.sobisch@engagement-global.de,
+49 (0)228 20717 2658 and connective-cities@engagement-global.de .