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CITISENSE is an Innovation Transfer Network led by the Municipality of Piraeus, dedicated to enhancing urban security through innovative approaches.

22/05/2026

🔍 Learning from practice!

During today’s CITISENSE Testing Actions Workshop, partners shared experiences, results, challenges and lessons learned from local testing activities.

The discussion was enriched by valuable feedback and insights from the Ad-hoc Experts, helping partners reflect on outcomes and explore how Testing Action results can feed into future city plans and implementation pathways.

URBACT Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies

13/05/2026

Testing, learning and co-creating in Manresa, Spain 🚀

The 5th URBACT Local Group meeting focused on moving from planning to action, as the CITISENSE network enters a key phase of pilot testing and Investment Plan development.

Local stakeholders reviewed the ongoing testing actions, including the WardUs security app 📲 and the tactical public space intervention at Arc d’en Botí, exploring how digital tools, data, lighting, cleaning and small-scale urban improvements can help reduce the perception of insecurity.

The meeting also used the URBACT OPERA co-creation tool 🧩 to structure discussion, build consensus and prioritise the next steps for Manresa’s Investment Plan. Participants reflected individually, worked in pairs, shared proposals and aligned around key priorities such as citizen participation, strategic public space interventions and stronger local alliances. 🤝

These testing actions and participatory methods are helping turn the CITISENSE transfer process into concrete, locally adapted solutions for safer, more inclusive and more vibrant urban spaces. 🌍✨

URBACT Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies Ajuntament de Manresa Valentí Moll

17/04/2026

How do cities tackle complex urban security challenges in real life? 🏙️

On 15–16 April in Copenhagen, CITISENSE partners came together to explore just that — through local stories, on-site learning and peer exchange.

From a close look at Freetown Christiania and the transformation of Pusher Street to a hands-on peer review of partners’ Investment Plans, the 5th Transnational Meeting brought together lived experience, reflections and practical ideas for the future.

Two days of shared learning, meaningful exchange and new inspiration for action.

🔗 Read more and dive into the full story: https://urbact.eu/inside-copenhagen-urban-security-and-local-practice-citisenses-5th-transnational-meeting

URBACT Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies Liepājas pašvaldības policija Δήμος Πειραιά - Municipality of Piraeus Δημοτική Αστυνομία Πειραιά Comune di Napoli Ajuntament de Manresa Stad Geel Kaspars Varpins Elva Lubane Michael Bourmpos Dimitra Kounavi Ioanna Venieri Marlon Pareijn Christiania BaneGaarden

08/04/2026

How can cities become safer through stronger collaboration with citizens? 🏙️🤝

This was the focus of today’s CITISENSE online workshop, where project partners exchanged views on active inclusion, participation and co-creation in urban safety.

Guided by d'Antonio, URBACT Ad Hoc Expert for CITISENSE, the session explored challenges such as trust, perceptions of safety and barriers to participation, as well as practices that can help create safer and more inclusive urban spaces. 🌱💡

URBACT Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies Kaspars Varpins Elva Lubane Michael Bourmpos Dimitra Kounavi Rob Testelmans

06/04/2026

Happy Easter!🐣🐰🌸🌷

URBACT Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies

30/03/2026

Liepāja 🇱🇻 is advancing concrete testing actions for youth safety!

During the 5th URBACT Local Group (ULG) meeting, local stakeholders continued finalizing testing actions to improve youth safety, focusing on three solutions:

🔸Free access to sports equipment
🔸Safer and more supportive youth
🔸Summer work opportunities for young people

The group also agreed the next practical steps — youth surveys and focus discussions with passive and at-risk youth, alongside a local communication campaign keeping participation at the center of progress.

URBACT Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies Kaspars Varpins Elva Lubane Liepājas pašvaldības policija YOUPluss

11/03/2026

📣 CITISENSE Journal #3 is out!

How do we turn urban safety challenges into real solutions?

Explore the new issue by URBACT Lead Expert Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies and see how cities across the network are putting ideas into action.

👉 Read here:https://urbact.eu/sites/default/files/2026-03/CITISENSE_Quarterly%20Network%20Journal%20%233.pdf

URBACT

10/03/2026

Safer cities begin with stronger social ties 🤝

On 9 March, the City of Geel 🇧🇪 brought together more than 35 stakeholders for an extended URBACT Local Group meeting, launching the first testing actions under CITISENSE’s social pillar.

From city services, police, Thomas More college, schools, student counselling, outreach organizations and House of the Child, a broad group of local actors came together around one shared goal: strengthening Geel’s social approach for the future.

With insights from the Flemish Peace Institute, the conversation focused on conflict, polarization, radicalization and their link to feelings of insecurity in the urban context.

As was powerfully stated during the exchange:
🗣️ “We are living in a period of profound transition, which is always accompanied by turbulence, discontent and uncertainty. This should not be underestimated as a factor contributing to feelings of insecurity.”

🎯The outcome was not only a meaningful exchange, but also a concrete step forward: bystander training will soon begin for city employees, followed by external organizations.

URBACT Stad Geel Marlon Pareijn Rob Testelmans Vlaams Vredesinstituut Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies

02/03/2026

Co-designing small-scale pilot actions in Piraeus 🌿

With a focus on practical ways to strengthen citizen and youth engagement around environmental priorities and public spaces, a productive discussion took place in Piraeus, in conjunction with the ConnAct EU (CERV – Networks of Towns) clustering activities. Together with municipal representatives, local actors, schools and NGOs, as well as environmental and gender equality experts, we exchanged ideas for awareness-raising activities and meaningful dialogue. The insights gathered will help shape the next steps of this co-design work on the ground.

URBACT Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies

17/02/2026

Manresa 🇪🇸 is designing safer, more welcoming public spaces—co-created by the community! 🤝

In the latest URBACT Local Group meeting, local partners from municipal urban planning, municipal councils (women and older people), law enforcement, social organizations and academia came together to co-design pilot actions to brighten up the historic center. 🏛️🌿

Working in groups, participants developed three concrete, budgeted proposals for small, highly visible “micro-spaces” to reduce the feeling of insecurity—combining creative murals, lighting improvements and practical solutions to support cleaner public spaces.

🚀 Next step: selecting the proposal with the most potential and moving into implementation.

URBACT Pietro L. V***a, Urban Research & Local Development Strategies Ajuntament de Manresa Valentí Moll

Address

Dragatsi 12
Piraeus
18545

Telephone

+302132022000

Website

https://urbact.eu/networks/citisense

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