Elevate project

27/05/2026

📤Today, we held an online 1st-year review meeting with our Project Officer from Interreg Danube Joint Secretariat, mr. Johannes Gabriel on the ELEVATE project.

The discussion focused on the implementation and financial progress achieved during the first 12 months of the project, including pilot readiness, monitoring expectations, partner changes, and challenges encountered along the way. The review also provided an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned and identify areas for further improvement as we move into the next phase of implementation.

We sincerely thank mr. Johannes Gabriel for his constructive feedback and continued support, and we also extend our appreciation to all project partners for their dedicated work and commitment towards the successful implementation of the ELEVATE project. 👏

Danube Region Programme

06/05/2026

Our 2nd day of the ELEVATE interregional meeting began with a presentation of a Romanian good practice – the Local Food Bank 6th District, whose mission is to provide immediate access to basic food for the community, improve living standards, support disadvantaged groups and contribute to reducing food waste and protecting the environment.

This was followed by a presentation of the draft ELEVATE model, aiming at guidance on its application within pilot actions to be implemented by project partners during the 3rd semester. After URBASOFIA presentation, we had the opportunity to hear from NONA Academy, who introduced their work, core objectives and key knowledge products, e.g. governance models, policy recommendations, a handbook for investors and their three types of learning formats - academy trainings, the traveling academy and national forums.

We continued with presentations of pilot action plans by project partners, aimed at developing a place-based governance model for inclusive territorial development. Pilot partners outlined their target groups and objectives to be achieved by the end of the third semester. Based on this, partners will evaluate the draft ELEVATE model, identifying strengths and areas for improvement and proposing enhancements with potential applicability in the Danube region and beyond.

Finally, the mainstreaming report template and the sustainability plan were presented by DCHS. Partners were also introduced to the agenda of the Society Fair planned for September 2026, presented by the Municipality of Sevnica and DCHS.

Stay tuned for more inspiring insights on Romanian good practicies.

Danube Region Programme

05/05/2026

Project partners gathered for the third time in Bucharest, 🇷🇴 Romania.

We were warmly welcomed by DGASPC District 6 - Mariana Balaban and URBASOFIA Irina Panait - our Romanian project partners.

Carmen Stadelhofer from ILEU e.V. provided an in-depth overview of internet use, highlighting differences across countries, as well as between rural and urban areas and generations. She also addressed the various ways people, particularly older adults, can connect through digital technologies.

This was followed by a presentation from Aleš Kenda of the Ministry for the Solidarity-Based Future from Slovenia, who shared insights on population ageing policies and approaches to fostering social inclusion.

Aftewards the workshop for project partners was held to increase knowledge, capacity and cooperation for inclusive territorial development by Mihaela Tudor (external expert of URBASOFIA) and Irina Panait (URBASOFIA).

Andreea Prasacu, representing EU Strategy for the Danube Region, talked about strengthening cooperation on the basis of EUSDR recommendations aiming at building institucional capacity and cooperation, and successful dissemination of the ELEVATE model

After the meeting we were welcomed by the Sector 6 Senior’s Club, that presented their inclusive activities targeted at older people - stay tuned for more on good practicies we were inspired by💥



Danube Region Programme

10/04/2026

2nd LAGs and PEGs meeting held by Municipality of Irig / Opstina Irig

On October 31, 2025, Municipality of Irig (PP6) organized a stakeholder meeting within the ELEVATE project at the Secondary School “Borislav Mihajlović Mihiz” in Irig. The event gathered representatives of local institutions, civil society organizations, associations, and community members, with the aim of presenting the project and identifying local needs for the development of pilot activities.

Read full asrticle here: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/elevate/news/2nd-stakeholder-meeting-held-in-serbia-by-municipality-of-Opstina Irig

On October 31, 2025, Municipality of Irig (PP6) organized a stakeholder meeting within the ELEVATE project at the Secondary School “Borislav Mihajlović Mihiz” in Irig. The event gathered representatives of local institutions, civil society organizations, associations, and community members, wit...

02/04/2026

🌍 Diving into the ELEVATE Good Practices

The ELEVATE project aims at strengthening capacities across the Danube region, empowering partners to actively shape a more inclusive and accessible society. By focusing on place-based solutions, we aim to support older people and persons with disabilities as key drivers of change.

Our Catalogue of Good Practices plays an important role in this mission. It provides a structured framework to help partners understand, adapt and replicate successful initiatives in inclusive territorial development.

By sharing and analyzing real examples, we’re turning knowledge into action - supporting better policies, stronger communities and improved quality of life for all.

You can find and download the document here: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/elevate/library

Together, we’re building a more inclusive Danube Region Programme.💙

02/04/2026

Curious about what’s been happening in the ELEVATE project during the 2nd semester? 👀

Over the past 6 months, a wide range of activities have taken place, bringing us closer to our goals – drafting final ELEVATE model.
Our 2nd Elevate Newsletter is packed with highlights, achievements and everything we’ve been working on during this period.

👉 You can find and download our newsletter here: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/elevate/library




Danube Region Programme
Občina Sevnica
Ideas Factory Association / Фабрика за идеи
Mesto Banská Bystrica
Srce Slovenije / The Heart of Slovenia
Regionálne centrum kariéry BBSK
ZICER - Zagrebački inovacijski centar
ILEU
Opstina Irig
Grad Cazin
Táj-Kapocs Alapítvány
Direcţia Generală de Asistenţă Socială şi Protecţia Copilului Sector 6
Urbasofia
Kozodoj
CoWorkLand

01/04/2026

2nd LAGs and PEGs meeting held in Hungary

📢 On 27 March 2026, the second ELEVATE workshop took place in Sümeg, bringing together stakeholders committed to building more inclusive and connected communities.

Following the welcome, the ELEVATE project manager introduced the project, highlighting its key objectives and the criteria for the upcoming pilot programme. The planned pilot in the Táj-Kapocs area will focus on intergenerational activities, aiming to strengthen cooperation between generations and contribute to a more inclusive local society. The methodology developed within ELEVATE is also designed to be transferable to future local and regional development initiatives.

🌍 The workshop also featured inspiring international perspectives. Zsuzsanna Fazekas presented two best practices from Bulgaria and Slovenia, showcasing effective approaches to tackling isolation and loneliness among older people.

🤝 Additional insights were shared by István Breznovits from the Foundation for the Evangelical Charity Service of Szombathely, who introduced the Comp(AGE) project (Interreg Austria–Hungary). The project focuses on volunteering and digitalisation, currently seeking organisations to host volunteers and support community activities, while also emphasising the importance of training for working with older generations.

💬 During the interactive session, participants introduced themselves and explored how they can contribute to the project’s implementation. Together, they identified key challenges faced by older people and discussed the potential of intergenerational programmes to address them.

🌱 The shared commitment remains strong: to co-create meaningful experiences and collaborative initiatives that reduce isolation among older people and create lasting value for all generations.



Danube Region Programme

27/03/2026

As part of the Interreg Danube project ELEVATE, project partners are entering a new phase with pilot intergenerational activities starting in April 2026. 📤

These activities are part of a wider framework of 12 pilot actions being implemented across 11 regions within the project partnership.

The infographic shows the steps we have completed so far and those that still lie ahead. 👆



Danube Region Programme

27/03/2026

📍 On 19 March 2026, DGASPC Sector 6 hosted the second ELEVATE stakeholder meeting at the Local Food Bank Sector 6, bringing together public authorities, specialists, and NGOs to co-create solutions for vulnerable groups.

The session focused on preparing the pilot action “Cook, Share, Care!”, an intergenerational initiative running from 1 April 2026 to 30 September 2027 in Bucharest.

The project promotes social inclusion and collaboration between generations, while also supporting the development of a sustainable model for future public policies.

“Cook, Share, Care!” is a step toward more connected and empathetic social services.

Read full article: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/elevate/news/2nd-meeting-with-local-lags-and-pegs-in-romania

Danube Region Programme
Občina Sevnica
Ideas Factory Association / Фабрика за идеи
Mesto Banská Bystrica
Srce Slovenije / The Heart of Slovenia
Regionálne centrum kariéry BBSK
ZICER - Zagrebački inovacijski centar
ILEU
Opstina Irig
Grad Cazin
Táj-Kapocs Alapítvány
Direcţia Generală de Asistenţă Socială şi Protecţia Copilului Sector 6
Urbasofia
Kozodoj
CoWorkLand

26/03/2026

How do we turn inclusive governance from a concept into real change on the ground? 🕸️

🔥🔥🔥
Across the Danube Region, ELEVATE partners are answering this question by building strong expert networks, engaging local stakeholders and preparing concrete pilot actions that will move into implementation in the following semesters.

Read full article👉 https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/elevate/news/turning-cooperation-into-action-elevate-so2-is-taking-shape-across-the-danube-region

How do we turn inclusive governance from a concept into real change on the ground? Across the Danube Region, ELEVATE partners are answering this question by building strong expert networks, engaging local stakeholders and preparing concrete pilot actions that will move into implementation in the fol...