Transfer Partner Visit in Rotterdam for Urban Greening Collaboration

On November 6 and 7, transfer partners from Viladecans (Spain), Tallinn (Estonia), and Thessaloniki (Greece) visited Rotterdam for the Opening Site Visit of the Transfer component of the Greening Without Borders (GwB) project. 

The Greening Without Borders project, focuses on urban greening in a deprived neighborhood in Rotterdam West. The goal? To green private land—including individual gardens and privately owned communal spaces—in a social and inclusive way, with the active involvement of residents to create a healthier, greener community and neighborhood. 

Day 1: Presentations and Citizen Mobilization 

The first day started near the project neighborhood, where the Main Urban Authority (MUA) and each Delivery Partners introduced themselves and explained their roles in the project. 

One highlight was an interactive session on citizen mobilization led by EUI Urban Expert Eddy Adams. This session explored global best practices and invited Transfer Partners to share successful strategies from their own cities. 

After a locally prepared lunch, participants engaged in informal networking before heading out for a field visit to several project locations. The day concluded at the municipal neighborhood hub with a reflection session, where both Transfer Partners and Delivery Partners shared insights and lessons learned. 

Day 2: Inspiration and Knowledge Exchange 

The second day featured an inspiration and knowledge exchange session organized by the City of Rotterdam. Here, Transfer Partner cities presented their urban greening initiatives, showcasing projects aligned with the Greening Without Borders vision. 

This exchange sparked synergies, questions, and discussions between Delivery Partners and Transfer Partners, paving the way for future collaboration and shared learning. 

Key Takeaways 

• European collaboration: Cities from Spain, Estonia, and Greece joined forces with Rotterdam. 

• Focus on citizen engagement: Mobilizing residents is central to the success of urban greening. 

• Knowledge sharing: Best practices and innovative ideas were exchanged to keep track of the Greening without Border project and to inspire future projects in other European cities.   

• Next steps: Strengthening the partnerships and exploring more opportunities for knowledge exchange between transfer partners and delivery partners of the project. 

In short, these two days were packed with knowledge exchange, networking, and inspiration, laying a strong foundation for the further mutual knowledge exchange between the Greening Without Borders project and its transfer partners.