In February 2026, the final meeting of the partners of the MISSION CE CLIMATE project – Climate-Resilient Communities of Central Europe – took place in Maribor, hosted by the Municipality of Maribor (MOM) in cooperation with the Regional Development Agency for Podravje – Maribor. The event brought together project partners from the six Central European countries: Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Germany, Croatia and Slovakia.
The main purpose of the meeting was to showcase good sustainable practices and green urban solutions, as well as projects that include nature-based solutions. The final partner meeting also served to review the results achieved and to discuss the long-term sustainability of the developed solutions in the field of climate change adaptation.
The first day of the meeting was dedicated to a study visit to the Higher Vocational College for Hospitality and Tourism Maribor, where the hosts presented sustainable approaches to food preparation and school management. The students and mentors also prepared a dinner for the project partners, designed according to sustainability principles, thus complementing the theoretical guidelines with a practical demonstration.
The second day was devoted to expert lectures. Andraž Mlaker from the MOM Office for Public Utilities, Transport and Spatial Planning presented the MBajk bicycle-sharing system, which improves urban connectivity and promotes sustainable mobility. Jernej Gruber from the MOM Service for Development Projects and Investments presented the Park by the Pekre Stream project as an example of planning a green urban corridor, while Katja Kuzmič from the Regional Development Agency for Podravje – Maribor presented the results of the UPSURGE project. In his lecture, Matevž Vremec from Alma Mater Europaea University highlighted the importance of smart groundwater management and ensuring water security in light of climate change, while Peter Kumer, a lecturer at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Maribor, presented the challenges of (un)sustainable everyday mobility habits in the region. The lectures offered a comprehensive insight into connecting and involving communities in climate change adaptation processes.
The third day was dedicated to a field visit of good practices. The partners viewed the results of the pilot implementation of nature-based solutions within the Mission CE Climate project at the comprehensively redesigned Glavni trg – Elektro bus stop, as well as five additional greened canopies at various locations across the city.
The participants also visited the renovated Lent area and saw the oldest vine in the world. This was followed by a tour of the UPSURGE project results along the Pekre Stream, where a green urban corridor is being created, which through the “Park by the Pekre Stream” project will bring the development of approximately 2.6 hectares of new park areas along the stream. The main goal of the project is to improve quality of life, increase green spaces, and create a new area for socializing, sports, and sustainable mobility.
We concluded the study visit at the “Kobačnek” kindergarten in Selnica ob Dravi, where sustainability topics are also being integrated into the educational environment. The new kindergarten in Selnica ob Dravi is designed as a nearly zero-energy building. This modern, energy-efficient wooden building, which is an example of good practice in the sustainable construction of public buildings in Slovenia, was presented by the Mayor of Selnica ob Dravi, Vlasta Krmelj.
The cities involved in the MISSION CE CLIMATE project, through cooperation, the transfer of good practices, and the implementation of nature-based solutions, are strengthening the climate resilience of urban environments and improving quality of life.