The 5th Local Stakeholder Workshop in Szombathely

On the 15th of January 2025, the city of Szombathely hosted its 5th Local Stakeholder Workshop. Our partners at ABUD together with the city of Szombathely moderated the event, which brought together an enthusiastic group of stakeholders, including gardeners, landscape architects, and municipal representatives, to collectively envision a greener, more sustainable future for the city.

The workshop provided a creative and collaborative platform where participants shared ideas and engaged in meaningful discussions focusing on transforming attitudes toward landscaping and gardening. Through interactive activities and a moderated exchange, the group developed innovative approaches to enhancing urban green spaces, emphasizing sustainability, resilience, and biodiversity.

Key highlights of the workshop included:

• Developing actionable ideas to promote climate-adaptive landscaping.
• Engaging in discussions that fostered mutual understanding and collaboration.
• Voting for the most impactful ideas and making personal commitments to implement them.

As one of the main outcomes of the LSW, a collection of ideas aimed at increasing environmental awareness and appreciation of local natural assets was brainstormed. Moving forward, the ABUD and the Municipality teams will work closely to analyze the feasibility of the most popular ideas and align them with the goals of the JUSTNature activation process. In the next phase, participants will be invited to collaborate on the detailed planning and execution of one selected idea, which the Municipality has committed to co-finance.

The 5th Local Stakeholder Workshop demonstrated how collaboration between municipalities, local entrepreneurs, and community members can effectively address global challenges on a local scale. By fostering partnerships and prioritizing green initiatives, Szombathely is setting a powerful example of how cities can adapt to climate change while enhancing the quality of life for its residents!