Festival of the New European Bauhaus: local and regional authorities are key builders of vibrant European communities

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Local authorities play a key role in integrating cultural heritage into the development of European cities, promoting more sustainable and inclusive communities, said the president of the Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research (SEDEC) of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Tanya Hristova, in her speech at the Forum of the Festival of the New European Bauhaus.

She also underlined that this integration not only preserves historical and cultural identity, but also fosters citizen participation and inclusion, creating urban spaces that reflect the diversity and identity of regions.

Tanya Hristova (BG/EPP), who is the mayor of Gabrovo, was invited to represent European regions and cities at the Forum of the Festival of New European Bauhaus, which took place between 9 and 13 April in Brussels. The event, organised by the European Commission in partnership with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, brought together participants from all over the world to discuss the role of creativity and collaboration in building a more sustainable, inclusive and aesthetically captivating world in line with the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB).

"How does the quality of the built environment influence identity and purpose and vice versa?" was the theme of the high-level panel, which took place on 12 April and was attended by SEDEC Chair. Participants were invited to debate and explore the different ways of connecting the traditional Bauhaus with the New European Bauhaus and how to use cultural values in the construction and planning of urban environments. The debate centred on how to involve people in creating democratic cities where cultural heritage is valued and where everyone feels at home.

In her intervention, Tanya Hristova said: "Local and regional authorities play a crucial role in integrating cultural heritage within urban development. Their role transcends mere governance, they act as guardians of cultural heritage and as architects of future communities. Through the New European Bauhaus initiative, local and regional authorities are encouraged to adopt an approach to urban planning that integrates cultural heritage into new and existing spaces to reflect the diversity of European identities. It's about creating environments that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also deeply meaningful to communities."

The SEDEC chair emphasised that local authorities play a crucial role in involving citizens in creating their surroundings, ensuring that urban development projects reflect a community's cultural values, and that cities and regions reflect the richness of European culture. She explained that local and regional authorities also act as incubators for innovative projects, such as the NEB Labs, demonstrating the practical implementation of NEB principles on a local and regional scale. These laboratories have two missions: to create the conditions for ecological transition and to promote real change on the ground.

Ensuring that citizens do not feel left behind in a rapidly evolving urban development landscape is a central challenge for the CoR, Ms Hristova emphasised. She said that "the approach adopted stresses the active participation of citizens in governance and design processes, promoting a sense of belonging and inclusion. Integrating cultural heritage into urban development projects aims to enrich the identity of communities and guarantee the representation and celebration of diverse European and non-European cultural identities, ensuring that no citizen is left behind in this dynamic process of urban construction". Finally, she underlined that "the European Committee of the Regions is committed to promoting and supporting the efforts of local and regional authorities in creating more cohesive communities".

The panel, which was moderated by Eszter Dávida, Urban Planner, member of the NEB High-Level Round Table, featured: Klara Geywitz, Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Construction from Germany; Robert K. Huber, director and curator of BHROX bauhaus reuse; Arne Cornelius Wasmuth, founding director of dieDAS -- Design; Akademie Saaleck from Germany; and Mateja Softić, founder and co-creator at Iskriva, Institute for the Development of Local Potential, Slovenia.