Go to main menu Go to search Go to main content Go to footer

Manresa Hosts First PROXIMITIES Interregional Study Visit

News
Citizens
Share
Date
By Project PROXIMITIES
A group of PROXIMITIES project partners from across Europe pose together outdoors during a study visit to Manresa, Spain. They stand on a rural path with green fields, a large tree, and a historic building in the background under a partly cloudy blue sky. Interreg Europe and PROXIMITIES logos appear in the bottom-left corner.

On 24–26 March 2025, the Municipality of Manresa welcomed partners from across Europe for the first interregional study visit of the PROXIMITIES project. Delegations gathered in the Catalan city to exchange experiences and explore innovative strategies for revitalising peripheral urban areas.

The visit was centred around Manresa’s “Integrated Plan of Revitalisation of the Historic Centre 2023–2030” (PIRCH) and provided a platform for partners to engage with local stakeholders, observe good practices on site, and strengthen interregional collaboration.

Two Days of Learning and Exchange

The programme began with a welcome at Manresa City Council, followed by a visit to the Fàbrica Nova complex, a vast former textile site that has long acted as a barrier between neighbourhoods. The area is now being transformed into a hub for higher education, public services, and green space — a cornerstone project for the city’s future. Participants also visited the nearby L’Anònima factory, a 19th-century industrial building that is being restored and reused as a cultural centre and headquarters for the Local Economic Development Agency.

The second day focused on sustainable mobility, education, and green infrastructure. At Ítaca School, partners explored the Conciliabus project — an initiative supporting walking and cycling school commutes through strong community engagement. The visit also highlighted Manresa’s Study Commission on School Segregation, a multi-stakeholder governance model that has helped reduce disparities in student composition and promote more inclusive educational zoning.

Later, participants explored the Anella Verda (Green Belt) — a flagship project encircling Manresa that links natural, cultural, and agricultural spaces. Through community co-design and interdepartmental coordination, the Green Belt has become a living corridor for biodiversity, recreation, and soft mobility, improving quality of life and reconnecting the urban and rural landscapes.

Throughout the visit, partners observed how these good practices are helping Manresa tackle complex urban challenges — from mobility and social inclusion to economic revitalisation and public space renewal — all through an integrated, people-centred approach.

Reinforcing the Power of Peer Learning

This study visit marked the first in a series of interregional exchanges planned within the PROXIMITIES project. By identifying and sharing good practices like those seen in Manresa, partners aim to strengthen local policy instruments and support the creation of more liveable, accessible, and sustainable urban communities across Europe.