News + Events

How can young people contribute to making our cities more accessible, inclusive and welcoming for everyone?

On 12–13 September 2026, the URB.ABLE project will host the Urban Investigation Lab, a free two-day, hands-on workshop in Limassol exploring accessibility, Universal Design and inclusive approaches to urban planning.

URB.ABLE is an Erasmus+ initiative that empowers young people and youth workers to take an active role in transforming their communities into more accessible and inclusive environments. Through practical learning and collaborative activities, the project encourages participants to look critically at the spaces around them and consider how everyday urban environments can better respond to different needs.

During the Urban Investigation Lab, participants will be introduced to the principles of Universal Design and inclusive urban planning in a session led by Marina Pasia, our researcher from the Society and Urban Form (SURF) Research Lab, Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus.

The workshop will then move beyond the classroom and into the city itself. Through barrier-mapping activities in Limassol’s old town, participants will investigate accessibility challenges directly within the urban environment, identifying physical and other barriers that can affect how people experience and use public spaces.

Building on these observations, participants will work together to develop ideas for civic action and explore how young people can play a meaningful role in shaping more inclusive public spaces. This part of the programme will be led by the AbleBook founders, bringing an additional practical perspective to the discussion around accessibility and community-led urban change.

The two-day format therefore combines learning, direct observation and collaborative thinking, giving participants the opportunity not only to discuss inclusive urban environments but also to examine accessibility challenges first-hand and consider possible responses.

📅 12–13 September 2026
🕑 14:00–18:00
📍 Social Space, Andrea Drousioti 23a, 3040 Limassol
🎟️ Participation is free

Participants who complete the workshop will receive a Europass Certificate.

Interested in participating?

🔗 Learn more about the Urban Investigation Lab: https://t.ly/oMCZN

📝 Register here: https://t.ly/fFpPM

The U-Care project is pleased to announce its final event, the Urban Health Conference: “Shaping Healthy and Climate-Responsive Cities”, taking place on 2 October 2026 in Berlin, Germany, with the opportunity to participate both in person and online.

Marking the conclusion of the U-Care research project, the conference will bring together researchers, urban planners, architects, landscape architects, public health professionals, policymakers, designers and citizens to explore how urban environments can respond to climate change while promoting human health.

Through keynote lectures, live demonstrations, interactive discussions and networking opportunities, participants will explore evidence-based strategies, innovative tools and practical approaches for creating healthier, more resilient and climate-responsive cities.

A highlight of the programme will be a keynote by Prof. Jacob van Rijs, Founding Partner of MVRDV, focusing on “Design Strategies for Healthier Architecture”. The programme will also present the U-Care research and UrbanCare methodology, training modules, U-Care platform and guide, as well as the project’s contributions to climate mitigation, research, urban practice and capacity building.

📅 Date: 2 October 2026
🕑 Time: 14:00–19:00
📍 Venue: Bauhaus Reuse (BHROX), Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Berlin
💻 Participation: In person or online
🎟️ Admission: Free – registration required
🗣️ Language: English

More information and registration:
https://ucareproject.eu/

Download the Event Leaflet

The Society and Urban Form (SURF) Lab, Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus, is pleased to invite researchers, educators, students, practitioners, policymakers, youth workers, and community organisations to participate in the PS-U-GO – Education in Living Labs: Participatory Skills for Sustainable Urban Governance and AESOP Thematic Group on Public Spaces and Urban Cultures (TG PSUC) International Conference 2026, entitled:

“Youth as Agents of Hope: Urban Living Labs and Community-Engaged Learning”
📅 29–30 October 2026
📍 Larnaka, Cyprus

The two-day international conference is jointly organised by the Erasmus+ PS-U-GO project and the AESOP Thematic Group on Public Spaces and Urban Cultures (TG PSUC). Hosted by the SURF Lab at the University of Cyprus and supported by Larnaka2030 – European Capital of Culture 2030, the conference will explore the role of Urban Living Labs as spaces for education, participation, and sustainable urban governance.

Conference Theme

The conference will examine how young people can actively contribute to shaping more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities through participatory approaches, experiential learning, and community engagement. Discussions will focus on topics such as Urban Living Labs, youth participation in urban planning, community-engaged pedagogies, co-creation, civic empowerment, and innovative educational practices.

Call for Contributions

Participants are invited to submit abstracts for:

• Paper presentations
• Practice-based project presentations
• Participatory and community-based case studies

Contributions may be presented as oral presentations, visual essays, or videos (10–15 minutes) and should address theoretical, methodological, educational, or practice-based perspectives related to the conference themes. Abstracts should be 250–300 words, following the official conference template.

Key Dates

• 10 July 2026 – Call for Participation opens
• 1 September 2026 – Deadline for abstract submission
• 15 September 2026 – Notification of acceptance
• 29–30 October 2026 – Conference
• 30 May 2027 – Conference publication

Publications

A Book of Abstracts will be published before the conference, while the conference proceedings, including presentations and discussions, will be published online after the event. Both publications will receive ISBN numbers.

Registration

Participation in the conference is free of charge. Please note that participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses.

Submission Information

Abstracts should be prepared using the official template and submitted to:

📧 charalambous.nadia@ucy.ac.cy
📧 mariamshulqamy@gmail.com

Downloads

• 📄 Call for Participation (PDF)
• 📝 Abstract Template (DOCX)