Co-evaluation Workshop in Novo Mesto
January 2025
As part of VARCITIES co-creation process our Pilot City, Novo Mesto, organised on January 16, 2025, their 4th and final workshop in the Janez Trdina Cultural Centre.
Led by Peter Geršič, project lead of the Novo Mesto’s VARCITIES Pilot Site, and with the presence of Deputy Mayor Urban Kramar, the workshop showcased the complete implementation of the two Visionary Solutions developed in Novo Mesto under VARCITIES and aimed at collecting feedback from different stakeholders. “VARCITIES rounds off the investments made by the Municipality of Novo mesto within the framework of the Novo mesto Olympic Centre – swimming pool, velodrome and multi-purpose hall, recreation park, next to the already existing equestrian centre – and breathes life into them through programs, modern technological approaches and nature-based solutions. It is part of many projects in which we cooperate with other European cities and learn from them, but we dare to say that it is more and more often the other way around – that others learn from us,” emphasized Deputy Mayor Urban Kramar in his welcome address. He thanked participants who, with their activities, managed to attract citizens and visitors to spend their free time in a healthy and quality way in the top sports facilities, which are located in the beautiful natural environment of the Pilot site.
Peter Geršič, presented the key achievements of the five-year project, while the deputy mayor of Novo mesto Urban Kramar handed over awards to the most committed promoters of a healthy lifestyle.
The five Visionary Solutions implemented in Novo Mesto are:
- VS 1: Brownfield remediation and greening with plant species indigenous to the nearby Natura 2000 areas
- VS 2: Creating sustainable forest trails
- VS 3: Interconnectedness of sports, recreational and therapeutic facilities
- VS 4: Integrated management of the facilities
- VS 5: IoT solutions for measuring the health and well-being of users and visitors
With the creative help of illustrator Izar Lunaček, VARCITIES activities in Novo Mesto were visualised during his presentation!
“In addition to all the tangible achievements, I am also proud of the connection and cooperation that has been built over five years between many organizations and individuals who co-created the project and whom we thanked with today’s event. It means the most when the stakeholders themselves come to us with an initiative for cooperation due to the good experience that the project brings, which is a solid basis for the further successful development of activities in the Novo mesto Olympic Centre,” added Peter Geršič.
A violinist Marijan Dović and guitarist Mihael Hrustelj, united in the duet “Art of Ten Strings”, provided a musical treat for the enthusiastic audience.
A total of 43 events were held in Novo mesto as part of the VARCITIES project, attended by 2,300 participants, of which 1,200 were children.
Acknowledgments for their outstanding contribution to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle within VARCITIES’s Pilot in Novo Mesto were given to Mrs. Darinka Smrke, the manager of the Novo mesto School of Health; Mr. Jože Okoren, the president of the Association of Paraplegics of Dolenjska, Bela Krajina and Posavje; Mr. Branko Grubačević, the heart and soul of the Equestrian School Sports Centre Češča vas; Mr. Janez Kermc, the president of Association of Blind and Visually Impaired Novo mesto and Mr. Rado Trifković, versatile promotor of all forms of movement.
