Giulia Granai (p), Carmen Borrelli, Roberta Moruzzo, Leonardo Catena, Francesco Di Iacovo

Vera Majerova

In recent decades, the interest in social innovation and nature-based solutions (NBS) has spread in scientific articles and they are increasingly deployed for cities’ strategic planning. Meanwhile the attention and the presence of animals in the cities is increasing as well as the attention in the society. In this scenario, it is worth to reflect on the opportunities linked to the promotion of the human-animal interactions as a new nature-based solution and the social innovation processes that are linked to change the sight on this topic to increase health and human well-being in the cities. The paper aims to look at the process of mobilization of the animal resource as a NBS in enhancing the quality of life of people in cities, understanding and designing the related social innovation paths, also in a perspective of replicability in diverse geographical areas and urban spaces. Through the lens of the research-action EU-project IN-HABIT in Lucca (Italy) (that aims to codify an integrated policy to enhance human-animal relationship and their possible positive outcomes to be then transferred and replicated in other cities), the hum-animal city concept and animal NBS has been co-designed with local stakeholders, as well as its translation into real practices and initiatives (within the social sectors, in the cultural and educational environment, in reshaping public spaces, in touristic sector).
The paper reflects on the process focusing on some turning point and key element in the social innovation process offering some first lessons for the replicability in other geographical areas and urban settings aiming at codifying integrated policy solutions based on a new mobilization of the human-animal bond in a social perspective.

Tomaz Ponce Dentinho, Marcela Chrenekova (p)

Giulia Granai

Social cohesion, integration and inclusion narrative is now in European strategies and regional development initiatives more frequent and stronger than ever. Due to migration movement and territorial cohesion efforts, integration aspects and factors of ethnic minorities and foreigners are considered.
Nationality structure of the Slovak territory population has changed considerably during the last hundred years. The most numerous nationalities were Slovaks and Hungarians, in 1921. The representation of no other minority in any region did not reach 5%. In 2021, for the first time, the inhabitants of Slovakia had the opportunity to state their first and second nationality. Slovak nationality (as a sum of first and second nationality) was stated by 84,84%, Hungarian by 8,37%, Roma 2,87%, Ruthenian 1,17% and Czech by 0,84% inhabitants. More than 10% of Hungarians live in 14 southern districts, the share of Roma across this border is in 7 districts in the south and east, and the share of Ruthenian in 5 districts in the east of Slovakia.
The districts of southern and eastern Slovakia are the most ethnically heterogeneous. Relatively high proportions of Slovak, Hungarian and Roma live in the most heterogeneous districts in the south, and Slovak, Ruthenian and, to a lesser extent, Roma in the east.
The integration of minorities in Slovakia takes place in different ways and with varying degrees of success. Some minorities integrate into the majority population naturally with little or no political interference. Others require intervention. Several social innovations were introduced in the process.
Another situation is in case of social and work integration of foreigners. Since accession to the EU in 2004, the number of foreigners legally living in the Slovak Republic has increased almost twelvefold (mostly from neighboring countries – EU members). Most foreigners from third countries come from Ukraine, Serbia, Vietnam, and the Russian Federation. The number of employed foreigners in the Slovak Republic has increased more than 26-fold since 2004, of which 65% are nationals of non-EU countries (mostly from Ukraine, Serbia and Vietnam). Each of them has specific features and varying degrees of natural or artificial integration.
The paper is contributing to the scientific discourse about social and work integration of ethnic minorities and foreigners legally living in Slovakia. Authors estimate how is the integration and its ways perceived by ethnic minorities, foreigners, and majority population. Generalized Q analysis is the principal statistical method used in the work.

Daniel Magwegwe (p), Rik Eweg

Marcela Chrenekova

Transition Pathways for Sustainable European Regional Development.
Daniel Magwegwe, Rik Eweg, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Velp, The Netherlands.
Objective and contribution
This paper will describe prototypes for Transition Pathways towards inclusive, sustainable development for seven regions in five European Countries.
Sustainable regional development hinges on the idea that regions are integrated systems with a natural and social dimension. These social ecological systems highlight complex and intricate connections between human societies and ecosystems which are essential in approaches for engaging multiple stakeholders to promote regional development.
In the most recent years, sustainable regional development in Europe has been facing multi-faceted complex problems, including climate change and environmental degradation, economic disparities, and energy crisis. Complex problems and challenges require innovative approaches to regional development that result in sustainable systemic changes. Systems changes are described as transitions. The transition pathway concept describes the framework of how desirable systems changes can be achieved.
The transition pathways discussed in our paper identify the potential steps that stakeholders within the region can take to arrive at a shared future narrative, and thereby ensuring a more feasible and actionable vision. Transition pathways contribute to the transformative power of regions and communities through inspiring different stakeholders to act now to achieve the future vision. The transition pathway is not linear but requires a complex, multi-level transition that includes innovations in social, cultural, technical, and institutional aspects. We will focus on the contribution of transition pathways to social and economic innovation.
INVEST4EXCELLENCE IN REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY is a European Union funded H2020 project, with the aim of developing sustainable societies and economies in the regions across Europe. In this project partnerships of citizens, NGOs, governmental organizations private companies and educational institutions collaborate interdisciplinary in the INVEST regional Living Labs. In the project, seven transition pathways for sustainable regional development were developed in five countries (Greece, Finland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands). Each pathway was developed to match with the developmental needs of the specific regions. With the current complex challenges that Europe faces towards regional development, the use of transition pathways comes as a highly recommended option. This is also supported by the fact that classical, linear forms of governance have become ill-equipped to deal with the characteristics of transition issues. Understanding and appreciation of the diversity of regions in Europe is paramount for the development of transition pathways for sustainable regional development.

Vera Majerova (p)

Daniel Magwegwe

Quality of life in the Czech countryside in times of economic turbulence and possibilities of innovative approach.
After the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union, in addition to local and regional initiatives, projects supported by EU funds appeared. They support not only rural development at national level, but also cross-border cooperation. In particular, the LEADER initiative has had a significant impact on the formation of cooperation in rural areas. The paper is based on statistical data and is supplemented by examples of good practice in different geographical conditions of rural municipalities in the Czech Republic. It deals with the opportunities that are offered in rural society and the barriers to the development of civic initiatives.