3rd Transnational Exchange Meeting "Let's Go Circular!"

The 3rd Transnational Exchange Meeting of “Let’s Go Circular!” network took place in Riga, Latvia, and it was hosted by the partner Riga Energy Agency REA. The Development Organization was represented by the General Manager.

Participants were greeted in the City Hall by Viesturs Zeps, elected Councilor, Head of Riga Municipality Housing and Environment Committee. Interesting insights into Riga’s holistic climate neutrality / circular economy strategy, waste management, local areas for testing circularity like the Riga Central Market, circular construction and education/gamification approaches with Ieva Kalnina, Riga’s CE expert who also works with students were presented.
 
The meeting included site visiting in Latvia’s first permanent construction material exchange and waste sorting point from local service provider CleanR Grupa. It is listed on the great Latvian online CE platform www.lietovelreiz.lv from NGO Zero Waste Latvija.
 
One inspirational highlight was the site visit at NGO FREE RIGA’s social innovation incubator VISKAĻI, in the frame of reuse of empty spaces and buildings. The former faculty of Aeronauctics in Riga is being brought back to life with 200 artists, entrepreneurs and other members of Riga's creative economy – all of them using circular approaches, be it upcycling or sharing.

Project Lead Expert Eleni Feleki checked-in with all city partner teams and the local experts they brought – all partners are about to start the respective local Integrated Action Plans on the Circular Transition. These plans are at the core of the URBACT programme for taking Urban Action.