What should urban greenery look like if it is to be more than a collection of parks, squares and individual trees? And how can these spaces be connected into a system that responds to residents’ needs, supports nature and helps cities adapt to climate change?
The project “Green Systems for Cities in the Face of 21st-Century Challenges – Green Networks” explores these questions. It is led by the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin in cooperation with the City of Lublin, the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Institute of Urban and Regional Development and social organisations. One of its main goals is to develop a Green Network Concept for Lublin, as well as a model that could be applied in other Polish cities.
The project treats greenery not as an addition to urban infrastructure, but as an integral part of the city. It looks at how individual green spaces can be connected, how they can respond to residents’ needs and how they can support the city’s adaptation to climate change. The project also includes research, participatory activities and the development of resources that will remain available to residents, institutions and schools after the project ends.
This approach closely connects with one of the programme ideas of European Capital of Culture Lublin 2029: the RE:UNION Green Network. Lublin’s European Capital of Culture 2029 bid proposed building on the city’s distinctive system of dry valleys and ravines and connecting it with other green areas across the city to create a coherent network. This would include river valleys, ravines, forests, parks, allotment gardens, agricultural land and other areas of ecological value.
The RE:UNION Green Network is not only about making these places more accessible. It also envisions them as spaces for cultural and educational activities. The ECoC programme includes Bronowice Park, green areas in the Tatary district, the Zielone Błonia area below Lublin Castle and the planned naturalistic Riverside Park as part of this network. The Bystrzyca Valley will also play an important role. The knowledge and solutions developed through Green Networks can therefore support the long-term vision for Lublin set out in the ECoC 2029 programme. The aim is not simply to create more green spaces, but to consider how they can be connected, accessed and used as part of everyday life in the city.
The project’s work will be presented and discussed at the “Green Networks – Green Systems for Cities” conference, taking place in Lublin on 23–24 September 2026.
The first day will focus, among other things, on the development of Lublin’s Green Network, the current state of urban greenery and its role in climate change adaptation. The programme will also feature examples from other Polish cities and a presentation on Hamburg’s approach. Dr Cornelia Peters, coordinator of the Grünes Netz Hamburg project, will talk about the city’s green network.
The second day will take a broader look at green systems: how they can be planned, developed and implemented. The programme will also include a presentation on Singapore by Yvonne Tan, Director of DP GREEN and President of the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects. The conference is aimed at people working in or interested in urban greenery, spatial planning, sustainable development and climate change adaptation.
Participation is free of charge. Registration is required.
Registration is open until 15 September 2026.
REGISTRATION
“Green Networks – Green Systems for Cities” conference
📅 23–24 September 2026
📍 Hotel Victoria, ul. Narutowicza 58/60, Lublin, Poland
The Green Networks project has been running since March 2024 and will continue until September 2026. Its outcomes will include not only a Green Network Concept for Lublin, but also knowledge and tools that can support future urban planning. The project will also provide an important point of reference for thinking about how the RE:UNION Green Network can develop in the future, bringing nature closer to everyday life in the city.
