Moving Cities Hub in Zagreb

The Hub

On 24–25 June, Moving Cities brought together local and international partners for a two-day event dedicated to decentralising integration strategies and empowering community-led action in Zagreb.

Zagreb is home to diverse communities: the local reception centre currently hosts around 500 asylum seekers, while fewer than 500 persons have been granted international protection in the city. Additionally, more than 25,000 individuals from Nepal, the Philippines, India and other countries live in Zagreb with work and stay permits.

Reflecting these growing needs, the city has increased its integration budget by 60% and is planning to launch a new five-year programme starting in 2026.

Day 1: Sharing Expertise and Inspiring Practices

The programme began at the Welcome Centre (One-Stop Shop), where Jana Radić and colleagues from the City of Zagreb presented the 2023- 2024 city´s action plan on integration. Key priorities include healthcare, social protection, language learning, intercultural exchange, employment support, and international cooperation.

Participants also heard from Nawar Ghanim about “Alternative Teaching”, an award- winning creative project from Ribnjak Youth Centre that connects students with diverse cultures and voices.

One of the highlights was hearing from our Moving Cities partner Charlotte Davies, from Swansea Council for Voluntary Service, who introduced the project “A Better Welcome to Swansea”, which pairs new arrivals with local volunteers, along with a community outreach project for improving healthcare access in diverse communities.

In the afternoon, the Civil Society Project Fair at the Public Library was an opportunity to learn more about the inspiring work from Jesuit Refugee Service, Are You Syrious, Centre for Cultural Dialogue (CKD) and the Public Library, highlighting mentorships, newcomer guides, employment initiatives, and book clubs.

A lively panel discussion followed, exploring how mentoring and volunteering can decentralise integration efforts. The panel included Željka Sartori from the City of Zagreb administration, Ana Marčinko from the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), Iva Bunčić representing the Public Library, and Charlotte Davies from Swansea, and was moderated by Maura Magni from Moving Cities. Speakers stressed the need for stronger coordination between the city and NGOs, creating trust- based networks, as well as investing in the skills and capacities of city service providers.

Day 2: Co-Creating Local Solutions

On the second day, participants teamed up in working groups to tackle two big questions:

• How can the Welcome Centre increase its outreach?

• How can the city support emerging local volunteer schemes?

Using the design thinking method, groups proposed fresh ideas such as creating integration hubs in libraries and community spaces, organising weekly visits by the Welcome Centre to the reception centre and surrounding neighbourhoods to strengthen outreach and setting up a coordination platform for regular dialogue among those implementing volunteering schemes and outreach initiatives.

The event wrapped up with a plenary session to share insights and outline the next steps for piloting these ideas as part of the city’s next integration action plan.

Although cities in Croatia are not required by law to develop integration plans, Zagreb’s representatives are taking an active approach—working closely with communities and civil society organisations to provide the support newcomers need and to help longtime residents better understand the experiences of their new neighbours.

Download the programme