Interregional Cooperation
Stronger Together
The Ruhr Regional Association (RVR) closely cooperates with Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolia (Metropolis GZM) in southern Poland. In August 2019, GZM and RVR signed a partnership agreement. A common history in coal mining gave impetus to the partnership. Today, the partners regularly implement joint projects and formats. In particular, the partnership focuses on developing new approaches to current economic and ecological developments.
Good to Know
The Ruhr Regional Association (RVR) facilitates interregional cooperation. It aims to exchange knowledge, to initiate interregional projects and to find new solutions for common challenges.
Current Topics
Exchange between youth committees
How do youth committees work in Germany, Poland, and England? What similarities and differences exist, and what can we learn from each other? Seven young people aged 15 to 18 from the Ruhrgebiet, the Metropolis GZM in Poland, and the District Durham in England discussed this topic. The young people and their mentors plan to continue the exchange through further digital meetings in the future.
Revitalisation of brownfields
At a conference in Brussels in January 2025, RVR and GZM – together with the EU Commission and the Georg Agricola University of Applied Sciences – discussed the specific challenges faced by regions when revitalising derelict mining and industrial sites. RVR and GZM joined forces to highlight the requirements and funding needs that are essential for a successful sustainable und just transformation. In doing so, they aroused the interest of other regions in Europe, facing similar challenges.
Festival „United by Bread“
For several years now, the festival “United by Bread” in Katowice has been bringing together diverse contributions from the fields of cuisine, culture, religion and social discourse every summer. At the invitation of GZM, RVR Ruhr Grün regularly presents sustainable products from the local forests there, which can be used directly in the production of bread, for example, or enjoyed as a spread on bread.
Metropolitan Challenges
How do metropolitan areas meet current challenges like resilience and sustainability? Which approaches do they develop, which positive experiences do they make? Upon GZM’s invitation, RVR Regional Director Karola Geiß-Netthöfel discussed these questions with other European metropolitan areas at the European Metropolitan Authorities’ (EMA) forum in Katowice in June 2022.
Sustainable Mobility
Which challenges are GZM and the Ruhr Metropolis facing with regard to regional mobility? What are similarities and good practice examples? Which pioneering projects do both regions work on? A digital exchange of experiences dealt with these questions in October 2021.
Digital Social Makerthon
How can a green, sustainable and participatory Europe be shaped? How can I contribute myself? These were the key questions that young people, aged 16 to 22, from the GZM and the Ruhr Area discussed with scientists and politicians in May 2021. This first digital makerthon was part of the Europe Week in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Andrea Höber
Andrea Höber
Head of Department
Department for European Affairs
hoeber@rvr.ruhr
+49 (0) 201 2069 6362
Kronprinzenstr. 6 45128 Essen
Victoria Krebber
Victoria Krebber
Department for European Affairs
krebber@rvr.ruhr
+49 (0) 201 2069 248
Kronprinzenstr. 6 45128 Essen