PS-U-GO concludes international conference ‘Youth as Agents of Hope’ in Larnaka, putting young people at the centre of the future of cities
Two days of dialogue on Urban Living Labs and community-engaged learning, supported by Larnaka2030, European Capital of Culture 2030
How can youth participation move beyond consultation and have a meaningful impact on urban planning? This question was at the heart of the international conference ‘Youth as Agents of Hope: Urban Living Labs and Community-Engaged Learning’, held at Allilodidaskalio in Larnaka on 29-30 October 2026.
The conference was co-organised by the European Erasmus+ project PS-U-GO (Education in Living Labs: Participatory Skills for Sustainable Urban Governance) and the AESOP Thematic Group on Public Spaces and Urban Cultures (TG PSUC) of the Association of European Schools of Planning. It was hosted by the Society and Urban Form (SURF) Lab of the Department of Architecture at the University of Cyprus, with the support of Larnaka2030, European Capital of Culture 2030.
Researchers, educators, practitioners, young people and artists from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Germany, Croatia and other European countries exchanged experiences and approaches concerning the role of Urban Living Labs (ULLs) in experiential learning, community collaboration and the creation of more inclusive urban spaces.
The first day opened with a keynote lecture by Kelly Diapouli, Artistic Director of Larnaka2030, entitled ‘Community-based Art Practices’, highlighting the relationship between artistic practice, participation and the engagement of local communities. On the second day, Tihomir Viderman (BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, representative of the AESOP Thematic Group PSUC) delivered a keynote lecture entitled ‘Watch Out for Affects: Youth Participation in Places of Concern’, focusing on the social and emotional dimensions of young people’s relationships with urban space.
Four roundtable discussions explored youth participation in public space, pedagogical frameworks for experiential learning, the connection between education and the city, and the practices that make Urban Living Labs effective. Contributions presented research and experiences from Thessaloniki, Athens, Parma, Milan, Rome, Cottbus, Zadar, Zagreb, Larnaka and elsewhere in Cyprus.
Key Takeaways and Reflections
Four interconnected reflections emerged from the themes addressed in the presentations and discussions:
Meaningful participation requires a genuine role in decision-making. Inviting young people to participate in an activity is not enough unless they are given opportunities to express their views, contribute to shaping decisions and remain involved over time.The city can serve as a learning environment. Engagement with real neighbourhoods, residents and urban planning challenges enables students to connect academic knowledge with social responsibility.Inclusion requires attention to diverse experiences. Age, gender, accessibility and feelings of safety or belonging influence who can use, participate in and help shape public space.Continuity and relationships of trust matter. Urban Living Labs gain greater educational and social value when collaboration extends beyond a single activity or intervention.University of Cyprus, with Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Social Fringe: interesting untold stories (SF:ius), Palermo Urban Solutions Hub (PUSH) and Urban Foxes as partners, and the AESOP Thematic Group PSUC as an associate partner. The project develops Urban Living Labs as educational spaces where students, residents, planners and policymakers collaborate on real urban challenges.