24 March 2025
Set for the Interreg adventure, connected for a bigger impact!
Written by Anna Galyga
On 19-20 March 2025, we met 21 lead partners of core projects about to start their activities. The seminar was designed to connect, provide information, and prepare partners for their incredible Interreg adventure.
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Greetings for a good start!
“Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region is more important than ever! Seeing your dedication and presence here, I am very optimistic that your projects will make a difference” – with these words, Mr Erk Westermann-Lammers, Chairman of the Management Board of Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein, welcomed the participants of the seminar. Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein is the hosting organisation for the Programme while the seminar took place at the bank premises in Kiel.
We are stronger together!
One highly valued benefit of freshly selected projects participating in a physical event is networking with other projects around them and getting to know the staff of the Managing Authority/Joint Secretariat. Lead partners explored potential synergies and thematic connections with other projects, finding inspiring similarities and differences. Being anchored as part of the Interreg community, it sets wonderful grounds for even more cooperation across projects.
The participants also discovered the great potential in cooperating with Policy Area Coordinators (PACs) of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), both in terms of working together during the project as well as communicating project results. Two of them joined the seminar in Kiel: Sami Vesterinen, Coordinator of Policy Area Ship, and Andriy Martynenko, Coordinator of Policy Area Secure, and convened the audience that “PACs love Interreg projects!”
36 months of success
During the seminar, lead partners learned the nitty-gritty of the project life cycle and the importance of keeping the project’s objective on the horizon. Complemented by good project communication and proper visibility, our projects have unique opportunities to test and bring their solutions directly into the hands of people across the region who need them most. One of the seminar participants, Anna Maria Czarny from the Hanse-Parlament representing the project Easy Energy, provided lots of inspiration on how to manage a project successfully.
It is important for EU-funded projects to fully understand the reporting rhythm. It helps the Programme monitor progress and ensures a regular inflow of funds for the projects. No wonder this topic was also thoroughly tackled at the seminar.
Interreg is the place to be!
The staff of the Managing Authority/Joint Secretariat keeps their fingers crossed for smooth project implementation and cannot wait to see the wonderful results of working as if there were no borders! Interreg pays off when we do it transnationally.
Click through the gallery!
© IB.SH
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