On 2–3 December 2026, a Policy Lab entitled “Return and Stay: How Municipalities Can Create the Conditions and Opportunities to Attract and Retain People” will take place at Šlokenbeka Manor in Milzkalne, Tukums Municipality, Latvia. The event will bring participants together to explore solutions for making Latvia’s regions attractive places to live, where people want to return, build their future and stay in the long term.
The event is organised by the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM) and Latvia’s planning regions, in cooperation with the National Contact Points for the European Urban Initiative (EUI) and the URBACT programme.
The aim of the Policy Lab is to explore collectively how Latvia’s regions can become places where people choose to return, settle and stay. Taking a people-centred approach, participants will examine the practical experiences of municipalities and local and international partners, identifying key barriers and opportunities for encouraging return migration and attracting people to the regions. The event will also seek to identify successful approaches that could be replicated elsewhere and jointly develop practical solutions for attracting and retaining people, while strengthening their sense of belonging to the places they choose to call home.
The Policy Lab will incorporate the approaches and opportunities offered by EUI and URBACT, drawing on the experiences of other European cities, promoting mutual learning and exploring how successful solutions can be transferred and adapted to the needs and local circumstances of Latvian municipalities.
The event is open to representatives of Latvian municipalities and planning regions, return migration coordinators, institutions involved in diaspora policy, business and development specialists, local entrepreneurs and employers, representatives of the education and research sectors, non-governmental organisations and local communities, return migrants, members of the Latvian diaspora and other partners.
Registration is open until the end of the working day on 20 November 2026 via the online registration form. Priority will be given to participants who register to attend both days of the event.
The event agenda is available here
URBACT is a European Union programme that supports sustainable urban development by promoting cooperation and the exchange of experience between municipalities. It helps cities work together to address current challenges, establish cooperation networks and develop integrated action plans. URBACT provides a platform for learning and co-creation, enabling cities to share experiences, adopt good practices and work towards a sustainable and inclusive urban future.
The European Urban Initiative (EUI) is an instrument supporting the urban dimension of EU cohesion policy for 2021–2027. It supports the application of innovative solutions to urban challenges across the European Union, strengthens the capacity of European urban areas, facilitates knowledge exchange between cities and provides a basis for policymaking on sustainable urban development.
For any questions regarding the event or registration, please contact Simona Sniķe, Senior Expert at the Regional Development Planning Division of the State Sustainable Development Planning Department, Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM), tel. +371 67026429, email: Simona.Snike@varam.gov.lv
The event is funded through State Budget Sub-programme No. 67.06.00, “EKI/VARAM/001 – Ensuring the Operation of the European Urban Initiative Contact Point in Latvia”.
Translated by AI