Evaluating the progress in the project: the DeCrises mid-term meeting in Latvia
On 24-25 September 2026, the DeCrises consortium gathered in Riga, Latvia, for the project’s mid-term meeting. Hosted by the RSU Faculty of Social Sciences and the RSU Social Sciences Research Centre, this event provided a stage for discussions on the progress and future plans of the DeCrises project.
The programme started with opening remarks from Agnese Cimdiņa, (Head of the RSU Social Sciences Research Centre) and an introduction by Vineta Kleinberga (RSU team leader) and Farid Karimi, PI (JYU). Then, the event continued with short presentations, summarizing the key results obtained so far within Work Packages (WPs) 1-4.
This first day continued with more presentations on the project’s progress. Aistė Balžekienė (KTU) shared insights from the research on regional just twin transitions and innovative intra/inter-regional initiatives. After this, the WP3 team introduced key results from the examination of the EU Green Deal and Digital Strategy. Then, Hilde G. Corneliussen (WNRI) provided updates from the research behind WP4 focused on social innovation in our four case studies. The final presentation, delivered by Farid Karimi, PI, was on the developments in policy recommendations and decision-making pathways and included a briefing on gender inclusivity by Hilde G. Corneliussen.
The second day of the meeting began with updates on the Communication and Dissemination activities provided by Beatris Ivanova (PENSOFT). Then, Farid Karimi, PI, presented the key developments regarding the Management and Coordination of the project.
Moreover, the programme included a book workshop with an introduction provided by the JYU team and several sessions led by DeCrises researchers, followed by insightful discussions.
The event wrapped up with an excursion to one of the project’s case studies - the Riga Neighbourhood Alliance (RNA). Māris Jansons, Chairman of the Board, introduced this initiative and presented its history and main activities, as well as its role for Riga citizens.
This two-day meeting stands as a testament to DeCrises’ enduring commitment to enhancing democratic governance in Europe by supporting a just and inclusive twin transition through multilevel governance and community-led social innovation.
