PRESENTATIONS
The 2025 EFFORTS Europe cross-border congress PROGRAMME
‘Inspiring across borders’
The first cross-border EFFORTS traveling network congress was organized from 2 to 4 December 2025. The theme of the congress was ‘Inspiring across borders’.
On a three-day travelling congress, 50 EFFORTS-members met each other in the EFFORTS member cities of Oudenaarde (BE), Arras (FR) and Bergen op Zoom (NL).
The goal was to get to know each other’s priorities and EU cooperation targets. Each evening, a joint dinner was organised in Brussels.
During the bus rides, several EFFORTS members presented pitches.
At the same time, the EFFORTS Award 2025 was handed over to the city of Kuressaare in Estland, for organising the Baltic Fort Route meeting in August 2025.
We also presented the next EFFORTS congress in June 2026 in Diest, Belgium.
Underneath you find all the presentations that are available.
For the photos, scroll all the way down.
PRESENTATIONS :
2025 12 04 EFFORTS Award and congress 2026
Martijn de Jong Bergen op Zoom NL Presentatie EFFORTS Linie van de Eendracht –
Diana Akparsheva EFFORTSUKRAINE UA Concept for a Digital Museum of Ukrainian Urbanism
Kristine Klinkhammer Adler Nissen Garderhoej DK EFFORTS Presentation 2025
Eva Roels on Oudenaarde BE at Travelling Congress Efforts
Laurent Wiart CU Arras Présentation congrès EFFORTS
Dennis v. Nieuwenhuijzen Stichting Vestingwerken Westelijk Noord Brabant
Ana Zivanovic Bar MON on Night of Fortresses event
Maikel Zwering Presentation EFFORTS 4 dec (1)
Koen Brakenhoff 2025123 Efforts congress – het Markiezenhof
Ad Kil presentation 2025 12 04_EFFORTS_RO-AD
PROGRAMME and INVITATION :
EFFORTS member (cities, regions and institutions) are working daily to set-up innovative co-operation with other authorities in Europe. The EFFORTS platform has as a goal to present a platform where they can do this as efficient as possible. A prerequisite of European co-operation is getting to know the network. Therefore we present this two-day travelling networking congress in the low countries and the north of France. As often in European projects, one starts with an emphasis on cross-border cooperation. Our participating members will present their view and priorities and offer learning from their experiences. During the connecting busrides, other EFFORTS members are invited to present a pitch on their cross-border experiences.
Les membres d’EFFORTS (villes, régions et institutions) œuvrent quotidiennement à la mise en place de collaborations innovantes avec d’autres pouvoirs publics en Europe. La plateforme EFFORTS vise à leur fournir un espace où ils peuvent mener à bien ces collaborations de la manière la plus efficace possible. La connaissance du réseau est un prérequis à la collaboration européenne. C’est pourquoi nous organisons cette conférence itinérante de deux jours au Benelux et dans le nord de la France. Comme souvent pour les projets européens, on débute par un focus sur la collaboration transfrontalière. Nos membres participants présenteront leur vision et leurs priorités, et partageront les enseignements tirés de leurs expériences. Lors des trajets en bus qui suivront, d’autres membres d’EFFORTS seront invités à présenter leurs expériences de collaboration transfrontalière.
Leden van EFFORTS (steden, regio’s en instellingen) werken dagelijks aan het opzetten van innovatieve samenwerking met andere overheden in Europa. Het EFFORTS-platform heeft als doel een platform te bieden waar zij dit zo efficiënt mogelijk kunnen doen. Een voorwaarde voor Europese samenwerking is het leren kennen van het netwerk. Daarom presenteren wij dit tweedaags reizend netwerkcongres in de Lage Landen en Noord-Frankrijk. Zoals vaak bij Europese projecten, begint men met een nadruk op grensoverschrijdende samenwerking. Onze deelnemende leden zullen hun visie en prioriteiten presenteren en bieden lessen aan uit hun ervaringen. Tijdens de aansluitende busritten worden andere EFFORTS-leden uitgenodigd om een pitch te geven over hun grensoverschrijdende ervaringen.
What to expect?
In two days time you will visit three EFFORTS Europe member cities, members of five EFFORTS Europe networks, in three countries, and their fortified heritage developments !
- The Communauté urbaine d’Arras in France is also a member of the UNESCO Réseau des Sites majeurs Vauban
- Bergen op Zoom in the Netherlands is also a member city of Alliantie Zuiderwaterlinie and Vereniging van Nederlandse Vestingsteden
- Oudenaarde in Belgium is also a member city of the Vlaamse Vestingsteden platform and the Wellington Barrier City Cooperation
At the congress and while visiting the cities there is plenty of opportunity for conversations with city-planners and heritage experts working on a sustainable reuse of their fortified heritage in a European cross-border project space.
–>REGISTRATION : via the link in the programme underneath
The programme
DAY 0 : TUESDAY 2 December
BRUSSELS
19.00 Drinks and dinner together (own expense)
Venue : Le Coin du Diable, rue Stevin-straat 172, Brussels (metro Schuman)
DAY 1 : WEDNESDAY 3 December
–>BRUSSELS to OUDENAARDE to ARRAS to BRUSSELS
OUDENAARDE
8.00 Leave for Oudenaarde
Departure: Avenue Berlaymont-laan, Brussels (tourist bus stop north of the Brussels cathedral)
On-bus presentation by:
Diana Akhparsheva, EFFORTS Ukraine (UA) : Concept for a Digital Museum of Ukrainian Urbanism
Ana Zivanovic, Bar municipality, Montenegro: 2026 Night of Fortresses
10.00 Reception with coffee, tea and an ‘Adriaan Brouwer’ cake
Venue: Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Hospitaal, Sint-Walburgastraat 9, Oudenaarde
10.15 Welcome by John Adam, burgemeester Oudenaarde
10.20 Presentation by Eva Roels, head Visit Oudenaarde: Vision ‘Vestingstad Oudenaarde’
10.40 Walk and discovery of the city walls ravelin, with Stijn Lybeert, Oudenaarde city archivist
Venue: Liedtspark
11.30 Leave for Arras
Departure: Dijkstraat 1, Oudenaarde (across from Liedtspark)
On-bus presentation by Egidijus Bagdonas, director Kaunas Fortress Park (LT) : the Polish-Lithuanian EU cross-border project FortUnion and the EFFORTS Baltic Route cooperation
ARRAS
13.00 : Arrival at the Communauté urbaine d’Arras
Venue : salle Vauban, Citadelle d’Arras, allée de l’Ordinaire
13.10 : Welcome by Arnaud Michel, conseiller délégué aux Relations internationales, à la Coopération décentralisée, aux Affaires européennes et à la Mémoire
(consecutive interpretation FR- EN is available)
13.15 Standing lunch
14.00 Presentation by Laurent Wiart, directeur du Patrimoine, des Relations internationales et du Tourisme – ville d’Arras : ‘La politique patrimoine, Mémoire, Relations internationales et du Tourisme de la ville d’Arras’
14.15 Presentation by Hubert Féret, directeur du Rayonnement : ‘Communauté Urbaine d’Arras de la stratégie Grand Arras 2024 – volet Patrimoine’
14.30 Discussion and ANNOUNCEMENT of the city receiving the 2025 EFFORTS AWARD !
14.45 Guided tour in the Citadel (1 group in EN, 1 group in FR)
16.15 Leave for Brussels
Bus parking: Citadelle, avenue de Newcastle Upon Tyne
18.45 Arrival in Brussels
19.30 Dinner (own expense)
Venue : ‘t Spinnekopke, Bloemhofplein / rue du Jardin aux Fleurs 1, Brussels
DAY 2 : THURSDAY 4 December
BRUSSELS to BERGEN OP ZOOM to BRUSSELS
8.00 Departure for Bergen op Zoom
Departure: boulevard Berlaymont-laan, Brussels (tourist bus stop north of the Brussels cathedral)
On-bus presentations by
Kristine Klinkhammer Adler-Nissen, director Garderhoej Fortet, Gentofte / Copenhagen (DK) : The Garderhoej Fortress in education, AR and funding projects
Dennis van Nieuwenhuijzen, president Stichting VWNB, ICOFORT Europe: Zuiderwaterlinie fortified heritage history and Stelling West-Brabantse Waterlinie
9.45 Arrival Bergen op Zoom
Venue: Markiezenhof, Steenbergsestraat 8, Bergen op Zoom
10.00 Reception with coffee, tea and sweets and Welcome by Alderman Berend Doedens
10.30 Presentation by Koen Brakenhoff, Markiezenhof: ‘Fortified heritage and the situation at the Markiezenhof’
10.45 Presentation by Fred van den Kieboom, archivist at Tholen: ‘The importance over time of fortified heritage’
11.15 Presentation by Ad Kil, architect owner at RO&AD: ‘Looking at heritage in another way: heritage as inspiration and a driver for inspiration to address today’s challenges’
11.50 Presentation by Maikel Zwering, advisor leisure economy, Bergen op Zoom: ‘Unesco Geopark Schelde Delta: how can heritage cooperation lead to answers today’s societal challenges?’
12.15 Standing lunch
13.00 Guided tours around or in Bergen op Zoom, choose here between :
-a visit to Fort de Roovere (with bus to venue : Halsteren, guide Peter Sinke)
-a visit to the Verborgen Stelling (The Hidden Fortification. Venue : walk to Wassenaarstraat 61, Bergen op Zoom, with guide)
– a visit the Markiezenhof Museum (no guide).
15.15 Back at Markiezenhof: drink with Sinterklaas surprise : ANNOUNCEMENT of the 2026 EFFORTS CONGRESS CITY !
16.15 Departure for Brussels
18.15 Arrival in Brussels
End of the programme.
If needed and if feasible, on a given day, a bus stop for a (grouped) member(s) pick-up on the way can be arranged. Please contact us info@efforts-europe.eu.
Hotel ideas in the Brussels, close to the bus departure venue: Thon Hotel Brussel City Center, Serra Brussels, NHow Brussels Bloom, Hotel Boutique Saint Géry, …
Brussels bus departure point on both days: SERCU bus company, boulevard de Berlaymont-laan (close to the cathedral and Central Station),
The congress is free of charge for EFFORTS Europe members, courtesy of the participating cities and regional partners. Evening dinners are at own expense and participants are to organise hotels in Brussels themselves.
In cooperation with the cities of Arras (FR), Bergen op Zoom (NL) and Oudenaarde (BE)
