SUMMA concludes its journey with the Final Project Event in Caorle
24/09/2026
After more than two years of cross-border cooperation, the SUMMA project partners gathered in Caorle, Italy, on 16 and 17 September 2026 for the Final Steering Committee and Final Project Event, marking an important milestone as the project approaches its conclusion.
Hosted by the Municipality of Caorle, Lead Partner of the SUMMA project, the two-day event brought together project partners, representatives of the Interreg Italy–Croatia Programme, stakeholders and members of the public to reflect on the work carried out within the project and present the main results achieved across the participating territories.
The first day opened with a press conference presenting the SUMMA project, its common challenges and objectives, the cross-border partnership and the solutions developed in Italy and Croatia. This was followed by the Final Steering Committee, during which project partners reviewed the progress of project activities, final deliverables and indicators, financial and reporting obligations, as well as the durability and future capitalisation of project results.
From a common strategy to local mobility solutions
The Final Project Event, held on 17 September at Museo del Mare, provided an opportunity to bring together the strategic and practical dimensions of SUMMA.
The first session focused on the work carried out within WP1 – Designing Cross-Border Strategies. The partnership presented the joint Strategy for Intermodal Mobility Solutions and related policy recommendations, developed through analysis and a participatory process involving stakeholders from the project territories.
The second session shifted the focus from strategy to implementation. Representatives of the project partners presented the results of their work and showed how the common SUMMA objectives were translated into solutions responding to different local mobility challenges on both sides of the Adriatic.
In Caorle, the project focused on improving cycling and intermodal connections in the area of the Canale dell’Orologio, strengthening links between the existing cycling network, the city centre and important mobility points. The Municipality of Pescara worked on solutions supporting integrated public transport, with a particular focus on the development of a framework for a single ticket system for intermodal transport.
The Riviera Friulana Community focused on improving connections between different modes of transport through solutions supporting intermodal and cycling mobility, while ISIG – Institute of International Sociology of Gorizia, as leader of WP1, coordinated the analytical and participatory work that contributed to the development of the common cross-border strategy and recommendations.
On the Croatian side, IRENA – Istrian Regional Energy Agency presented the activities implemented in the Labin area, including the development of a study for an optimised public transport network and the introduction of an electric shuttle connecting a remote parking area with Labin Old Town, helping provide a greener mobility alternative and reduce pressure on the historic centre.
The City of Poreč showcased its sustainable public transport service connecting the city with surrounding settlements, providing residents and visitors with an additional alternative to private car use.
Split-Dalmatia County presented its work on digital solutions supporting multimodal mobility, together with planning activities examining opportunities for improving the connection between important transport hubs in the county. The City of Zadar presented its innovative two-tier bicycle parking solution, designed to provide more efficient bicycle storage at key locations and further encourage cycling as part of everyday and intermodal mobility.
Although the solutions differ from one territory to another, they reflect the same principle at the heart of SUMMA: sustainable mobility needs to respond to the specific characteristics of each territory while becoming increasingly connected, accessible and integrated. Together, the experiences developed within the project provide practical examples and lessons that can support the further development of multimodal mobility across the Adriatic area.
The SUMMA journey through images and video
A special feature of the Final Project Event was the SUMMA pop-up photo gallery, created to visually showcase the project journey and the work carried out across the partnership. Through a series of dedicated displays, visitors could discover key moments, activities and results from the different partner territories – from meetings and participatory activities to the implementation of concrete mobility solutions.
The gallery provided a visual overview of how SUMMA evolved from identifying common mobility challenges and developing shared approaches to implementing activities tailored to the needs of individual territories.
The event also featured the SUMMA final video, bringing together the story of the project, voices from the partnership and highlights from more than two years of cooperation. Through footage from the participating territories and contributions from project partners, the video offered a final look back at the SUMMA journey and the cooperation that connected partners from both sides of the Adriatic.
Looking beyond SUMMA
The programme concluded with a stakeholder focus group dedicated to the SUMMA Intermodal Mobility Framework, providing an opportunity to discuss the relevance and practical implementation of the strategic recommendations developed within the project.
As SUMMA enters its final project phase, the event in Caorle was not only an opportunity to present what has been achieved, but also to look ahead. The knowledge generated through the project, the experience gained from implementing local solutions and the cooperation established between Italian and Croatian partners provide a valuable basis for continuing to develop more sustainable and better connected mobility beyond the lifetime of SUMMA.
By combining a common cross-border perspective with solutions adapted to local needs, SUMMA has demonstrated how cooperation across territories can help turn shared mobility challenges into concrete actions and new opportunities for more sustainable travel in the Adriatic area.
