Fostering collaboration and innovation: ReSolutions partners met in Riga 

Photo Björn Lans.

The beautiful, history-laden city of Riga provided an inspiring setting for the ReSolutions partner meeting held on 28–29 April 2026. While it was windy outside, the atmosphere at the meeting was warm and collaborative. Workshops and field visits offered valuable insights into how project partners from Finland, Sweden and Latvia can further strengthen their cooperation. 

The project explores how people can be encouraged and supported to reuse, repair, borrow and share more — and how these circular choices can be made easier, more visible and more trustworthy in everyday life. The two-day meeting focused on progress in practical work, co-creation and open dialogue. 

Workshops formed the core of the programme. Across different work packages, partners rolled up their sleeves to map item flows for libraries of things, examine carbon footprint methodologies, plan awareness-raising activities and develop upcycling processes. These sessions were not only about producing outputs; they were also about learning from one another and building a shared understanding of diverse local contexts.

Photos Björn Lans.

Excellent arrangements by the Latvian hosts allowed participants to focus fully on content and collaboration. The field visits added a particularly valuable dimension to the programme. Partners visited Otrā Elpa, a second-hand charity shop demonstrating how reuse can be effectively organised in practice, and the Goethe-Institut’s Library of Things, which, alongside traditional book lending, offers more than 50 items that people can borrow and share instead of buying. They also visited Lab!veikals, a specialised shop where customers can purchase repaired electrical appliances at 30–50% less than the price of new devices. Experiencing these real-life practices sparked fresh ideas, grounded discussions in everyday contexts and inspired partners to think creatively about how solutions could be adapted and scaled.

Photos Björn Lans.

In conclusion, the ReSolutions partner meeting in Riga successfully fostered meaningful collaboration and practical progress. With renewed inspiration and a stronger sense of shared purpose, the partners are ready to advance their common goals and implement innovative solutions in their own contexts. 

Photo Riina Rupponen.