Partners of funded projects met in Stockholm to discuss how results become lasting impact

Partners of funded Central Baltic Programme projects met in Stockholm on 2–3 June to share experiences, learn from one another and discuss how project results can lead to lasting impact across the Central Baltic region.

The two-day event brought together more than 180 project representatives from Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Åland and Sweden. It offered participants the opportunity to meet others working with similar challenges, exchange practical experience and explore new opportunities for cooperation across borders and sectors.

A key theme of the meeting was how to strengthen the long-term impact of projects. Discussions highlighted that impact does not appear only at the end of a project. It develops throughout the project when target groups are involved early, solutions are tested in real environments, and results are communicated to the people and organisations that can use them.

Participants also discussed how project results can be taken up more widely after the project period. This requires cooperation with future users, decision-makers, businesses, public authorities and other stakeholders from the early stages of project implementation. The discussions underlined the importance of designing solutions together with those who are expected to use them.

Another important topic was the preparation of the next Central Baltic programme period. Participants shared their views on future programme, project implementation, reporting practices and ways to assess project impact. The feedback from project partners provides valuable input for developing a programme that is clear, practical and useful for the organisations implementing cross-border projects.

The discussions also showed the importance of looking at programme objectives from a wider system perspective. For example, circular economy, environmental improvement, business development, employment and public services all require cooperation between different actors and a better understanding of how people, organisations and markets actually change.

For the Central Baltic Programme, events like this are an important way to connect funded projects, support peer learning and collect practical feedback from those implementing projects on the ground. They also help strengthen the shared understanding that lasting impact is built through cooperation, testing, communication and continued use of project results.

The greatest value of cross-border cooperation lies in learning from partners, developing solutions together and adapting good practices to the needs of different regions. The Stockholm meeting confirmed that Central Baltic projects have an important role in creating practical solutions that can continue to bring value beyond individual project activities.

Thank you to all participants who made this event possible!

Photos taken by Thorleif Robertsson.