Reclaiming Hope: Navigate (un)certainty, imagine better futures

International Symposium and Summer School

The image depicts a pastel-toned graphic poster for the "INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM and SUMMER SCHOOL," taking place in Nova Gorica in September 2025. The text is rendered in a coral-red sans-serif typeface against a light mint-green background, accompanied by small stylized icons on the right — a speech bubble, a slide, and a globe — and includes details regarding the dates for the symposium, the summer school, and the reference website.

September 18-19, 2025, EPIC, Kolodvorska pot 10, Nova Gorica

Reclaiming Hope is a multifaceted event exploring how design can engage with uncertainty and shape more just, resilient, and imaginative futures—particularly in response to local and regional challenges.

The program begins with a two-day symposium (September 18-19), featuring two keynote lectures, eight invited presentations, and four panel discussions. Ezio Manzini will be among the speakers.

Alongside formal sessions, the symposium will include informal gatherings such as Chat the Future coffee conversations and a Futures Garden workshop hosted by the EU Policy Lab. These sessions will offer a platform to critically examine design's role in shaping future urban systems, processes, and imaginaries. The symposium will be followed by the Design+Science Summer School (September 20-22), an intensive workshop for students and emerging practitioners.

The event is curated by Ivica Mitrović and organised by The Centre for Creativity (Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana), in collaboration with international partners. Both the symposium and the summer school are part of the program of the European Capital of Culture GO! 2025 Nova Gorica.

Participation in the symposium is free of charge, with prior registration required.