38 projects across a wide range of thematic areas are already being implemented, with around 100 million euros in funding successfully secured for the region. With this positive interim result, the South Westphalia region is launching the presentation year of the NRW structural program REGIONALE 2025. This year, South Westphalia will showcase the innovative solutions it has developed for the region’s future. The official launch event took place at the Sauerland Museum in Arnsberg. The event was organized by Südwestfalen Agentur GmbH, which is responsible for the REGIONALE 2025. Among the approximately 300 participants were many project leaders and guests from politics, business, education – and as a special guest: North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister-President Hendrik Wüst.

“REGIONALE 2025 in South Westphalia stands as an exemplary model of modern structural policy, successfully combining innovation, sustainability, and regional identity,” said NRW Minister-President Hendrik Wüst during the launch. “In one of North Rhine-Westphalia’s most industrial regions, more than 100 project ideas have been developed and many are already being implemented. South Westphalia demonstrates impressively how digitalization, smart location development, and strong local cooperation can lead to real future prospects – and how people from municipalities, businesses, academia, and politics can come together to make a difference. As a state government, we support this commitment wholeheartedly – because it sets strong impulses for sustainable regional development and brings people together to actively shape the future.”

The presentation year of REGIONALE 2025 is themed “Roots & Visions – strong roots, clear visions.”

Fittingly, attendees could stroll through a “Forest of Projects” and engage directly with project leads – or use their smartphones to access a virtual map of South Westphalia and learn more about REGIONALE 2025 projects and the model project “Smart Cities: 5 for South Westphalia.” The augmented reality map will be expanded over the coming months, and the trees from the project forest will be planted throughout the presentation year.

“The REGIONALE 2025 projects are many individual pieces of a puzzle that together strengthen the South Westphalia region,” explained Hubertus Winterberg and Dr. Stephanie Arens of Südwestfalen Agentur GmbH. During the event, they took the audience on a “discovery tour” and presented several projects through short video features. The wide range of initiatives spans urban development, new nature and cultural experiences, digital education projects, and efforts to strengthen the economic base of the region.

Preparing South Westphalia for digital transformation

During a panel discussion with District President Heinrich Böckelühr, two REGIONALE 2025 projects were presented that focus on equipping people in the region with digital knowledge. In Soest, the Digital Learning and Work Center (DiLAS) is being developed as a place where businesses and citizens can meet, exchange ideas, and engage with digitalization. Andreas Kurth from Digitalium Wittgenstein gGmbH outlined how municipalities and leading local companies in Wittgenstein are collaborating with banks, associations, and churches in two projects to support digital literacy – through a training center and a city bus converted into a mobile digital lab.

South Westphalia stands for strong cooperation

The sustainability of collaboration between various stakeholders in South Westphalia – and how REGIONALE 2025 has further strengthened this cohesion – was highlighted throughout the launch event. Dr. Karl Schneider, District Administrator of Hochsauerlandkreis and current chair of the REGIONALE Committee, emphasized this in his speech:

“Our cooperation and mutual support stem from a shared cause: we value our region, we’re deeply rooted here, and we are committed to its success.”

What the REGIONALE 2025 presentation year offers

The launch event kicks off a year full of events and initiatives – from mid-2025 to September 2026. Planned are both physical and digital formats, including informational sessions, expert conferences, workshops, and excursions. These are aimed at residents of the region as well as representatives from politics, business, and municipalities. A special feature for the public: residents of South Westphalia can actively take part as REGIONALE hosts, organizing individual tours to project sites.

South Westphalia will also be visible outside the region – for instance, at summer receptions of the NRW state representations in Brussels and Berlin or at trade fairs such as the Smart Country Convention and the Polis Convention. In June, the podcast “Roots & Visions – The Podcast on the Future of South Westphalia” will launch.

More information on the presentation year and upcoming events and formats can be found at:
www.regionale-suedwestfalen.com/praesentationsjahr

REGIONALE 2025 is a structural development program of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is supported through funding from the Federal and State Urban Development Programs.