On 28 April 2026, the EcoDaLLi project brought together local stakeholders from the Danube and Black Sea region in Ruse, Bulgaria, for its Legacy Event “From Living Labs to Policy and Practice”, a milestone moment shortly before the project’s official conclusion. The event took place on board the Ship Sophia on the Danube and combined reflection, exchange, and forward‑looking dialogue on the future of the Danube and Black Sea Lighthouse.

The event offered participants the opportunity to reflect on over three years of EcoDaLLi activities, showcasing how Living Labs, innovation actions, and ecosystem‑based governance approaches can support ecological restoration and sustainable development in the Danube River Basin. Through presentations and discussions, EcoDaLLi highlighted key project results and lessons learned, while placing them in the broader context of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030.” A central element of the Legacy Event was the exchange with regional and European stakeholders, including national and regional authorities, research organisations, and Lighthouse‑related initiatives. The programme combined keynote interventions, project result presentations, and interactive discussion formats to explore how EcoDaLLi outputs can be taken forward beyond the project’s lifetime.

The agenda also featured a policy dialogue session co‑organised with the DaWetRest project, creating space to collect inputs and perspectives from participants on future policy and governance needs for river and coastal restoration.

With its strong focus on legacy, continuity, and stakeholder ownership, the EcoDaLLi Legacy Event underlined the project’s ambition to ensure that its results, tools, networks, and governance approaches, remain active and impactful beyond the end of the project. The exchanges in Ruse demonstrated the continued relevance of the Danube and Black Sea Lighthouse as a platform for collaboration, innovation, and mission‑oriented action in the region.