The four pilot regions of TetRRIS have been showcased during the event ‘Every voice counts’ of the sister project CHERRIES which took place on 18 March. This project has organised a workshop in the framework of the “Conference on the Future of Europe”, aimed at shaping recommendations on how to best involve citizens in the R&I processes. 

The main purpose of the event was to show how citizen participation can be best channelled. The CHERRIES project is an exemplary example of the use of citizen input to define challenges in the health services prioritising the medical innovations to provide a wider impact accordingly with citizens’ perspectives. The regions of Murcia (Multiple Sclerosis), Orebro (Elderly people alone) and Cyprus (rural and isolated areas),have set up a system in which civil society determines their priorities in healthcare and a call for collaboration is launched between companies offering solutions and the health services implementing them. 

The partners of the sister project CHERRIES wanted to learn of the approaches done by regional development agencies.  In the case of the TetRRIS project, the possibilities of incorporating citizens in regional innovation strategies were analysed; in particular, it was explained how the second generation of smart specialisation strategies are proactively involving civil society. 

The CHERRIES project managers wanted to know practical details of the pilot regions’ activites being carried out in our TetRRIS project. During the event it was presented how Tampere is proactively involving civil society in sustainability issues. The social innovation laboratories that are being included in Cantabria, the experience sharing systems in Karlsruhe as well as their transnational approach together with Szeged-Timisoara were also presented. 

One of the most relevant outcomes of the event was the presentation given by Rosina Malagrida, Head of the Living Lab for Health at IrsiCaixa and co-coordinator of the Barcelona “la Caixa” Living Lab, gave a presentation. She also explained in detail how civil society can be included in public research and innovation policies.  

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