News & Testimonials
News
On this page, you’ll find the latest news about participation in Lausanne, as featured in the newsletter.
-------- September 2026 --------
Let’s take care of our democracy!
September 15 is International Democracy Day. Events will take place throughout Switzerland, coordinated by Campus Démocratie.
To celebrate this day, stop by our booths on Saturday, September 12! You’ll learn how to get involved in your neighborhood and your city.
With teams from the City of Lausanne and Yvan Richardet, an improvisational actor.
📅Saturday, September 12, 2026
🚩 Saint-François Square Market: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
🚩 Bellevaux Neighborhood Caravan: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Image: © City of Lausanne
And you, how do you participate?
In conjunction with Democracy Day, the new campaign “Lausanne Participates—What About You?” is being launched to encourage residents to get involved locally. Check out the photo profiles and videos on “Lausanne participe,” which highlight the commitment of Lausanne residents. In their testimonials, they share their involvement in participatory projects within their city and neighborhood.
image: © Mathilde Imesch_City of Lausanne
Become a Democracy Fitness Coach
Democracy Fitness is a format for interactive workshops created in Denmark that helps strengthen democratic skills—the “muscles of democracy”—such as active listening, courage, constructive disagreement, and the search for compromise.
To roll out the program in Switzerland, Campus Démocratie is looking to build a team of trainers. In other words, we are seeking facilitators with the spirit of a sports coach and a desire to make democracy more tangible.
A two-day training session will be held in Lausanne on November 26 and 27, 2026.
image: © Democracy Fitness Global
Let’s Make Life Better in the City: Places to Thrive
Are you between 12 and 25 years old? Do you have a place in Lausanne where you just feel good? A spot that calms you when your thoughts get jumbled? A corner of nature or a crowded square, a bench in the sun or a quiet nook in a library: what matters is how it makes you feel. This project invites you to identify and share your go-to places—your spots of well-being—on an interactive map. Join us now to help map kindness!
image: © City of Lausanne
The 2026 Call for Family Projects is now open!
Do you have ideas for projects to improve, make easier, or enrich the lives of families in Lausanne? Whether it’s a recreational, artistic, athletic, or other initiative, don’t wait—submit your project!
Special attention will be given to projects aimed at families facing difficulties or with specific needs.
If your project is selected, you will be eligible for financial support of up to CHF 4,000 for its implementation.
image: © City of Lausanne
Lausanne Méditerranées Sets Sights on Andalusia
From September 25 to October 11, Lausanne Méditerranées celebrates Andalusia and invites you to share, discover, and engage in dialogue. Organized in collaboration with Andalusians living in Lausanne, this year’s event offers two weeks to explore the richness of this region in southern Spain through performances, concerts, films, lectures, literature, cuisine, crafts, workshops, and festive celebrations.
An opportunity to exchange perspectives and forge ties between Lausanne and Andalusia.
image: © Jose Ramón Pizarro Garcia, Lausanne Méditerranées 2026
Who are the cultural audiences in Lausanne?
Building on previous studies on culture in Lausanne (Moeschler 1999 and 2018), the City of Lausanne commissioned UNIL and M.I.S. Trend to conduct the 2025 Cultural Audience Monitoring Study.
The study, conducted among 1,000 people aged 15 and older living in Lausanne or in a municipality belonging to the Intermunicipal Fund for the Support of Cultural Institutions in the Lausanne Region, analyzes changes in cultural practices, public expectations, and barriers to participation in cultural activities.
image: © Love Liebmann, Festival de la Cité 2026
Summary of the Survey at the Chauderon Library
As part of a bachelor’s thesis in Information Science, a survey was conducted among members of the public who no longer use the Chauderon Library. The goal was to identify their habits and the barriers preventing them from using the library.
More than 120 people responded to the survey. The results showed that the main barriers to participation are a lack of time and incompatible hours. Respondents expressed a desire for extended opening hours as well as more pleasant spaces to spend time in.
The results of this survey will be used to develop proposals for improvement, which will be reviewed by the City of Lausanne Libraries.
-------- June 2026 --------
2026–2027 Participatory Budget: The call for projects is now open!
Submit an idea for your neighborhood! Until January 3, 2027, submit a project as part of the City of Lausanne’s Participatory Budget. Workshops, events, sustainable initiatives, or community-building projects: come up with an idea that strengthens community life.
The City supports selected projects with up to CHF 20,000 and guides you through every step of the process. Since 2019, 66 citizen-led projects have been launched.
Image: © City of Lausanne
Vote to expand the LGBTIQ+ book collection in Lausanne’s libraries!
Vote for the LGBTIQ+ books you’d like to see on the shelves of Lausanne’s libraries! You have until August 31 to vote for your favorite books in the categories of novels, comics, and nonfiction.
The books that receive the most votes will then be made available for borrowing throughout the Lausanne library network.
Image: © City of Lausanne
Share your tips for staying cool this summer!
Is it too hot in your home? Check out the Map of Cool Spaces to find some relief from the heat. The map features more than 170 cool places—free or low-cost—where you can sit down and relax.
Do you know of a place that isn’t listed here? Share it with everyone! That way, others can enjoy your oasis of freshness.
Toward a Participatory Approach
Image: © City of Lausanne
Join the Bellevaux Caravan!
The Caravane de Bellevaux will take place from September 11 to 13, 2026. The organizing committee is looking for volunteers to help lead activities during these three festive days.
Do you have time, skills, or simply a desire to connect with others? Join the bar team, help set up or take down the event, or share your ideas.
Let’s transform Bellevaux into a warm and welcoming gathering place. Sign up to join this project, co-created with the neighborhood. Your participation, in whatever form, makes a difference and strengthens the event.
Image: © Jessy Marchetti
Results of the IntAirieur Initiative: What Is the Air Quality in Our Area?
In 2025, 41 residents of Lausanne aged 28 to 78 participated in workshops in collaboration with Unisanté, the University of Lausanne (Unil), and the City of Lausanne to better understand indoor air quality.
Using easy-to-use sensors, they measured the impact of certain daily activities—cooking, showering, and using scented products—on air quality and were able to discuss their findings with experts.
The results show that these activities can increase the presence of pollutants and that regular ventilation remains the most effective solution for improving air quality. The workshops also enabled participants to adopt simple habits for healthier air.
Go to the summary of the initiative
Image: © City of Lausanne
A collaborative mural on display at the Chauderon Library
As part of the “Fête de la nature en ville” (Urban Nature Festival), held at Parc Bourget on May 20, the Office of Climate and Sustainability proposed the creation of a collaborative mural, in collaboration with illustrator Olivia Hadorn.
Children and adults came to draw, color, and imagine the city of tomorrow. “What if we reinvented our street, our building, our neighborhood?”
Would you like to see it? This mural is on display all summer long in the reading room of the Chauderon Library.
Image: © Olivia Hadorn
-------- April 2026 --------
The Festival de la Cité is looking for participants ages 6 to 12
The Festival de la Cité is looking for children ages 6 to 12 to imagine, create, share their opinions, meet artists, and put on performances. You don’t need to be a pro—what matters here is curiosity, imagination, and motivation!
“La Cité des enfants” is a participatory project that gives children an active role before and during the Festival and recognizes them as true cultural actors.
Image: Festival de la Cité 2025 © Nikita Thévoz
Exhibition: What is the impact of the green structure at Place des Saugettes?
During the summer of 2025, observations were conducted to assess the impact of the green structure installed at Place des Saugettes. Users were also able to share their feedback via a questionnaire.
Come discover the results at an outdoor exhibition at Place des Saugettes!
🎈Exhibition opening on Thursday, April 23, at 6:00 p.m.: remarks by Ms. Natacha Litzistorf, City Councilmember in charge of housing, the environment, and architecture, followed by a friendly reception.
The structure and exhibition will remain in place until fall 2026.
Image: © City of Lausanne
The program for the next Queer au Capitole series is now online!
Many of you voted for the films you’d like to (re)watch at the Capitole during the second installment of the Queer! film series. *Call Me by Your Name*, *Paris Is Burning*, and *Portrait of a Lady on Fire* received the most votes and will be part of the selection to be shown on the big screen at the Capitole starting in early May.
The complete program is available on the Swiss Film Archive’s website.
Image © Cinémathèque suisse
A Strategy to Support Birds and Bats Nesting in Buildings
You kept a close eye out and spotted numerous swifts, swallows, and bats on the buildings in your neighborhood during the spring of 2025.
The participatory survey, combined with one conducted by volunteers and specialists, has made it possible to develop a strategy to support birds that nest in buildings. The main objectives are to protect breeding sites, strengthen populations, and create new habitats. Find the complete strategy online.
Information on how to participate in the implementation of this strategy will be provided via “Lausanne participe.”
Image: © Marcel Burkhardt
Pousses Urbaines Takes Over the Cité!
For the past 18 years, Pousses Urbaines has been reaching out to children to listen to, value, and amplify their perspectives on a variety of topics. This year, Pousses Urbaines explored children’s place in the city: acting as apprentice journalists, the children conducted investigations and interviews about their relationship with public spaces.
Take part in the presentation of the project’s results! This festive day will feature an audio presentation interspersed with opportunities for socializing.
Designed with children in mind, the event will conclude with an official ceremony followed by a reception attended by city officials.
📅 Wednesday, May 6, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
📍Place de la Louve
Image: © City of Lausanne
Mark your calendars: Join us for the planting and inauguration of a new garden plot!
Grab your gardening gloves to help finish beautifying the new small square at the Acacias-Montchoisi intersection.
On the agenda: an official address, a participatory tree-planting event, and a workshop to envision the neighborhood’s future using the “kit to save the world”… or almost!—all in a friendly atmosphere.
📅 May 30, 2:00–5:00 p.m.
📍Acacias-Montchoisi Square
Image: © Bio-Éco
Discover the “12 Fundamentals” for planning the future of Espace Sébeillon
Five multidisciplinary teams participated in the Parallel Study Mandate (MEP) for the Espace Sébeillon project. They contributed to the discussion on the urban form the future neighborhood might take. Centered around the historic railway hall—which will be preserved and transformed into a space open to the public—the project aims to create a vibrant neighborhood that blends activities, housing, and high-quality public spaces.
This process identified twelve key points for the future space, which form the jury’s recommendations and will guide the next steps of the project.
Discover the 12 fundamentals and the full report from the MEP jury on “Lausanne participe.”
-------- December 2025 --------
Participatory Budget: 13 projects will be launched in 2026!
Lausanne has voted: 18,630 residents participated in the 6th edition of the Participatory Budget, which now takes place every two years. Of the 22 proposed projects, 13 will be funded by the City and will be implemented starting in 2026, within the budget limit of CHF 200,000.
Full details of the 2025 results
Image: © Mathilde Imesch_City of Lausanne
Call for Projects: “Cultural Participation”
Since 2022, the City of Lausanne has been promoting cultural participation by supporting projects that engage audiences who are underrepresented in cultural life. This initiative invites cultural actors in Lausanne to develop new inclusive formats and to enhance access to culture for everyone.
Applications must be submitted on myculture.lausanne.ch by January 31, 2026.
Image: © delcreations
Census of swifts, swallows, and bats
Thanks to reports from the public on the “Lausanne Participe” platform, the City of Lausanne was able to identify 344 buildings housing swallows, swifts, or bats. These observations were made with the help of the Swiss Ornithological Station and volunteers.
The numerous reports have helped us learn more about these species and create a new map showing their presence in the city.
Next Step: The City of Lausanne will implement an action plan to protect them and provide them with new shelters.
A map is now available!
A new interactive map is available on the map.lausanne.ch website. It allows you to locate buildings that are home to bats, swifts, or swallows with a single click.
Image: © avs_lt from Getty Images.png
The winning proposals from the 2025 Families Project Call have been announced!
Until October 31, residents of Lausanne were able to submit their ideas for enriching and improving the lives of families. Twenty-five projects were submitted, and six were recognized at the awards ceremony on December 8.
Such positive energy—it already makes you want to participate in the next edition!
Image: © City of Lausanne
Call for Projects: “Culture and Young Children”
So that children can take part in cultural life from a very young age.
As part of its early childhood day care policy, the City of Lausanne is issuing a call for projects aimed at very young children (ages 0–4) to promote access to culture and the discovery of the performing arts (dance, circus arts, movement, theater, and related disciplines), as well as film.
Image: © En Cie D'Eux
Participatory Project on Avenue des Acacias
On October 4, a participatory project took place at the intersection of Acacias and Monchoisi Avenues.
Despite stormy weather, neighborhood residents filled a dumpster with asphalt mix, thereby preparing the site for the planting project scheduled for spring 2026. By early next summer, the small square will be expanded, refreshed, and made more welcoming.
Check out photos of the participatory project on “Lausanne participe” and follow the process to stay informed about upcoming initiatives!
More information on the participatory process
Image: © Bio-Éco
-------- September 2025 --------
Improving life in our neighborhoods: it’s up to you!
Voting for the Participatory Budget is now open! Choose your favorite projects from among 22 ideas proposed by residents of Lausanne.
These projects aim to improve neighborhood life around themes such as sports, nature, culture, and community life. The City provides CHF 200,000 per edition for this purpose, with a maximum of CHF 20,000 per project.
Voting is open until September 30, 2025
All Lausanne residents aged 4 and older can vote! The projects that receive the most support will be implemented.
Vote for your favorite projects
Image: © City of Lausanne
Take part in the giant mural at La Riponne by adding your wishes!
Join us for a festive morning to help complete the mural designed by artist Caroline Bourrit and help inaugurate the temporary installations on the square.
You can also visit the urban planning competition exhibition and view a presentation of the winning project—unanimously selected by the jury in March 2025—which will transform this iconic square in downtown Lausanne in the future.
Concerts and entertainment will accompany the program throughout the day!
📅 September 13, 2025, starting at 10:00 a.m.
📍 Place de la Riponne
Image: © Mathilde Imesch_City of Lausanne
International Day of Democracy!
September 15 has been designated by the UN as International Day of Democracy. Events will take place throughout Switzerland, coordinated by Campus for Democracy.
And you, how do you help foster democracy?
Join us at the Marché Central on Saturday, September 13! You’ll be able to explore the “Lausanne participe” digital platform, vote for your favorite projects as part of the Participatory Budget, and spin the wheel of fortune.
📍 Central Market, Place de la Louve
📅 Saturday, September 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Climate mural in the Sous-gare neighborhood!
A climate mural is a collaborative and fun workshop that helps participants understand the causes and consequences of climate change. No prior knowledge of the subject is required—just come as you are!
This event is organized for the residents of the Sous-Gare neighborhood.
Participation is free and open to children ages 10 and up!
📍 Sous-gare Community Center Multipurpose Room
📅 Saturday, September 13, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; registration begins at 1:30 p.m.
Image: ©MaryLou-Mauricio-for-La-Fresque-du-Climat
The 9th edition of the Call for Family Projects is now open!
Good news: the budget has been increased, which will allow us to support even more initiatives for families in Lausanne.
Are you an individual, a group, an association, or a nonprofit organization?
Submit your idea and receive up to CHF 4,000 to launch or develop your project!
Your initiative must have a tangible impact or a positive influence on the lives of families in Lausanne.
📅 Don’t wait any longer to make a difference! The call for projects is open until October 31, 2025.
Discover the new name for Place des Plaines-du-Loup!
Many of you responded to the call for proposals for the new name of Place des Plaines-du-Loup. Thank you for your participation!
Come discover the winning proposal at the official inauguration of the neighborhood’s public spaces, attended by City officials.
The unveiling will be followed by a reception hosted by the City. Many other activities will take place throughout this festive weekend at Les Plaines-du-Loup!
📅 September 26, 2025, starting at 4:00 p.m.
📍 Ecole des Plaines-du-Loup
Image: © Mathilde Imesch_City of Lausanne
The Neighborhood Caravan in Béthusy and the Surrounding Area
Organized by and for the neighborhoods, the Caravane offers concerts, workshops, brunches, shows, and many other activities.
This fall, this festive weekend will take place in the Béthusy neighborhood. You can still join the organizing committee!
📍 on the grounds of Collège de Béthusy, 7 Av. de Béthusy, 1005 Lausanne
📅 September 26–28, 2025
Image: © City of Lausanne
-------- June 2025 --------
Let’s spot the swifts, swallows, and bats!
Keep an eye out: Help us protect swifts, swallows, and bats!
These species may be nesting near you… And the City of Lausanne needs your help to spot them. By reporting their presence, you’re taking direct action to preserve their habitat.
Did you know that these species are protected, just like their breeding sites?
If you’d like, sign up as a volunteer to help with the census in one or more neighborhoods. You’ll receive specialized training.
Image: © City of Lausanne_Lionel Maumary
Join the Sous-Gare Neighborhood Caravan!
Organized by and for the neighborhoods, the Caravane offers concerts, workshops, brunches, shows, and many other activities.
It aims to strengthen ties between cultures and generations and to promote local initiatives.
Don’t miss its next stop at Sous-gare!
📅 June 27–28–29, 2025
📍 Milan Park
Image: © City of Lausanne
Fees or no fees at the Place des Saugettes?
Following the participatory planting event on April 5, it’s now time to share your thoughts on the green structure.
Throughout the summer, visit the site and complete the questionnaire accessible via a QR code.
Your input will help us better understand the impact of this green structure on the comfort of the plaza.
📅 June through September
📍 Place des Saugettes
Image: © Gennaro Scotti
"Nature in the City" Contest: Let’s work together to boost biodiversity in Lausanne!
Do you have an idea for bringing more biodiversity to the area around your building? Would you like to bring more nature to a courtyard, a parking lot, or a communal garden?
Residents, associations, property owners, cooperatives, businesses, and institutions: if your project is selected, you will receive financial support to bring it to life. Submit your project by September 16, 2025!
1, 2, 3… Nature! Search and discover in your city: observe the flora and fauna near your home.
Since 2021, more than 2,000 observations have been recorded on the “Nos Voisins Sauvages Lausanne-Morges” online platform. The species observed are associated with natural habitats found in the Lausanne-Morges metropolitan area: wooded areas, deadwood, meadows, bodies of water, low walls, etc.
Help us conduct a survey of about twenty animal and plant species to better understand the biodiversity of the Lausanne-Morges metropolitan area and identify the measures needed to preserve it.
Image: © Claude, Nos Voisins Sauvages
Share your top tips for staying cool this summer!
Summer is here, bringing with it a wave of hot weather. For the third consecutive year, the City of Lausanne is offering a map listing more than 140 cool spots. Whether free or low-cost and with places to sit, these locations offer more pleasant temperatures to add variety to your daily routine. Parks, forests, playgrounds, swimming pools, libraries, museums, and places of worship—there’s something for everyone!
Do you know of a cool spot? Suggest a cool spot and contribute to everyone’s well-being!
Image: © City of Lausanne
The summary of the “Adapting Lausanne to Tomorrow’s Climate” workshops is here!
As part of the climate change adaptation action plan, organizations and the public were invited to share their aspirations during two participatory workshops in February 2025.
These two workshops brought together 109 people: 46 from community organizations and 63 members of the general public. The measures discussed focused on three themes: heat waves, biodiversity protection, and water management.
Find the full report and the summary of the workshops on “Lausanne participe.”
-------- March 2025 --------
Feedback and discussions on the survey conducted in the Bossons-Blécherette neighborhoods
The arrival of the new Plaines-du-Loup eco-neighborhood brings many opportunities, but also challenges regarding community life and quality of life across neighborhoods. A survey is currently underway to better understand the experiences of residents in the Bossons-Blécherette neighborhoods. More than 120 interviews have already been conducted, and 130 questionnaires have been completed. To share this initial feedback and enrich the findings, a meeting will be held:
📅 Sunday, March 30, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
📍 Bled Multipurpose Hall, 5 1/2 Élisa-Serment Street, 1018 Lausanne.
This is a unique opportunity to share and elaborate on your views regarding the current initiative and to help organize future community activities in the neighborhood—join us!
Free access without registration
Image: © City of Lausanne
In Les Saugettes, let’s make way for the fresh air!
An innovative structure will be installed at Place des Saugettes this spring in collaboration with EPFL. It will consist of planters filled with soil and bamboo arches that will support climbing plants. This green installation will bring a refreshing touch to this square, which often gets too hot. Sign up!
The participatory tree-planting event will take place:
📅 Saturday, April 5, starting at 1:00 p.m.
📍 Place des Saugettes
Image: © City of Lausanne
IntAirieur - Citizen Science
What is the quality of the air we breathe at home? To find out and take action against indoor sources of pollution, measure the air quality in your home using a sensor. Then, based on your experiences, discuss the issue with specialists to identify the options available to you. Sign up!
Two sessions, each consisting of three workshops, will take place in 2025:
📅 Mondays, April 28, May 19, and June 16 at 6:00 p.m.
📍 Pyxis Digital Exploration, Place de la Cathédrale 6, 1005 Lausanne.
Free admission with registration
Image: © City of Lausanne
Check out the “Kit to Save the World… or Almost!”
Do you want to transform your street, neighborhood, or building into a little corner of paradise but don’t know where to start? Check out the “kit to save the world… or almost!” It provides resources to help you organize an initial meeting with your neighbors and brainstorm actions that promote sustainability, climate action, biodiversity, and neighborhood life. How about organizing a seed swap or setting up a repair workshop, for example?
I’m interested
Image: © City of Lausanne
The new look of Place de la Riponne has been revealed
The public review for the redevelopment of Place de la Riponne took place on Saturday, March 1. You had the opportunity to review the various projects, attend the teams’ presentations, and observe the jury’s deliberations. After in-depth discussions, the project “Au soleil, sous la pluie” by the RIP ON team was unanimously selected by the panel of experts. The winning team consists of the firms Paysagestion, Localarchitecture, Ingphi, mrs partner, Martine Jaquet, Alterna, vsa, Otechnic, kraft, and rez actifs.
This decision by the jury—which included one female and one male resident—is also the result of the participatory initiatives carried out with you since the launch of the Riponne-Tunnel sector transformation.
To get an overview of the various projects in the contest, click here!
Image: © RIP ON Team, image by Atelier Brunecky
Get involved in fruit growing at Victor Ruffy Park!
The future Victor Ruffy Park will consist of an orchard and fruit guilds (a combination of plants, fungi, and microorganisms with fruit trees), the form and management of which have yet to be defined.
If you’d like to participate in this participatory fruit-growing project (planning, harvesting, maintenance), please contact us!
Image: © City of Lausanne
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