Brno Hosted Expat Centres from across Europe. Highlights and Inspiration from Cities for Talent 2026

From Norway to Italy, and many places in between. When European Cities Meet in Brno:

What a week it was! From 22 to 24 September, the Brno Expat Centre team had the absolute pleasure of hosting the 4th annual Cities for Talent Meeting right here in the heart of Moravia.

Following previous gatherings in Barcelona, Utrecht, and Bologna, this year’s meet-up brought together over 40 brilliant practitioners, city representatives, and talent mobility champions from more than 20 European cities. From Copenhagen to Bilbao, Vilnius to Vienna, and Munich to Bologna, our groups were buzzing with shared ideas, honest reflections, and a mutual passion for making our cities feel like home for international talent.

Here is a look back at three days of learning, laughter, and lasting inspiration!

Day 1: Warm Welcomes, Tech Innovation, and Expat-Led City Walks

We kicked things off on Tuesday afternoon at Domini Park, where old friends reconnected, and new ties were quickly made over coffee. Our Executive Manager Jan Kopkáš welcomed everyone to Brno, alongside warm opening remarks from City Councillor Martin Příborský and František Kubeš from the Brno City Strategy Office.

To set the stage, David Uhlíř from the South Moravian Innovation Agency (JIC) took us through the story of the Brno Tech Region. He shared how South Moravia grew into Czechia’s innovation leader—from producing a third of the world’s electron microscopes to thriving in space technology, cybersecurity, and game development. BEC’s own Frank van Bommel then introduced our regional Talent Attraction and Integration Management (TAIM) framework, setting an inspiring tone for how cities can actively shape international onboarding. Jan Kopkáš zoomed in further, onto the services and initiatives led by the Brno Expat Centre.

The keynote took stage then. Senior researcher Daniel Topinka (SocioFactor / Palacký University) opened with tips on Measuring Success. He challenged us all to look beyond simple numbers: “Recording 10,000 client interactions shows workload, but does it prove we solved their problems?” 

The best part of Day 1? Hands down, the evening discovery walks! Delegates gathered at our Brno Expat Centre office on Orlí Street before setting off in small groups led by our wonderful local expat guides: Mo Mowafi, Lauren Ochotnicky, Agatha Smykot, Abhishree Mehta, Egle Bruzinskaite, Karen Spot, and Maricarmen Beristain. Showing off hidden courtyards, favourite cafes, and city legends through authentic personal stories was the ultimate way to welcome our guests. Thank you, our wonderful volunteers!

We wrapped up the evening over dinner at Restaurace Baroko, swapping stories with BEC founder Don Sparling and the rest of our team.

Day 2: Big Ideas, Keynotes, and Moravian Hospitality at KUMST

Wednesday took us to KUMST, Brno’s vibrant creative industry hub. The energy was palpable as we jumped straight into the core themes of the conference.

Asking the Tough Questions

Our morning plenary workshop followed the keynote. Robert Snoeijenbos (Director of Utrecht International Center) showed how Utrecht uses Social Cost-Benefit Analysis (SCBA) to translate social well-being, spouse happiness, and community connection into clear financial logic that public funders understand. 

Fresh Inspiration from Our Workshop Tracks

Instead of dry lectures, our afternoon was all about peer-to-peer brainstorming:

• Building Connected Communities: Hosted by BEC’s Lucia Konôpková, this session proved that real connection isn’t just a one-off event. Stefi Gambi from Ravenna inspired us with their cosy home dinner initiatives. Roza Pambukhchyan (City of Turku) introduced the lovely concept of “public living rooms” where people can simply exist side-by-side. Meanwhile, Stine Milling and Helene Ilkjær from International House Copenhagen walked us through their structured Welcome Ambassadors Corps. The big takeaway? Food is almost always the answer!

• Career Support for Internationals: Guided by BEC’s Míša Šuleřová and career consultant Dan Murphy, we tackled spouse integration. We learned how crucial partner employment is for long-term family retention and discussed clever capacity tools, micro-mentoring, and corporate volunteering.

• Inclusive Employers & ‘Employerability’: Jan Kopkáš led an insightful chat on how public agencies can support businesses without being pushy. We drew huge inspiration from Irati Laresgoiti Barbarin and Carmen Méndez de Castro (Bizkaia Talent, Bilbao) and their company self-assessment tools. We also explored best practices from Gothenburg with Niklas Delersjö, Siyana Sokolova, Sheeba Alakkal, and Monica Andrea Cabarcas, alongside Iris van Daal and Eric Hazelaar from Holland Expat Centre South (Eindhoven).

• Communicating the Value of Internationals: BEC’s Marie Lungová asked participants to step out of their traditional role, of selling their city as a new home to international talent, and led them through a thought exercise selling the international talent to the city. International houses and expat centres play a role in making the general public more friendly towards newcomers. Not to say they need public support to fund their initiatives. We talked communication strategies and built toolboxes of ideas.
  

A Taste of Local Culture & Passing the Torch

After a full day of brainpower, the City of Brno treated us to a memorable evening reception at L’Eau Vive, tucked right beneath Petrov Cathedral. We enjoyed fantastic live music from Pocket Voices and a relaxed sommelier tasting of traditional Moravian wines like Pálava, Ryzlink vlašský, and Tramín. Huge thanks to BEC’s Katka Báňová for keeping every detail seamless behind the scenes!

The evening at L’Eau Vive also marked a very special moment: the official passing of the ceremonial Cities for Talent plaque! We handed over the symbolic gesture to the wonderful team from Vilnius—Indre Lauciene and Saida Jurkiene—who will be hosting next year’s Cities for Talent Meeting!

Day 3: Synthesis, Future Plans, and Warm Goodbyes

On Thursday morning, a slightly sleepy but cheerful group gathered at Tržnice on Zelný trh. With coffee cups held tight (and maybe a few lingering echoes of late-night karaoke classics still ringing in our ears), facilitators shared the top takeaways from each workshop and opened up an inspiring discussion on joint European projects.

We wrapped up the conference with hugs and heartfelt goodbyes.

Looking Ahead to Vilnius!

Hosting Cities for Talent 2026 left us feeling energised (whilst also drained), grateful, and full of fresh ideas. Seeing how passionately European cities are working to welcome international professionals reminded us why we do what we do every day at the Brno Expat Centre.

To all our incredible guests, speakers, city partners, and local guides: thank you for bringing your heart, wisdom, and friendship to Brno. We can’t wait to reunite next year in Vilnius!