Limassol to Host 2nd Cyprus Forum Cities in April 2024

Limassol to Host the 2nd Cyprus Forum Cities

Limassol is gearing up for the 2nd Cyprus Forum Cities, the premier local government conference in Cyprus, scheduled for April 18-19, 2024. This event stands out for its dedication to nurturing sustainable, green, and smart urban environments, with a focus on creating communities resilient to climate change.

The forum is a collaborative effort between Oxygen for Democracy, the Municipality of Limassol, and Tepak, offering free participation. It provides a high-level discussion platform on the holistic development of municipalities and communities.

Key topics include the pivotal role of innovation in sustainable city development, the impact of entrepreneurship on local growth, and technology’s role as a catalyst in green mobility and improving urban-rural connectivity. The event will also examine how cross-sector collaborations can propel the digital transformation and evolution of smart cities, with a special focus on architecture’s role in combating climate change.

Experts and technocrats from various fields will convene to debate and formulate strategies for a sustainable urban future and the modernization of local governance. The comprehensive agenda features debates on waste management, circular economy promotion, sustainable tourism standards, and the protection of cultural heritage.

With the European elections on the horizon, the forum will also address the EU’s impact on daily life, local self-governance, youth involvement in policy-making, and Cyprus’s role within the EU. A segment will be dedicated to discussing the cultural capitals of Europe 2030.

This year’s forum places special emphasis on local government reform implementation, featuring insights from mayors, business sector representatives, and various institutions. It will also shed light on the housing crisis and introduce the Limassol Cooling Challenge, which seeks innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cooling processes.

Nikolas Kyriakides, vice president of Oxygono’s Board of Directors, highlighted the forum’s objectives: “The Cyprus Forum Cities aim to raise concerns, create discussions, and seek solutions for the challenges facing our urban and rural centres. It also aims to connect our cities with international counterparts to exchange good practices in policy making.” He added that participants could tailor their experience by following specific discussion modules aligned with their interests.