Athens at the “helm” of the B40 Network of Balkan Cities – Kostas Bakoyannis welcomes 66 mayors from 10 countries
With the vision of charting the common path towards a future of stability and prosperity for the Balkans, the Athena will host the Summit of the B40 Balkan Cities Network (B40 Balkan Cities Network) during the Greek capital that will take the “helm” of the Presidency of the Network for 2023.
Athens from Sunday 22 to Tuesday 24 January hosted by the mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis will welcome mayors from 66 cities from 10 Balkan countries, who are either members of the Network, or will join during this Summit.
The B40 Balkan Cities Network was established in November 2021 in Istanbul, with the aim of strengthening the region of peace and democracy in the Balkans, as well as the cooperation of the members of the regions of economy, innovation, sustainable development and culture.
THE mayor of Athens will receive the baton of the Presidency of the B40 Balkan Cities Network, from the counterpart of the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, with whom they have built a strong “bridge” of cooperation in recent years in an effort to strengthen the Greek-Turkish friendship and bring the two peoples together . .
Kostas Bakoyannis: The capital of Greece wants and can significantly strengthen the Balkan cooperation
In his statement, Kostas Bakoyiannis underlines: “Athens takes over the presidency of the B40 network, the most important Balkan cities. The timing couldn’t be more appropriate. The capital of Greece wants and can significantly strengthen the Balkan cooperation. Our city is becoming a metropolis of the modern world in terms of development, technology, and more. He knows how to improve infrastructure and everyday life. We want to share this knowledge, mentality and method with the rest of the cities in the network. Let’s give and take. Let us all learn from change and benefit from cooperation.
“The B40 network is the dynamic response of cities to those who see fragmentation and competition in the Balkans. Every network means many bridges. Communication, Exchange, cooperation. Cities come out ahead, where states seem stiff to cooperate. We move forward together, we strengthen ties, we will succeed” says the mayor of Athens.
Kostas Bakoyiannis, during the opening speech of the Synod, which referred to the vision of the Presidency of Athens for 2023. In the Synod, which was also attended by speeches, Dario Nardelli, President of the Eurocities Network and Mayor of Florence, as well as the Mayors of Istanbul, , Sofia, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Kotor, Avlon, etc.
The President of the Committee of the Regions, Mr. Vasco Alves Cordeiro, as well as the Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Mr. Vladimir Prebilic, will also address the Speech.
The representation of the Greek Municipalities will be very important, since in addition to the organizing city of Athens, the Mayors of the other 32 Municipalities of the country will take part in the Synod: Thessaloniki, Piraeus, Trikkaia, Patras, Chalkida, Kalamata, Chania, Nice- St. Ioannis Rentis, Kallithea, Nea Smyrni, Kifissia, Ag. Dimitriou, Aigaleo, Zografou, P. Faliro, Korydallos, Pallini, Veria, Kozani, Karditsa, Rethymno, Corinth, Mytilini, Chios, Corfu, Argos, Orestiada, Lefkada, Karpenisiou, Pylaia-Hortiati, Thermaikos, Kieler.
During the two-day meeting, all the actions and collaborations of the members of the B40 Network over the last year will be presented and goals, strategy and priorities for the future will be discussed.
At the same time, working groups will be set up with the participation of city delegations and issues related to local climate actions, immigration asylum and local democracy, smart cities/digital transformation, but also economic and cultural cooperation between the cities.
The work of the Synod of the Network of Balkan Cities B40 will take place in the Technopolis of the municipality of Athens.