Eurocities 2024
Cluj-Napoca
Welcome to Cluj-Napoca, ‘the Heart of Transylvania’, where tradition meets innovation. Through the Eurocities conference, you can experience the vibrant blend of our community through green, innovative, and resilient initiatives.
29 – 31 May 2024
eurocities2024@c-edu.ro │ conferences@eurocities.eu
Dear guests,
A heartfelt welcome to our home, Cluj-Napoca!
It is a great honor for the City of Cluj-Napoca to host you all in our home, one of Europe’s beating hearts.
The annual conference will offer our local community insight into the relevance and importance of collaboration among European cities. Additionally, it will be a wonderful opportunity for us to present and welcome all esteemed members of our most important European cities network to the heart of Transylvania.
Yours truly,
Mayor Emil Boc & Cluj City Hall Team
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Eurocities Annual Conference 2024 Cluj-Napoca and General Assembly
Being held one week before the European Parliament elections, the conference presents a unique opportunity for city leaders to share their experiences and expectations for the next five years. It aims to form a strong alliance with the upcoming European Parliament and Commission to shape the future of our continent and the planet. Eurocities 2024 Cluj-Napoca will showcase how cities are becoming greener, more innovative, and more resilient by nurturing local ecosystems and talents.
Join us at Eurocities 2024 Cluj-Napoca, where we wish to inspire other cities, share solutions and tools, and seek support for cities facing challenges.
Europe starts in
Cluj-Napoca
As members of the Eurocities family of cities, we aim to provide you with the opportunity to feel at home in the heart of Transylvania. Here, as in each of your amazing cities, we are working and collaborating towards a better tomorrow—a future envisioned as Green, Innovative, and Resilient.
Cluj-Napoca, known as “the Heart of Transylvania,” is recognized as the cultural and economic capital of the region. It boasts a rich history and culture, where local identity harmonizes with European values. With its strong academic heritage, Cluj-Napoca nurtures a creative, dynamic, and vibrant community, emphasizing cooperation as a pivotal factor in sustainable local development.
Cluj-Napoca is the second-largest city in Romania. Thus, anyone can easily reach here through various means: by plane, by train, by car, or by bus. In terms of accommodation, we have a multitude of options that cater to every taste. We await you for a complete cultural experience in the Heart of Transylvania.
SPECIAL EVENT IN CLUJ-NAPOCA
Cluj Days 2024
30 May – 2 June
Cluj Days provides the perfect setting to bring people together and creat authentic connections. The soul festival of Cluj is unique in the way it engages the entire community, being creative, dynamic, colorful, multicultural, connected and inclusive.
We encourage you to join Cluj Days to fully experience Cluj-Napoca, the heart of Transylvania.
Let's get you comfortable
Participation fees
Eurocities members:
- Eurocities members from the EU, UK, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland: EUR 280
- Eurocities members from other European countries (Non-EU Member State): EUR 180
- External participants (Non-Eurocities Members): EUR 380
The payment will be processed in the Romanian national currency, Leu (RON).
The fees include conference participation, as well as dinners/receptions and study visits.
Getting to Cluj
Cluj International Airport is the most important gateway to the north-western region of Romania, and the second busiest airport in Romania, with national flights to Bucharest and international flights to over 20 countries.
More than 40 scheduled destinations are operated by ten passenger airlines: Tarom, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, Wizz Air, Blue Air, Turkish Airlines, HiSky, Ryanair, Fly Dubai, Animawings, and Air Bucharest.
You can easily get to the heart of the vibrant Cluj-Napoca city by bus or by taxi in only 20 minutes and for less than 5 euros, the airport is located only 2.5 miles from the city centre.
Find more information about flights to and from Cluj-Napoca on the Airport’s official website www.airportcluj.ro or on the official social media platforms.
The Cluj-Napoca Train Station is the main train station serving Cluj-Napoca. The city offers connections with the majority of Romanian cities, as well as service to Budapest, Hungary and Vienna, Austria.
The direct train from Cluj-Napoca to Vienna is provided by the Austrian state railway carrier OBB that has launched the new train called Transilvania on the 9th of December 2019.
To check the latest train schedules for domestic routes please visit the website of the Romanian Railways: www.cfrcalatori.ro
Situated at the junction of four European roads and crossed by the Transylvania Highway, Cluj-Napoca is accessible by both car and by bus. Even though this choice of traveling might take you some more time, it is definitely worth it. Find inspiration in nature’s many wonders crossing the Transfăgărășan road which the Top Gear crew named the best road in the world. With stunning mountain scenery, breathtaking lakes, fortresses, historical churches and countless waterfalls, the road descends right through Moldoveanu and Negoiu – the highest peaks in Făgăraș Mountains and in Romania. When you get to Cluj, gain more time for sightseeing by leaving your car in one of the city’s four parking spaces.
Book a room
In order to access the preferential rates for this event, please click here, select the check-in and check-out date, number of guests and insert the code Eurocities2024 and then follow the steps (choose the period, number of persons, type of the room, etc).
Please find bellow our updated offer for accommodation:
- Classic room single use: 105 euro/night
- Classic room double use: 120 euro/night
- Deluxe room single use: 120 euro/night
- Deluxe room double use: 135 euro/night
Check-in starts at 2 PM and the check-out ends at 12 PM
The rates include: Breakfast, VAT , wireless internet, access to outside swimming pool, access to fitness room and exterior parking.
To facilitate your accommodation offer, the following steps need to be taken:
1. Access Our Website: Visit our official website at Radisson Blu Hotel Cluj to begin the booking process.
2. Choose the Period: Select the dates of your stay, specifically from 28 May to 31 May 2024, to ensure availability for the Eurocities event.
3. Select Rates and Enter Promotional Code: Navigate to the “Selected Rates” tab during the booking process. Enter the promotional code CITIES24 to unlock the special rate of 141 euros per night. For double use, a charge of 18 Euros will be added to the price per night, considered as a promotional breakfast fee. Please note that this rate includes bed and breakfast, VAT, free WiFi, access to the fitness room, but excludes the city tax of 0.50%.
4. Complete the Booking: Follow the prompts to complete the booking process. Ensure that all necessary information is provided accurately.
If you encounter any issues during the booking process or have specific requirements, please feel free to contact our reservations team at reservations.cluj@radissonblu.com (M-F 09:00 – 17:00) or info.cluj@radissonblu.com (24/7).
Kindly note we have retained a number of 40 Standard Rooms for the period of May 28th to May 31st 2024.
For the period of the Eurocity Forum 2024, the event code is Eurocity2024 and reservations can be made by emailing reservations@hotelnapoca.ro.
Rates are 100 euro/night/single room and 110 euro/night/double room, and include breakfast, parking and all taxes.
Programme
Since the global pandemic, European cities need to change their ways of working in response to several crises, including the war in Ukraine and the ongoing challenges posed by climate change.
Today, cities must build a green, innovative, and resilient Europe for all. At our annual conference in Cluj-Napoca, 29-31 May 2024, we will illustrate how cities are addressing evolving needs and increasing the well-being of their inhabitants in a changing world.
Political track sessions
May 30th
Global instability and an increasingly fragmented political landscape pose significant challenges for cities and local governments. These dynamics lead to community tensions, undermining social cohesion and posing a threat to the democratic fabric of our societies. Additionally, the proliferation of fake news and declining trust in governmental institutions, especially among young people, exacerbate these challenges.
Against the backdrop of the EU elections, certain political forces might exploit this situation to fuel discontent and widen societal divisions for their electoral gain. This alignment of global instability, information erosion, and political fragmentation underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to safeguard the foundations of our local democracies, rebuild trust and foster a resilient and united front within the EU political landscape.
Climate change and growing social inequalities pose a real challenge to the EU, and cities play a crucial role in addressing and mitigating their impacts. Mayors have put in place strong local agendas and are committed to deliver, but the resources available are insufficient: EU and national subsidies and transfers fall short of meeting the demand, and this financing gap remains a pressing barrier to climate-related and social infrastructure action.
This exchange between city leaders and EIB representatives will discuss the topic, covering cities’ experience with financing and the obstacles encountered, as well as the role of the EIB lending and advisory services in closing the investment gap for climate and social infrastructure projects; and providing a platform for dialogue between EIB representatives and Eurocities political leaders to further advance cooperation on the issue.
May 31st
The Eurocities Women Leaders Circle aims to foster a strong community among women in political leadership roles within the network. The goal of the Women Leaders Circle breakfast session is to establish a dialogue platform, enabling female elected representatives to exchange experiences and address the challenges encountered in their political journeys. Additionally, the session will introduce the Eurocities’ Strategy on Gender Equality and Women City Leaders mentorship program. This program aims to foster women’s leadership in city governance by connecting female politicians, creating a supportive network, facilitating knowledge exchange, enhancing leadership skills, and fostering personal and political growth.
Focus Sessions
May 30th
Cities are at the forefront of driving a climate-resilient society through innovation and collaboration, mobilizing all stakeholders and taking united actions toward a greener, inclusive and a sustainable future.
This session will focus on innovative governance approaches and tools, providing inspiring examples of cities’ pivotal role in leading the systemic transformation required to achieve the climate neutrality goals in the context of the EU 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 mission.
The challenges that city governments face are increasingly complex and intertwined. In recent years, cities have responded effectively to the impact of Covid-19, as well as dealing with high numbers of refugees and the effects of climate change. Innovation and agility are essential attributes of city governments in the 21st century.
This session will explore what it takes to make innovation a reality in our cities. We will ask bigger questions about the role of innovation in improving citizens’ quality of life and enabling cities to respond to increasingly complex urban challenges. This session will also reflect on the findings from the LSE Cities/Eurocities survey on government innovation to ask bigger questions about the role of innovation in improving quality of life for citizens and enabling cities to respond to increasingly complex 21st century challenges.
The session will dive into how upskilling and reskilling programmes can foster social inclusion in cities. For the digital and green transformation, enhanced skills and education are essential to equip people with the knowledge and capabilities needed to match the needs of the labour market. Skills development also plays a critical role when boosting the local production capacity of clean technologies for EU’s green transition.
This session will discuss the skills required for an ever-changing labour market and the risk of social exclusion in the digital and green transformation. It will explore innovative reskilling and upskilling (and/or talent attraction and retention) strategies required for skills-building, in the context of the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan. The session will also delve into those programmes’ impact on fostering social inclusion and increasing participation in local decision-making process.
The first EU Climate Risk assessment, to be published in March 2023, will assess climate change impacts and the risks for the environment, economy and wider society in Europe. Following the publication of the assessment, this session will look into how European cities are mainstreaming climate risk assessment and preparation into local policies, to increase their resilience to climate shocks and ensure they carry out risk-informed planning.
Cities have always been associated with transformative ideas and novel initiatives. Besides hosting technological progress, cities are also enabling various other types of innovation: entrepreneurial, social, and cultural.
This session will offer an overview of how innovation unfolds locally, understanding the multi-stakeholder dynamics of different urban innovation ecosystems including set-up and scale-up policies as well as their interaction with local actors (government, academia, companies, 3 citizens). It will discuss the potential of reinforcing local innovation eco-systems in Europe, including delivering on Europe’s green industrial transition, as well as barriers and how to overcome them.
Speakers
Emil Boc
Mayor of Cluj-Napoca & host of Eurocities Annual Conference
Emil Boc is the Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, the most important city of Romania, outside the capital, in terms of size and economic development. Major in Law and also in History and Philosophy, Emil Boc has a PH.D. in Political Science and Political Philosophy.
Mr. Boc was also the president of the Democratic Liberal Party, which proposed and supported him as Prime Minister in late 2008, from December 2004 until June 2012.
He served as Prime Minister of Romania from December 2008 to February 2012, during one the most difficult economic times in post comunist Romania, managing to avoid the global crisis risks for the country.
Emil Boc was elected in June 2020 for a fifth time Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, the second-largest city in Romania, representing the National Liberal Party and is now actively involved in the everyday life of the city. He served his first mandate as a Mayor in 2004-2009, when he was also the President of the Democratic Liberal Party (who later fusioned with the Național Liberal Party – n.a.), a center-right party promoting the democratization and modernization of Romania and also the consolidation of its position as member of the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Before entering public office, Mr. Boc was a practicing lawyer and a lecturer in political science and political philosophy at the Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences at Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He is a member of the American Political Science Association since 1994 and a member of the Romanian Society of Political Science since 1999. At present, he is an associate professor at Faculty of Political, Administration and Communication Science, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca where he teaches Political Institutions. Romanian Political System and also Constitutional System and political institutions in Romania.
Emil Boc was awarded Honorary Degree of Doctor of Law from the Michigan State University in East Lansing, U.S.
In 2017 he was awarded by the European Comission and OISPG with the prize for ”Creating a strong innovation landscape”, during the Luminary Award Gala of the Open Innovation Conference 2017.
Emil Boc joined the European Committee of the Regions as a member in the Romanian Delegation of local and regional elected representatives in the CoR, was a Rapporteur for the SEDEC Commision and also a member in the COTER Commision. He was elected Chair of the COTER Commission in Septemebr 2022.
Ovidiu Cîmpean
State Secretary, Ministry of Investments and European Projects
Ovidiu Cimpean serves as a State Secretary at the Ministry of Investments and European Projects, driving transformative initiatives to propel Romania towards a sustainable future. With a career spanning over a decade, Ovidiu has been instrumental in fostering local development and spearheading European-funded projects, primarily within the Municipality of Cluj-Napoca.
Currently, Ovidiu holds the pivotal role of Coordinator of M100 – Mirror Mission Cities Hub Romania, a national platform dedicated to supporting Romanian cities in their journey towards smart and climate-neutral urban landscapes by 2030.
In addition to his governmental role, Ovidiu is the esteemed President of the Civic Imagination and Innovation Center (CIIC), a dynamic platform fostering community engagement and participatory governance in Cluj-Napoca.
With a steadfast commitment to sustainable development and inclusive governance, Ovidiu Cimpean continues to be a driving force behind initiatives that shape the future of Romanian cities, ensuring they thrive in an era of rapid urbanization and environmental challenges.
Mathias De Clercq
Mayor of Ghent
Mathias De Clercq was born in Ghent on the 26th of December 1981. Following his studies Latin-Modern Languages at the Royal Lyceum in Ghent, De Clercq studied Law at Ghent University. After obtaining his master’s degree, he obtained a Master after Master European and International Law at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Until 2008, De Clercq was working as apprentice lawyer at the Bar of Ghent. He is an avid runner and father of Cezar and Giulia.
Political career
Already during his studies, De Clercq was active in the Liberal Flemish Student Association Ghent as committee member, political secretary and chairman. Since 2002, he is a core member of the liberal think tank Liberales. At the age of 25, De Clercq was elected as Member of the Ghent City Council, and has been a member ever since. At the municipal elections of 2006, he became Deputy Mayor of Economy, Youth, Work and the Self-Employed. He was also active at national level and took the oath in the Chamber of Representatives in 2007. In September 2009, De Clercq became Senior Deputy Mayor of the City of Ghent and Deputy Mayor of Economy, Youth and the Self-Employed. Following the municipal elections of 2012, he maintained Senior Deputy Mayor and was given the competences of the Port, Economy and Enterprise. From 2014 until the beginning of 2019 De Clercq was Member of the Flemish Parliament. In January 2019 De Clercq became mayor of the City of Ghent.
Bev Craig
Leader of Manchester City Council & Labour Councillor for Burnage Ward
Bev became Leader of Manchester City Council on 1st December 2021.
First elected in 2011 as a Burnage Councillor she held a range of responsibilities on Manchester City Council including as Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health and Deputy Leader.
Since becoming Leader her focus has been on Manchester’s ambitious plans to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy, increasing investment into neighbourhoods across the city, better outcomes for children and young people, tackling inequalities, building more housing and working to meet Manchester’s net zero ambitions.
Bev is a Deputy Chair of the Local Government Association and Chair of Core Cities UK. In Greater Manchester she holds a range of responsibilities on behalf of the city including leading on the Economy, Business, and International Portfolio for the Combined Authority.
Originally from Belfast, she moved to Manchester in 2003 for university. After graduating from the University of Manchester she began her career in Local Government, before working in higher education and then a national trade union leading on social care. She holds postgraduate degrees from Warwick Business School and the University of Manchester. Outside of politics she enjoys sports and being outdoors, music, culture and enjoying all that Manchester has to offer.
Sandrine Dixson-Declève
Environmental Scientist
Co-President of the Club of Rome
Sandrine Dixson-Declève is an environmental scientist and an international climate change, sustainable development, sustainable finance, and complex system thought leader. She is Co-President of the Club of Rome and divides her time between leading the Club of Rome, advising on non-Executive corporate and academic Boards, lecturing, and facilitating difficult conversations. She is a TED global speaker and was recognised most recently by Reuters as one of 25 global female trailblazers and by GreenBiz as one of the 30 most influential women across the globe driving change in the low carbon economy and promoting green business.
Thomas George
Global Lead Urban at UNICEF
Thomas George is a thought leader and a senior development manager and professional in the area of child rights programming, urban and governance with a demonstrated history of working in the United Nations and National Government. He has more than 36 years of experience in International Development, out of which 31 years have been with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Thomas George is currently UNICEF’s global lead for urban and works out of their Head Quarters New York. In this role, he provides strategic advice to the organization on programming for and leads UNICEF’s advocacy for the well being of children living in urban settings and supports UNICEF’s regional offices and country offices to further this agenda.
He is currently member of
- UN System wide Task Force on Urban
- Global Task Force on the Future of Cities
- Expert Group to develop the Quality of Life Index.
Previously, he was a member of the expert group to develop the global urban monitoring framework.
Thomas George has a Masters Degree in Sociology and has management training from Harvard Corporate and many UNICEF management development programmes.
Burkhard Jung
Mayor of Leipzig & President of Eurocities
Mayor of the City of Leipzig, Burkhard Jung, was elected as President of Eurocities in June 2023.
Born in Siegen/Westphalia in 1958, he has been Mayor of Leipzig since 2006, having been directly re-elected by citizens in 2013, and also served as Eurocities Vice-President from 2021 – 2023. He sits on many boards and associations, including as vice-president of the Association of German Cities.
After qualifying as a teacher of German and Protestant Theology, he established the Leipzig Protestant educational centre. He has held political positions since 1991, and was responsible for Leipzig’s bids for the Olympics and Football World Cup.
In his work with Eurocities, he has led actions to support Ukrainian cities affected by the Russian war, as well as representing cites’ interests in relation to the EU budget, migration and gender equality.
Kyriacos Kakouris
Vice-President of the European Investment Bank
Mr Kyriacos Kakouris is Vice-President of the European Investment Bank as of October 2023.
Mr Kakouris has a 33-year professional experience in the Ministry of Finance in Cyprus. In the period November 2022-October 2023 he was Director of Finance, Directorate of Strategy and Coordination in the Ministry, while between 2016 and 2022 he was Director of International Financial Institutions and Financial Management of Central Government Directorate in the same Ministry. He has a long experience in project financing and working with international financial institutions. As part of his professional activities, he was also member of the Board of Directors of EIB, Administrative council of the Council of Europe Development Bank, Governor for Cyprus of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Kyriacos Kakouris studied Economics at the University of Athens and Lakehead University, Ontario, Canada.
Julia Okatz
Director across Systemiq’s Natural Resources and Urban Practice
Julia is a director across Systemiq’s Natural Resources and Urban Practice. Her work focuses on the efficient and balanced space-use in cities, the re-development of resilient and vibrant neighbourhoods, AI-enabled planning and financing solutions. This includes analytical studies, as well as implementation projects with public and private financial institutions. Julia also works as a special advisor to the International Resource Panel (IRP)’s Co-Chair Janez Potočnik and contributes to the advisory panel of the EU’s Circular Regions and Cities initiative. Before joining Systemiq, Julia worked at the Institute for Climate and Society in Rio de Janeiro. She holds an MSc in global politics from the London School of Economics and a Post-Graduate Degree in interdisciplinary design for the built environment from the University of Cambridge.
Eileen O’Sullivan
Deputy Mayor, Frankurt am Main
As currently the youngest Deputy Mayor to ever have been elected in Frankurt am Main, I have been working towards shaping our society toward a future in which all and every citizens have equal chances in the European Union. I am passionate about strengthening democracy through citizen participation whilst also creating a resilient future for the German public administration with the help of digitalization and innovation
Voluntary Social Year | Municipality Königstein i.Ts. 2014-2015
I gained experience in supporting the educators of a public kindergarten for a year while receiving educational and paedagogical training by a sponsor facilitating Voluntary Social Years.
Dual Vocational Training | Deutsche Bank AG 2021 – Present 2015 – 2017
Work experience within HR administration, onboarding of new employees, the payroll department and personal assistance roles in departments such as Government & Regulatory Affairs, Anti Financial Crime, Finance Change and Inhouse Consulting.
Finance Change Analyst | Deutsche Bank AG 2017
After the completion of my Dual Vocational Training I worked as a Finance Change Analyst on a project aiming to prepare the bank organizationally as well as legally for the upcoming changes in the trading area due to Brexit.
Deputy Mayor | City of Frankfurt am Main Dual Vocational Training | Deutsche Bank AG 2021 – Present
As a member of the governing council of Frankfurt, I am responsible for the development and execution of the offices responsible for IT, Smart City, Statistics, International Affairs, Citizen Participation, the Citizen Offices as well as the Election Office. I manage close to 600 employees and represent the City as a politically elected Deputy Mayor in close collaboration with 11 further Deputy Mayors
Henriette Reker
Lord Mayor of Cologne
With Henriette Reker, for the first time in the history of the city of Cologne, a woman as Lord Mayor is steering the fortunes of the fourth largest city in the Federal Republic of Germany.
In the first round of voting on October 18, 2015, she was able to garner 52.66 percent of the valid votes as an independent candidate. Her candidacy was supported, among others, by the Cologne parties CDU, Alliance 90/THE GREENS, FDP and the groups Deine Freunde and Freie Wähler Köln represented in the City Council.
On September 27, 2020, Reker was re-elected, supported by Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and the CDU.
Mayor Henriette Reker was born in Cologne on December 9, 1956. She is married.
As for her professional carrer, she completed Law studies in 1986 and became Legal Advisor fort he State Association of Guild Health Insurance Funds, Münster. From 2000 on, she worked for the City of Gelsenkirchen and became Councillor for Social Affairs, Integration and the Environment of the City of Cologne in 2010.
In her function as Lord Mayor, Henriette Reker is a member of numerous committees, associations and societies. These include, for example, the chairmanship of the supervisory board of Koelnmesse GmbH, Membership of the Supervisory Board of Stadtwerke Köln GmbH, memberships in the advisory boards of NRW.Bank and RheinEnergie AG as well as membership in the board of the Association of Cities NW.
In her scarce free time, she loves to cook. Mayor Henriette Reker enjoys the diverse offerings of Cologne’s culture, especially classical concerts and fine arts exhibitions at Cologne’s museums. For her, indispensable dates in Cologne culture are the annual Rose Monday parade and the numerous carnival meetings during the session.
Ricardo Rio
Mayor of Braga
Ricardo Rio is the Mayor of Braga since 2013. He is President of the Euro-region ‘Eixo Atlântico’ which brings together 38 of the biggest cities from the North of Portugal and Galicia, Spain. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Global Parliament of Mayors since November 2019.
Through his years as Mayor of Braga, was invited to be a member of the Champion Mayors initiative of the OECD, which brings together mayors from the five continents who are committed to sustainable and inclusive growth. He is a member of the Portuguese delegation of the Committee of the Regions.
In his professional life, he was the Secretary General of the Portuguese Association of Financial Analysts and the Director of the Capital Markets Institute of Euronext Lisbon. At the same time, he kept working as a public and business consultant for several years, having participated in several Programmes of the Porto Business School
Andre Sobczak
Secretary General of Eurocities
André Sobczak works to empower cities in EU decision making through Eurocities. He spent 20 years as a manager and impact-oriented academic, as well as serving two terms as Vice-President of the Nantes Metropolitan Area for European Affairs, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Employment. His positions in Audencia Business School have included Positive Impact Chair and Chief Executive for Corporate Social Responsibility, experience which he is harnessing to strengthen training activities and create strong ties with academia through a new Eurocities Academy. In local politics, he worked to coordinate the metropolitan area’s 24 mayors, as well as representing Nantes in Eurocities’ Executive Committee and as Chair of the network’s Economic Development Forum.
He has worked tirelessly to reinforce and communicate a virtuous circle between economic development and social and environmental goals. On the one hand, he has coached companies to improve their business plans and management to this end; On the other, he has spearheaded initiatives like #NegoTrainig, which gives women free training in wage negotiation, and ‘Fairwork,’ a monitor for working conditions in the platform economy. He leads with an approach of multi-level cooperation between the public sector, businesses and civil society for tangible positive impact.
Juhana Vartiainen
Mayor of Helsinki
Juhana Vartiainen was born in 1958 in Helsinki. He studied economics at the University of Helsinki and received his PhD in 1992. Vartiainen is therefore an economist and a Doctor of Political Science.
In addition to this, he has worked in research organisations in both Finland and Sweden. In 2003, he was the director of the trade union movement’s research institute FIEF. Following this, he worked in the Swedish National Institute for Economic Research. In 2012, he became the Director General of the State Economic Research Center VATT and was elected a Member of Parliament in 2015.
In 2021, he assumed office as the Mayor of Helsinki.
Erion Veliaj
Mayor of Tirana
Erion Veliaj was re-elected as Mayor of Tirana in June 2019, after being firstly elected as the 42nd Mayor of Tirana in June 2015. Prior to his tenure, Veliaj served as a Member of Parliament of Albania and Minister of Social Welfare and Youth from 2013 through 2015. Before joining the ranks of the Socialist Party of Albania in 2011, Veliaj had a long experience as the leader and founder of the youth movement “MJAFT”, a civic organization which gained huge popularity for inspiring peaceful protest since its creation in 2003. Veliaj has also worked with several international humanitarian organizations in the Americas, Eastern Africa and Kosovo.
Veliaj holds a Master’s degree in European Integration from the University of Sussex and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Grand Valley State University.
Hanna Zdanowska
Mayor of Łódź
Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of the City of Łódź since 2010, environmental engineer, graduate of the Łódź University of Technology, Member of the Polish Parliament (2007 – 2010).
In the 2024 local elections, she was elected for the fourth term, receiving 60% of the vote in the first round.
She started the largest Łódź’s revitalisation program in Poland. Hanna Zdanowska, full member of the European Committee of the Regions since 2019, is engaged in work for ENVE and SEDEC Commissions. Additionally, she is a member of the Green Deal Going Local Working Group in the CoR. She was nominated National Ambassador of the Covenant of Mayors and as a committed to climate actions and citizens engagement leader, she decided to join the European family of Climate Pact Ambassadors. She is a rapporteur of the following CoR opinions “Ecological transition – What balance between social acceptability and environmental imperatives from the point of view of cities and regions” and “Amending the Directive on Asbestos”.
Moderators
Dan Cărbunaru
Director Calea Europeană & General Manager European Media Connections
Former Romanian Government spokesman (Dec 2021-June 2023), Dan Cărbunaru has a deep-rooted expertise in law and European affairs. His journalism career has seen him tackle various national and European issues, significantly contributing to Romanian media. Dan’s government role involved managing critical communications during pivotal events, highlighting his adeptness in public relations. As the founder of Calea Europeană, he has played a vital role in promoting EU affairs, engaging with leading European political figures and journalists. Notably, Dan has moderated significant events involving key European institutions, such as the European Commission, Parliament,
and Committee of Regions, showcasing his proficiency in facilitating high-level discussions. His dedication to European integration and communication excellence positions him as a distinguished figure, ready to engage and inspire at the European conference.
Giovanna Coi
Data Journalist for Politico Europe
Giovanna Coi is a data journalist for Politico Europe, which covers the latest news and trends from the EU and its member states.
Giovanna is passionate about climate policy, social equity and gender issues.
She is the co-author of POLITICO’s Living Cities Global Policy Lab, a solutions-journalism project that looks at Europeans’ relationships with the cities in which they live.
Aitor Hernández-Morales
Senior reporter at POLITICO
Aitor Hernández-Morales is a senior reporter at POLITICO and the author of its Living Cities Global Policy Lab.
Prior to joining POLITICO, Aitor covered Portuguese politics and social issues as the Lisbon-based correspondent for Spain’s El Mundo and the Cadena SER radio network and collaborated with Spain’s El Español and France’s Courrier International. He also spent several years working in the civil infrastructure sector, and previously served on El Mundo’s International and Breaking News desks, where he covered European affairs.
Born in Pamplona, Spain, but raised in Miami, Florida, Aitor has lived in Germany, Spain, Portugal and Italy. He speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese fluently and has a working knowledge of French, German and Italian.
Dorthe Nielsen
Executive director of Eurocities
Dorthe Nielsen is the executive director of Eurocities. She works for greater recognition of and role for cities at the EU level in the green, digital, and just transformation. She leads strategy development and oversees the policy advocacy of the network to the EU. Before joining Eurocities in 2011, she worked for the Greater London Authority (EU office) and the European Commission’s Secretariat General. She holds two Masters’ degrees in European Politics and Public Administration, as well as a certification in strategic foresight and management.
Awards & Jury
The annual Eurocities Awards recognise cities’ outstanding achievements in improving quality of life for local people, addressing Europe’s challenges at every level. Eurocities 2024 Cluj-Napoca provides the context for European cities to be recognized for their achievements by offering awards in three categories:
Cities are drivers and enablers of innovative processes, involving a wide range of stakeholders, including public and private sectors, academia, and, importantly, people.
The green and digital transitions open new opportunities for people and the economy. A workforce with in-demand skills contributes to sustainable growth, innovation, and competitiveness in cities.
Acquiring new skill sets through up-skilling and reskilling strategies, as well as attracting and retaining talent, is essential to keeping up with the changing needs of the job market and the complexity of the transition towards a more sustainable and digitalised economy.
Shortlisted cities:
Madrid – Centre for Innovation in Circular Economy
The centre serves as a hub for circular economy initiatives, fostering innovation, attracting talent, promoting entrepreneurship and creating new job opportunities and networks within the circular economy realm. The CIEC has become a unique model of public-private collaboration to transform Madrid’s productive and social fabric towards sustainability, digitalisation, and circularity, with inclusion as a key element.
More than 60 enterprises and over 5,000 participants have attended training and awareness-raising sessions in the centre. More information here.
Marseille – Provence Africa Connect
Provence Africa Connect is a public-private multi-stakeholder initiative designed to promote the metropolis as an innovation Hub for shared prosperity between Europe and Africa. How? Attracting and promoting African talents and supporting innovative projects at each development step.
Every year, Aix-Marseille-Provence welcomes around 10,000 African talents (students, project holders and start-ups) to its university and innovation ecosystem. This context led to the strategic choice of deepening economic linkages between the territory and Africa, within the Agenda for the economic development of Aix-Marseille-Provence. More information here.
Porto – A magnet for talent
The TERA strategy (an acronym for Talent, Evolve, Retain and Attract) aims to attract, develop and retain talent in the city. The council provides knowledge about the labour market and implements promotional actions to attract skilled workers. Porto enhances this work ecosystem through initiatives that bring together that talent with academia and companies to boost skills. Finally, to retain skilled people, the city enhances the careers of those who live, study and work in Porto. More information here.
With over 70% of all the food produced consumed in urban areas, cities and their citizens represent a force of change for moving towards more sustainable and fair food systems. Choices need to be made in terms of procurement, providing healthy food for all and reducing food waste, to reduce GHG emissions and make urban food systems more sustainable.
Citizens can play a crucial role in this transformation: they can increase demand for healthy and more plant-based food with their purchasing power, engage in food-related NGOs, set up food-related start-ups and SMEs, and influence the food system in their city and region by getting involved in local food policy development.
As citizens are fundamental for change, in this award category, we are looking for projects that emphasise empowering citizens or other actors with food-related initiatives, combining environmental with social goals, to move towards just and sustainable food systems.
Shortlisted cities:
Bordeaux – Establishing a Food Policy Council
In 2017, Bordeaux Metropole became the first French territory to establish a Food Policy Council, where a holistic approach is used to create food policies aligned with the needs of the territory and citizens. Local research, agriculture and food issues are all considered in the transitioning of the food system towards a more sustainable and resilient direction. Implementing a sustainable food and agriculture policy specific to the Bordeaux metropolitan area entails four specific objectives: protection of agricultural land, support to farmers, prioritisation of certain forms of agriculture and giving priority to short distribution circuits to enhance access to healthy food. More information here.
Dortmund – Empowering children for sustainable food
Dortmund focuses on climate-friendly and healthy eating in municipal institutions, especially in day care centres for children. Citizens are encouraged and empowered from an early age to eat and act responsibly. The aim is to steadily increase the share of organic and regional food products through public procurement. The city works on projects to teach children about healthy and sustainable food and sustainable development in general. To date, these projects have reached 8,000 children and local families. More information here.
Pau – La Ceinture Verte
The Green Belt is an integrated approach that aims to accelerate the transition towards short food circuits. It provides fully equipped farms to independent producers, technical assistance to small agricultural holdings, access to sales platforms dedicated to wholesale delivery, semi-large and retail. It also promotes local brands and invests in activities that leverage the local food system’s cultural and economic impact. Eight farms have been raised and all of the farmers involved have reached economic sustainability. More information here.
We must mobilize our citizens to engage in the democratic process and participate in elections at all levels.
This is a pressing concern in our democracies, particularly with the European elections in June 2024, just after our awards ceremony.
We are looking for projects that can showcase innovative, creative and successful approaches to getting citizens to the election box for local, national or European elections, in particular campaigns that have successfully encouraged young people to vote, highlighting for example:
- Consistent engagement over time
- Unusual outreach venues and activities
- Effectively using social media
- Or any other successful creative ideas.
Shortlisted cities:
Gdansk – Don’t sleep, or you will be outvoted
This campaign was created to inform and educate the public about the elections in 2023, while ensuring it did not affiliate with any specific political party. The most important objective of the campaign was to improve on the election turnout record from the year 1989 (62.7%). To help voters make more informed decisions and to promote electoral education, information about the electoral process was published in one place. Another goal was to motivate those citizens who may feel powerless or mistakenly believe that their vote will not change anything. The third objective was to address the campaign to those voting for the first time. More information here.
Rotterdam – Creative elections in Wijk aan Zet
Wijk aan Zet is a new electoral model of local governance on the district/neighbourhood level that ensures citizens have a say in decisions that affect their lives. In the 39 districts in which the city is divided, citizens could stand for election to represent their district without belonging to a political party, and at the age of 16, people were allowed to vote. All districts drew up a four-year agreement with the municipality. Residents, the municipality and organisations make plans for the district, that come together in the district agreement. More information here.
Zurich – Information campaigns can reduce barriers to naturalisation
The City of Zurich has been sending regular information letters to people eligible for Swiss citizenship since 2017. In these campaigns, recipients are informed about the benefits of naturalisation, such as gaining access to political participation. Zurich is investigating the obstacles preventing people from obtaining Swiss citizenship by surveying those who have received information letters. Based on the findings, the content of these information letters is regularly adjusted and updated to address and alleviate these hurdles, aiming to encourage eligible individuals to initiate the naturalisation application process. More information here.
Shortlisted cities to each awards category:
Madrid – Centre for Innovation in Circular Economy
The centre serves as a hub for circular economy initiatives, fostering innovation, attracting talent, promoting entrepreneurship and creating new job opportunities and networks within the circular economy realm. The CIEC has become a unique model of public-private collaboration to transform Madrid’s productive and social fabric towards sustainability, digitalisation, and circularity, with inclusion as a key element.
More than 60 enterprises and over 5,000 participants have attended training and awareness-raising sessions in the centre. More information here.
Marseille – Provence Africa Connect
Provence Africa Connect is a public-private multi-stakeholder initiative designed to promote the metropolis as an innovation Hub for shared prosperity between Europe and Africa. How? Attracting and promoting African talents and supporting innovative projects at each development step.
Every year, Aix-Marseille-Provence welcomes around 10,000 African talents (students, project holders and start-ups) to its university and innovation ecosystem. This context led to the strategic choice of deepening economic linkages between the territory and Africa, within the Agenda for the economic development of Aix-Marseille-Provence. More information here.
Porto – A magnet for talent
The TERA strategy (an acronym for Talent, Evolve, Retain and Attract) aims to attract, develop and retain talent in the city. The council provides knowledge about the labour market and implements promotional actions to attract skilled workers. Porto enhances this work ecosystem through initiatives that bring together that talent with academia and companies to boost skills. Finally, to retain skilled people, the city enhances the careers of those who live, study and work in Porto. More information here.
Bordeaux – Establishing a Food Policy Council
In 2017, Bordeaux Metropole became the first French territory to establish a Food Policy Council, where a holistic approach is used to create food policies aligned with the needs of the territory and citizens. Local research, agriculture and food issues are all considered in the transitioning of the food system towards a more sustainable and resilient direction. Implementing a sustainable food and agriculture policy specific to the Bordeaux metropolitan area entails four specific objectives: protection of agricultural land, support to farmers, prioritisation of certain forms of agriculture and giving priority to short distribution circuits to enhance access to healthy food. More information here.
Dortmund – Empowering children for sustainable food
Dortmund focuses on climate-friendly and healthy eating in municipal institutions, especially in day care centres for children. Citizens are encouraged and empowered from an early age to eat and act responsibly. The aim is to steadily increase the share of organic and regional food products through public procurement. The city works on projects to teach children about healthy and sustainable food and sustainable development in general. To date, these projects have reached 8,000 children and local families. More information here.
Pau – La Ceinture Verte
The Green Belt is an integrated approach that aims to accelerate the transition towards short food circuits. It provides fully equipped farms to independent producers, technical assistance to small agricultural holdings, access to sales platforms dedicated to wholesale delivery, semi-large and retail. It also promotes local brands and invests in activities that leverage the local food system’s cultural and economic impact. Eight farms have been raised and all of the farmers involved have reached economic sustainability. More information here.
Gdansk – Don’t sleep, or you will be outvoted
This campaign was created to inform and educate the public about the elections in 2023, while ensuring it did not affiliate with any specific political party. The most important objective of the campaign was to improve on the election turnout record from the year 1989 (62.7%). To help voters make more informed decisions and to promote electoral education, information about the electoral process was published in one place. Another goal was to motivate those citizens who may feel powerless or mistakenly believe that their vote will not change anything. The third objective was to address the campaign to those voting for the first time. More information here.
Rotterdam – Creative elections in Wijk aan Zet
Wijk aan Zet is a new electoral model of local governance on the district/neighbourhood level that ensures citizens have a say in decisions that affect their lives. In the 39 districts in which the city is divided, citizens could stand for election to represent their district without belonging to a political party, and at the age of 16, people were allowed to vote. All districts drew up a four-year agreement with the municipality. Residents, the municipality and organisations make plans for the district, that come together in the district agreement. More information here.
Zurich – Information campaigns can reduce barriers to naturalisation
The City of Zurich has been sending regular information letters to people eligible for Swiss citizenship since 2017. In these campaigns, recipients are informed about the benefits of naturalisation, such as gaining access to political participation. Zurich is investigating the obstacles preventing people from obtaining Swiss citizenship by surveying those who have received information letters. Based on the findings, the content of these information letters is regularly adjusted and updated to address and alleviate these hurdles, aiming to encourage eligible individuals to initiate the naturalisation application process. More information here.
Bianca Faragau
Institutional Policy Officer at the Permanent Representation of the European Investment Bank
Catarina Heeckt
Programme Lead for the European Cities Programme, London School of Economics
Giovanna Coi
Data Journalist for Politico Europe
Emilia Botezan
Head of the Foreign Affairs and Investments Cluj-Napoca
Miguel González
Communications Manager at the Federation for Innovation in Democracy - Europe (FIDE).
Sponsors & Partners
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Media Partner
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Digital Partner
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