20 years have passed since the foundation of CIVITAS and 4 years since the foundation of CIVINET Greece-Cyprus, while the upcoming year offers us 365 new challenges and opportunities to become even better and more useful for our members!

2022 was, undoubtedly, the year of escalation and completion of the first major European projects of our Network, with INCIRCLE being completed in June and Urban Transports in December, and their final events being successfully held in Barcelona and Athens.

We are particularly pleased with the work and the expertise developed, the unique experiences gained, the collaborations with leading international organisations and the multiple benefits that the members of our Network gained: Rethymno, Larnaca, Pallini, Larissa, the Region of Crete and the Region of Attica. 

The activities of the Network at European level also included:

• elaborating a Circular Tourism Strategy for the Regional Unit of Attica Islands, in the framework of INCIRCLE project
• supporting the candidacy of Greek cities to join the Mission 100 Climate-Neutral & Smart Cities, with great results for Kozani
• supporting Larissa and Heraklion (Crete) to participate in new innovative projects under the Horizon Europe programme and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Urban Mobility (EIT UM)
• supporting the participation of Veroia in the Urban95 programme of the London School of Economics
• becoming a member of the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) Network

More highlights of the past year are:

• the CIVITAS PARK4SUMP workshop at the OTEAcademy in Athens
• the Three-Day Event decicated to circular tourism in Aegina, Greece
• the technical visits to Graz, Vienna and Ljubljana
• the tour in Northern Greece (Kozani, Veroia, Kavala)
• supporting sustainable mobility activities in the Municipalities of Agios Dimitrios and Kavala in the context of the European Mobility Week
• the donation of 3 e-bikes to the Municipalities of Rethymno, Veria and Larissa, manufactured by the AURELIA e-assist Bikes
• the donation of 1 e-bike to the Municipality of Agios Dimitrios, manufactured by KINEO
• the installation of TELRAAM smart traffic counters in the Municipalities of Vari Voula Vouliagmeni and Agios Dimitrios

Events in which CIVINET co-organized or made a special contribution were:

• the CIVINETs Forum in Zagreb
• the Sustainable Tourism Convention in Barcelona
• the CIVITAS Summer Course in Rethymnon
• the Urban Mobility Days in Brno
• the Polis Annual Conference in Brussels
• our activities and presentations in the context of Interreg MED projects in Crete, Cyprus, Brussels and Skiathos
• the participation in Verde Tec exhibition, in which our network won the first Green Tourism award

2022 was also the year in which the SUMPs of our Network developed and matured through the various participatory processes and some of them were completed with great success!

The developed projects include the SUMPs of Agios Dimitrios, Vyronas and Keratsini-Drapetsona, while the completed projects include the SUMPs of Thebes and Nikaia-Ag.I. Rentis.

In the coming year, our Network will devote its energies to the support of its members:

1. in their involvement in new European projects and national funding programs
2. in the implementation of the SUMP measures
3. in the elaboration of Local Urban Plans
4. in the elaboration of Urban Accessibility Plans

In this context, do not hesitate to contact us, both for information on the inclusion of your organization in the CIVINET network, and for individual collaborations and synergies!

Thank you to all partners, participants in the activities, supporters and friends of the CIVINET Greece-Cyprus Network!