Participation of the PABSEC International Secretariat in the European Conference on Beautiful, Sustainable and Inclusive Cities, Online, streamed from Malmö, Sweden, 14-15 June 2023
On 14-15 June 2023, Mr. Miltiadis Makrygiannis, PABSEC Deputy Secretary General, took part virtually in the European Conference on Beautiful, Sustainable and Inclusive Cities, which was organized under the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The EU’s Urban Agenda and European policies and initiatives towards greener cities formed the basis of the event. Links between the green city vision and initiatives such as New European Bauhaus and the European Mission Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities 2030 were explored, stressing the relevance of integrated approaches towards sustainable urban development.
The conference included prominent international keynote speakers, cross-thematic panel sessions, digital training sessions and several other events. The conference provided an opportunity to strengthen the European bonds and networks with participants from the public and private sectors, professionals and academics, who together will influence the creation of beautiful, sustainable and inclusive cities for the future. The aim was to share knowledge and methods, showcase best practices and discuss ‘next practices’.
Several times was pointed that a rapid green transition of European cities and communities is urgently needed. Our living environments are central to the envisioned change. Internationally coordinated goals and initiatives are guiding the European work. On the ground, communities, public authorities, the private sector, financial institutions and universities are collaborating to contribute to the transformation. Important know-how is being developed to increase the pace, reach and impact of change actions. However, it seems that not all values have been incorporated and not all perspectives have been considered and there is a need to leverage society’s green transition by integrating aesthetic, social, and cultural values.