Cities need to change and grow, but they need to do so in a clever way amid dire budgetary times, said Chrysis Nicolaides, the Head of the organizing committee of the 1st Euro-Mediterranean Conference “SmartBlueCity”.
The conference, taking place between April 14-16, in Limassol, under the auspices of the President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades, is being co-organized by Smart Cities Mediterranean Partnership (SMART-MED), the University of Cyprus and the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA).
More than 25 speakers are expected to address the conference, according to Nicolaides, who said on Monday that the conference theme was “Smart Urban Development and Blue Growth Opportunities for cities, communities and islands in the Mediterranean basin”.
Turning European cities into smart and sustainable living areas was one of the major challenges for the EU and a basic political choice, Nicolaides added.
The Mayor of Limassol, Andreas Christou, said from his part that the conference was focusing in the Mediterranean area, in an attempt to highlight sustainable solutions for cities and islands.
He also expressed satisfaction that the conference was being organized in Limassol.
CNA/SK/AGK/ΜΜ/2016
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY