In an event, the City of Athens played host to the B40 Working Group Meetings from November 1 to 3, 2023, drawing the participation of 38 representatives from B40 member cities across four dynamic working groups.

The kickoff on November 1 featured an exclusive welcome reception, graciously hosted by the City of Athens with the participation of Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis, the B40 Network’s Term President and Mayor of Athens, engaged with working group members. Inspiring speeches were delivered by Mr. Barbaros Büyüksağnak, the Permanent Secretary of the B40 Network, and Mr. Tassos Kriekoukis, Diplomatic Advisor to the Mayor of Athens.

The following day saw the working groups immersed in two segments of intensive discussions. Each group embarked on enlightening site visits related to their respective areas of expertise. Participants not only had the chance to witness exemplary practices firsthand but also engaged in a fruitful exchange of experiences with City of Athens officials.

Key highlights included the Local Democracy and Migration Working Group’s visits to the Migrants’ Integration Centre of the City of Athens and the Athens Municipal Mutual Aid Hub facilities. The Smart Cities and Digital Transformation Working Group explored the cutting-edge 3D Printer facility of Athens Municipality. Meanwhile, the Local Economic and Cultural CooperationWorking Group delved into the rich history and features of the Benaki Museum. The Local Climate Action Working Group ventured into the vital Acropolis vicinity to witness biodiversity initiatives, even witnessing the installation of a B40-branded QR code on a tree near a primary school.

Beyond the immersive site visits, the City of Athens’ Serafio Athletic & Community Complex facility played host to engaging working group meetings. These sessions fueled interactive discussions among group members, with a special focus on showcasing city initiatives and sharing success stories.

Noteworthy deliberations emerged from the B40 Smart Cities and Digital Transformation Working Group, where the B40 Open Data Portal and B40 Hackathon Project took center stage. The Open Data Portal, boasting 600 data sets from 10 cities, is set to expand further, with a decision to share the portal guide with all member cities. Meanwhile, the collaborative spirit continued with plans to identify common challenges through a survey for the ongoing Hackathon Project, to be led by City of Tirana.

Cultural diversity and practices took center stage during the Local Economic and Cultural Cooperation Working Group Meeting. Participants passionately discussed cultural activities during holidays in their respective cities, unveiling a mosaic of traditions and experiences. Challenges within cultural networks were addressed, aiming to identify common obstacles and foster stronger cultural collaborations among B40 cities.

In the Local Democracy and Migration Working Group, officials from the Athens Municipality and Izmir Metropolitan Municipality presented their city initiatives. The participants delved into common challenges faced by municipalities, with a particular emphasis on the need for sustainable solutions. The significance of sustainability in municipal efforts was emphasized, along with the crucial cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO) across four cities. Additionally, the meeting also focused on sharing good practices on women’s employment and entrepreneurship among B40 Cities and discussed the forms filled in by the participating cities.

The Local Climate Action Working Group delved into the pivotal theme of Biodiversity Awareness and Actions, unveiling Athens Municipality’s comprehensive 2023 Climate Action Plan. A unique initiative encouraging awareness of the benefits of natural environments and urban trees saw participants receive QR code-plated tags to be attached to the tree near schools in their cities. The first tag was attached to a tree in the Acropolis neighborhood in Athens.

The meeting concluded with a focus on the importance of sharing best practices among B40 cities. Concrete steps were taken, including the creation of a common email group and plans for regular webinars to facilitate ongoing knowledge exchange.

The Athens Working Group Meetings proved to be a pivotal moment, fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and a collective commitment to sustainable urban development among B40 member cities. All participants returned to their cities after the working group meetings in Athens to continue the activities at the Tirana Summit in 2024.