Today marks the kickoff of Eurocities 2024 in Cluj-Napoca, as the city hosts the annual conference of cities from the Eurocities network. This event is being held in an Eastern European city for the first time. The conference, which brings together representatives of local administrations from across Europe, is themed “Green.Innovative.Resilient” and takes place from May 29-31, 2024.
The aim of this event is to connect city representatives and facilitate discussions to find concrete solutions to current urban challenges such as climate change, mobility, cultural heritage, and more. Under the slogan “Europe Begins in Cluj-Napoca,” our invitation to Eurocities is to collaborate at local, regional, national, and European levels so that our communities can thrive through cooperation. Increasing climate change and social inequalities present significant challenges in the European Union, and cities play a crucial role in addressing and mitigating these issues.
In line with its commitment to sustainability and quality of life, Cluj-Napoca has explored innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Sustainable mobility is one of the primary objectives of the city's investments in the green transition. Actions include modernising the public transport fleet, implementing urban mobility policies, and developing infrastructure for electric vehicles. Additionally, we have initiated projects to modernise public buildings with energy-efficient technologies. Cluj-Napoca has also been selected for the European Commission's “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030” mission. This program represents “the beginning of a long journey towards climate neutrality, one that will transform cities towards sustainable development,” stated Mayor Emil Boc.
Eurocities 2024 Cluj-Napoca, taking place a week before the European Parliament elections, provides city leaders with a unique opportunity to share their experiences and expectations for the next five years. Cities can highlight their commitment to a greener, more innovative, and resilient Europe, and offer the future European Parliament and Commission a strong alliance to strengthen the future not only of our continent but also of our planet.
The Eurocities 2024 General Assembly will also adopt the new strategic document for the next five years, aligned with the new mandate of the Parliament and the Commission.
This event represents a final common opportunity before the European elections to present the cities' expectations to the new institutions, offer a strategic alliance, and encourage citizens to vote to secure Europe's future and, indirectly, the future of their cities.
Eurocities is a European network that includes Cluj-Napoca alongside over 200 cities from 38 countries. The organisation's goal is to create collaborative processes among member cities, providing the necessary platform for local representatives to exchange experiences and best practices.
Also in Cluj-Napoca, at a festive gala, the winners of the Eurocities Competition will be announced. The 2024 edition focuses on three categories, with finalists including Madrid, Bordeaux, Aix Marseille Provence, Zurich, Gdansk, Rotterdam, Pau, Porto, and Dortmund.
Cluj-Napoca was officially announced as the host city for the 2024 Eurocities Annual Conference at the Brussels Urban Summit 2023, an international event that brought together participants from over 100 cities. Our city won the bid to host this conference following a selection by an international jury.
Details about the conference, participants, and the program can be found on the official website: Eurocities 2024 Cluj-Napoca.
