Since 2003, the CIVITAS Forum has been a dynamic conference for smart, inclusive and sustainable urban mobility. The Forum welcomes city representatives, policymakers, practitioners, planners, academics and mobility enthusiasts from across Europe and beyond to exchange ideas, showcase innovation and build lasting connections.
This year, the theme of the CIVITAS Forum is, ‘Roots & Routes: Moving Forward to Competitive, Connected and Resilient Urban Mobility!’. The programme will be structured around three umbrella topics (competitive, connected and resilient mobility) reflecting key priorities for sustainable urban mobility in Europe.
Why Thessaloniki?
Home to around one million residents, Thessaloniki is Greece’s second-largest city and a key economic, innovation and transport hub for Southeast Europe. As the capital of the region of Macedonia, Thessaloniki combines a rich cultural heritage with a strong forward-looking mobility agenda. In 2021, Thessaloniki adopted an ambitious Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) with a clear vision: A vibrant, resilient and functional urban environment where residents and visitors can move easily using combined alternative transport modes, enjoying open seafronts and green public spaces. Key highlights of Thessaloniki’s mobility transformation include:- Prioritising walking and public space reallocation, with low-traffic areas and pedestrian routes
- Advancing multimodality, including electric car- and bike-sharing and mobility hubs
- Acting as a large-scale ITS testbed for cooperative mobility services
- Rolling out a city-wide MaaS scheme integrating public transport and shared mobility
