The representatives of the European program partners came from the cities of Albacete (Spain), Daugavpils (Latvia), Vila do Conde (Portugal), Pula (Croatia), Dobrich (Bulgaria), and Lezhë (Albania). During the two-day meeting, each city’s integrated action plan was presented and analyzed in the context of the program, focusing on the redevelopment of public spaces and infrastructure based on the needs and perspectives of children.
On behalf of the Municipality of Central Corfu and the Diapontia Islands, Kapodistriaki Development S.A. presented the progress of its integrated action plan, which sets clear goals such as upgrading public spaces and infrastructure, enhancing social participation, promoting sustainability and green urbanism, and improving well-being as well as physical and mental health. Moreover, emphasis is placed on the governance model and the integration of policies, with two main pillars of implementation.
The first pillar concerns the partnerships of Kapodistriaki Development S.A. with stakeholders and the Municipality, within the framework of the pilot implementation of the integrated strategic plan in the area of the park opposite the Corfu Correctional Facility.
The second pillar focuses on applying the integrated strategic plan to additional public spaces and infrastructures that require intervention. The meeting was coordinated by Mr. Dalietos, General Manager and Head of Development Programs of Kapodistriaki Development S.A. and was opened with greetings by:
- Dr. Angelopoulos, Regional Director of Primary and Secondary Education of the Ionian Islands
- Mr. Vradis, Deputy Mayor for Administration, Planning and European Programs of the Municipality of Central Corfu and the Diapontia Islands
- Mr. Chalikopoulos, Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Sustainable Tourism Development, and Public Relations of the Municipality of Central Corfu and the Diapontia Islands
- Mr. Voulgaris, President of the Corfu Hoteliers Association
- Mr. Revis, CEO of Kapodistrian Development S.A.
- Mr. Buemi, Lead Partner of the Project – Verona, Italy
- Ms. Lioce, Chief Consultant for European Programs
On the second day of the meeting, a session was held between the European partners, the lead partner Mr. Buemi, the chief consultant Ms. Lioce, and the Mayor of Central Corfu and the Diapontia Islands, Mr. Poulimenos. The discussion focused on the progress of the ongoing program, which is approaching successful completion.
In addition, a workshop was organized on the redevelopment of public spaces and infrastructure within the framework of UNESCO World Heritage. The workshop discussed the importance of redeveloping public spaces that can be utilized by children, residents, and visitors of Corfu alike, with the aim of promoting physical activity, mental well-being, cultural events, and more, all while respecting the artistic features of the island’s cultural heritage. The presentation was delivered by Mr. Grammenos, Special Advisor to the Mayor of Central Corfu and the Diapontia Islands for tourism promotion and sustainable tourism development.
The meeting concluded with the commitment of all participants to continue their cooperation and to promote sustainable and innovative solutions for the upgrading of public spaces, always guided by the needs of the local community—especially children.
Municipality of Corfu
