Projects

COPE – Coherent Place-based Climate Action

COPE – Coherent Place-based Climate Action

The COPE (Coherent Place-based Climate Action) Network is an URBACT initiative that supports cities in advancing a green, inclusive, and just transition toward climate neutrality by 2050.

It promotes a place-based and citizen-centered approach to climate action, recognizing local communities and grassroots initiatives as key drivers of sustainable urban transformation. The project strengthens citizen participation in climate governance while ensuring that vulnerable and traditionally underrepresented groups are actively involved in shaping local green policies.

Through participatory methodologies, workshops, and co-creation processes, COPE supports the development of locally driven green strategies tailored to the environmental, social, and urban challenges of participating areas. The focus is on fostering inclusive climate governance, strengthening community ownership, and linking environmental objectives with social cohesion and citizen empowerment within European cooperation frameworks.

COPE | urbact.eu

Ancient Europos – Doiran Lake – Roman Baths Bansko: Crossing Borders for Sustainable Culture and Tourism

The “CulTour – Crossing Borders” project is a cross-border initiative between Greece and North Macedonia, aiming to enhance the role of culture and sustainable tourism as drivers of regional development, social inclusion, and innovation. The project focuses on the preservation, protection, and promotion of key cultural and natural assets, including the archaeological site of Ancient Europos, the Doiran Lake ecosystem, and the Roman Baths of Bansko.

Its main objective is to unlock the untapped potential of shared cultural heritage by creating a unified cultural route across the border region, increasing accessibility, visibility, and visitor engagement. Through innovative approaches such as digital applications (VR/AR), educational activities, and infrastructure improvements, the project aims to attract new audiences, strengthen local economies, and promote year-round tourism.

The partnership brings together four key organizations:
1. The Ephorate of Antiquities of Kilkis (Lead Partner),
2. The Region of Central Macedonia,
3. The Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments and Museum of Strumica, and
4. CISS Skopje.

Each partner contributes specialized expertise, ranging from cultural heritage conservation and infrastructure development to technical support, education, and communication.
Cross-border cooperation lies at the core of the project. Partners jointly design and implement activities, share knowledge, coordinate financial resources, and ensure balanced decision-making. This collaborative approach enables the creation of a cohesive cultural network, strengthens institutional capacity, and fosters long-term cooperation between the two countries.

By promoting cultural exchange, supporting local communities, and generating employment opportunities, the project contributes to sustainable regional growth and social cohesion. Ultimately, CulTour aims to establish a lasting model of cross-border collaboration that enhances cultural identity while delivering tangible economic and social benefits to the wider region

This account is co-funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Ephorate of Cilcis and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the participating countries and the Managing Authority

EnvironmentYou – Environmental Management Enhancement by Youth-run SME

The EnvironmentYou – Environmental Management Enhancement by Youth-run SMEs project focuses on developing specially designed promotion and organisation procedures aiming in the successful diffusion and effective implementation of EMSs in enterprises. The SMEs will be the ones operated by younger people in the cross-border region of Greece and Bulgaria and that are focusing on agricultural activities.

The EnvironmentYou project was launched in June 2019 and will be implemented for two years, in the framework of the Cooperation Programme Interreg V-A “Greece-Bulgaria 2014-2020”, which is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by national funds of the countries participating in the Interreg V-A “Greece-Bulgaria 2014-2020” Cooperation Programme.

URBACT National Campus – Co-Trainer

Proud to have served as Co-Trainer at the URBACT National Campus, where I co-facilitated an intensive two-day capacity-building programme designed for partners of Action Planning Networks.

Together with my co-trainer, I delivered the Campus curriculum focused on supporting cities and stakeholders in navigating the “Preparing Implementation” phase and strengthening the long-term sustainability of their actions beyond the URBACT project lifecycle.

The training combined interactive workshops, peer learning methodologies, collaborative discussions, and practical exercises tailored to participants’ Integrated Action Plans and local realities. The sessions created an inclusive environment for knowledge exchange, strategic reflection, and hands-on learning, enabling participants to transform their urban strategies into actionable and sustainable solutions.

This experience further strengthened my expertise in participatory governance, integrated urban development, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building within European cooperation and urban innovation frameworks.