The Cyprus Forum Cities 2026, co-organised by Oxygen for Democracy together with the Limassol Municipality and the Cyprus University of Technology, and held under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, brought together mayors, senior officials, policymakers, academics, technocrats, and civil society representatives in Limassol for high-level dialogue on the future of local governance in Cyprus and Europe. Discussions centred on advancing local government reform, strengthening the financial autonomy of municipalities, building citizen trust in local institutions, promoting sustainable urban mobility, modernising waste management through approaches such as the Pay-As-You-Throw system, and harnessing the potential of biogas and organic waste for the energy transition.
Contributions from mayors and institutional representatives underscored Cyprus’s commitment to translating policy into practice at the local level, while international speakers, including a member of the European Committee of the Regions and the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, gave the forum a European and global dimension, connecting Cyprus to the broader conversation on the future of cities.
With panels examining the implementation of local government reform, urban planning, sustainable mobility, the relationship between the EU and cities, and the role of young people in shaping democratic processes through initiatives such as EkfraCY, the forum offered an open and action-oriented platform for addressing the priorities that will define Cyprus’s urban and rural landscape in the years ahead.
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