PRESS RELEASE: CERV-2024-Network of Towns GreenMove fifth meeting in Cyprus

PRESSITEADE//PRESS RELEASE (below in ENGLISH)

PAPHOS, KÜPROS – 6. märts 2026 – GreenMove’i projekti 5. rahvusvaheline kohtumine toimus 2.–5. märtsil 2026 Küprosel Paphoses. Vaatamata tõsistele reisitõrgetele, mis mõjutasid üheksat partnerriiki 16-st, sai kohtumine siiski läbi viidud. Projektipartnerid kinnitasid, et nad on pühendunud kestlike ja kaasavate liikumisvõimaluste arendamisele üle Euroopa.

Kohtumise korraldas Paphos Aphrodite Arendusagentuur (ANETPA). Seekord oli teemaks „Transporditaristu: terviklik lähenemine ühiskonna arengule“. Kasutati hübriidformaati, mis võimaldas osaleda ka neil, kes kohale reisida ei saanud.

IDEEDEST TEGUDENI: TÕELINE EUROOPA KOOSTÖÖ

Keeruline julgeolekuolukord Lähis-Ida piirkonnas ja lennutõrked takistasid üheksa riigi esindajatel kohale sõitmast. Kohtumist ei lükatud siiski edasi ega jäetud ära. Selle asemel korraldati töö ümber nii, et partnerid said osaleda veebis, teha esitlusi ning võtta aktiivselt osa aruteludest ja töötubadest. Kõik 17 partnerorganisatsiooni 16 riigist osalesid kohtumisel. Kolme päeva jooksul töötas ja arutles umbes 80 osalejat – nii kohapeal kui ka veebi teel.

GREENMOVE’I SIHID ON PAIGAS

Paphose kohtumine aitas kaasa jõuda projekti põhieesmärgini: siduda Euroopa Liidu väärtused kohaliku liikumisplaneerimisega.

Olulisemad tulemused:

• Kõik 16 partnerriiki andsid ülevaate kohalikest liikumisvõimalustest ja -süsteemidest.

• Töötubades arutati kodanike kaasamist, osalusplaneerimist ja kestlikku linnaliikuvust.

• Ümarlaudades osalesid kohalikud omavalitsused, transporditeenuste pakkujad ja kogukonnaliikmed.

• Tutvuti Paphosega kui 2023. aasta Euroopa nutika turismi pealinnaga ning saadi teada, kuidas ühendada kultuuripärand kestliku arenguga.

• Liiguti edasi kestliku eluviisi interaktiivse käsiraamatu (GISLG) viienda peatüki sisuloomega, mis keskendub transporditaristule ja ühiskonna terviklikule arengule.

EUROOPA KOOSTÖÖPRAKTIKA. EDASI VALONGOSSE

Paphose kohtumine näitas, et GreenMove’i partnerlust hoiavad koos üksmeel, koostöö ja järjepidevus. Järgmine ja ühtlasi viimane, 6. rahvusvaheline kohtumine toimub 2026. aasta maikuus Portugalis Valongos. Teemaks on „Kestlikkus ja sotsiaalne kaasatus: naiste võimestamine maapiirkondades läbi liikumisvõimaluste parendamise“.

GREENMOVE’ist

GreenMove on Euroopa Komisjoni rahastatav projekt programmi CERV-2024 „Linnade võrgustikud“ raames. Projekti eesmärk on toetada maapiirkondi ja saari, edendades jätkusuutlikke liikumislahendusi. Konsortsiumisse kuulub 17 partnerorganisatsiooni 16-st Euroopa riigist. Projekti aluseks on „Demos-Kratos’e“ filosoofia – püsiv muutus sünnib siis, kui (oma)valitsused ja kodanikud tegutsevad koos.

Projekti veebileht: www.greenmove.site

Meediakontakt:

Chris Mammides / info@rtisnetwork.org

ENG

PRESS RELEASE

Against All Odds: GreenMove Consortium Triumphs with Historic 5th Meeting in Paphos, Cyprus

PAPHOS, CYPRUS – March 6, 2026 – In a powerful testament to European resilience and solidarity, the GreenMove project successfully convened its 5th transnational meeting in Paphos, Cyprus, from March 2 to 5, 2026. Against a backdrop of significant travel disruptions affecting nine of the 16 participating countries, the consortium demonstrated unwavering commitment to its mission of advancing sustainable, inclusive mobility across Europe.

The event, hosted by the Development Agency Paphos Aphrodite (ANETPA) under the theme "Transportation Infrastructure: Adopting a Holistic Approach to Societal Progress," brought together the full strength of the GreenMove partnership through an innovative hybrid format that ensured no partner was left behind.

RESILIENCE IN ACTION: A TRUE EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT

When severe weather conditions and transport strikes made travel impossible for delegations from nine partner countries, the consortium refused to accept postponement or cancellation. Instead, the GreenMove network mobilized its collective expertise to deliver a seamless hybrid meeting experience, with partners joining remotely to deliver their national presentations and actively participate in all workshops, roundtables, and discussions.

"This was GreenMove at its finest," said a representative of ANETPA, the host organization. "When faced with obstacles, our network didn't falter—it innovated. Partners who could not travel physically were present in spirit and in substance, delivering high-quality presentations via our hybrid platform. The dialogue was uninterrupted, the collaboration was authentic, and the outcomes were as rich as if everyone had been in the room."

Despite the logistical challenges, the meeting achieved 100% participation from all 17 partner organizations across 16 countries, with approximately 80 delegates—both in-person and virtual—engaging in three days of intensive knowledge exchange and co-creation.

DELIVERING ON THE GREENMOVE VISION

The Paphos meeting successfully advanced the project's core mission of embedding EU values into local mobility planning. Key achievements include:

• In-depth national presentations from all 16 partner countries, providing a comprehensive overview of diverse European mobility ecosystems

• Interactive workshops on citizen engagement strategies, participatory planning methods, and sustainable urban mobility

• Roundtable discussions uniting local authorities, transportation providers, and community members

• Cultural immersion in Paphos—the 2023 European Capital of Smart Tourism—showcasing the integration of heritage with sustainable innovation

• Critical progress on the fifth chapter of the Interactive Sustainable Living Guidebook (GISLG), focused on transportation infrastructure and holistic societal progress

A TESTAMENT TO EUROPEAN COOPERATION

The successful delivery of the Paphos meeting against significant odds underscores the fundamental strength of the GreenMove partnership: a shared commitment to European values of solidarity, cooperation, and perseverance. "What we witnessed in Paphos was the Demos-Kratos philosophy in action," remarked a consortium coordinator. "When citizens and municipalities are united by a common purpose, obstacles become opportunities. Our partners refused to let geography or circumstances diminish our collective work. This is the true spirit of Europe."

LOOKING FORWARD: THE FINAL MEETING IN VALONGO

With the Paphos milestone achieved, the GreenMove consortium now sets its sights on the 6th and final transnational meeting, to be hosted by the Municipality of Valongo, Portugal, in May 2026. The Valongo meeting will focus on "Sustainable and Social Inclusion: Empowering Women in Mountainous Regions through Mobility and Gender Equality," bringing the project's journey full circle by addressing one of the most critical dimensions of inclusive mobility.

ABOUT GREENMOVE

Funded by the European Commission under the CERV-2024-Network of Towns initiative, GreenMove is a groundbreaking project dedicated to protecting, promoting, and raising awareness of rural and island areas through sustainable mobility. The consortium brings together 17 partner organizations from 16 European countries, united by the "Demos-Kratos" philosophy—the belief that lasting change is driven by empowered municipalities and actively engaged citizens.

Project Platform: www.greenmove.site

Media Contact:

Chris Mammides / info@rtisnetwork.org