Small Cities, Big Impact - European Week of Regions and Cities "Close to you" side event

The Small Cities, Big Impact session, part of the European Week of Regions and Cities "Close to you" side event, will take place on 10 October 2024, 10:00 to 11:00 CET, at Rue du Trône 98 and online.

Small and Medium-sized Cities (SMCs) offer an ideal environment for testing and implementing new transport technologies and services to address key urban mobility issues. However, these cities should not be viewed merely as 'locations for innovation'; instead, they should take the lead in co-creating solutions with the private sector to tackle their unique transport challenges.

The POLIS x EWRC Small Cities, Big Impact session, part of the European Week of Regions and Cities 'Close to you' side event series, will bring together representatives from various cities to:

1. Showcase the achievements and innovations of SMCs, demonstrating their role as dynamic hubs of innovation that can inspire other cities;
2. discuss both shared and unique challenges faced by SMCs in urban mobility;
3. facilitate knowledge exchange and share best practices for implementing urban mobility solutions tailored to local needs;
4. emphasise the importance of citizen engagement in ensuring the success of sustainable policies.

Speakers include:

• Esmée Hof, Project Coordinator - EU Projects Mobility, City of Mechelen
• Paolo Gandolfi, Director of Urban Mobility Service, City of Reggio Emilia
• Runa Monstad, Director, Stavanger Region European Office
• Niina Ruuska, Senior Specialist, Climate Team, City of Turku
• Daniel de Klein, Business Development Manager – Digital City, City of Helmond

The session will be moderated by Guido Rink, Vice-Mayor of Municipality of Emmen, and Member of the Committee of the Regions.