countdown to the 3rd "SmartBlueCity" Euro-Mediterranean Conference 2018
5-6 October 2018



Why attend





transfer European and International experience to cities and islands
in the Mediterranean...



The 1st 'SmartBueCity' Conference took place in Limassol-Cyprus in 2016





About the 2nd 'SmartBlueCity'
Euro-Mediterranean Conference 2017





The focus of the conference is on “Smart, Inclusive and Resilient Small and Medium-sized Cities and Island Communities in the Mediterranean: Exploring Current Research Paths and Experience-based Evidence”.


The Mediterranean region is nowadays considered as a hotspot in many respects, with unpredicted repercussions with regards to the achievement of a sustainable future for its population. More specifically, it is perceived as:

  • An environmental hot spot, trapped into a resource-intensive model overexploiting local resources, especially in the marine part;
  • A climate change hotspot, associated with warming and drying that place severe risks and stresses on socio-economic and natural systems;
  • A biodiversity hotspot, rating quite low as to the percentage of remaining natural vegetation;
  • A water hotspot, facing a constantly heightening rate of water stress;
  • A natural risk hotspot, showing high vulnerability as regards disastrous natural events (e.g. floods, earthquakes).
  • An urbanization hotspot, with an intensive and steadily increasing urbanization pattern;
  • A solid waste generation hotspot, producing almost half of EU waste, depicting further increasing patterns;
  • An economic recession hotspot, beat mostly by debt crisis, deep recession, and austerity;
  • A brain drain hotspot, with severe socio-economic consequences.
  • A migration hotspot, as a result of the political instability in the Mediterranean neighbourhood.


Who can participate





The conference aims to create a platform for interaction and knowledge exchange among the key actors involved in urban development issues, namely: (a) citizens and policy makers; (b) scientific community; and (c) industry and local stakeholders. This interaction will support the building of bonds of both horizontal nature (within the above groups, e.g. cities, industry, academia) and vertical nature (among cities, academia and industry), opening up a range of new opportunities and challenges for future cooperation.



Organizing Committee