The historic Greek port city of Thessaloniki is set to host delegates at the CIVITAS Forum 2026, an international, three-day conference focusing on “smart, inclusive and sustainable urban mobility.” The Forum aims to bring together city representatives, policymakers, practitioners, planners, academics, and mobility enthusiasts from across Europe and beyond to exchange ideas, showcase innovation and build lasting connections.
Taking place from 15-17 September 2026 at the Thessaloniki Convention and Cultural Centre, this year’s 24th edition of the CIVITAS Forum is themed “Roots & Routes: Moving Forward to Competitive, Connected and Resilient Urban Mobility!” The programme will be structured around those three umbrella topics (competitive, connected, and resilient mobility), reflecting key priorities for sustainable urban mobility in Europe. EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas will attend the final plenary.
Delegates will have the opportunity to share best practices and discover strategies for creating sustainable, competitive, and adaptable transport systems that connect various modes of transport, from walking and cycling to shared mobility and electric vehicles. Organisers promise sessions on financing, accessibility and safety, and the mobility-energy nexus, and an approach that will highlight the role of technology, community engagement, and resilience in shaping cities that are “ready for the future while meeting the needs of all residents today.”
A northwest Aegean coastal city founded in 315 BCE that has become Greece’s second capital and a major tourist maritime hub now home to around a million people, Thessaloniki is perfectly suited to an event exploring how cities can blend their historical foundations with innovative approaches to mobility.
Welcoming the forum, city mayor Stelios Angeloudis said in a statement: “Thessaloniki is a city where history runs deep—a historic crossroads of cultures and civilisations for over two millennia.” Going on to acknowledge the “pressing challenges of the climate crisis” the mayor said the city “is actively transforming its urban landscape. Our administration is committed to an ambitious, green, and digital transition. We envision a more sustainable, resilient, and accessible city that elevates the quality of life for all residents, workers, and visitors alike.”
Angeloudis also pointed to the city’s “new metro system, the rapid electrification and modernisation of our public bus fleet, the expansion of smart traffic management, and our ongoing efforts to reclaim public space through extensive pedestrian and waterfront rejuvenations,” as positive examples of change that Thessaloniki has already undertaken. As well as attending the conference, delegates are invited to take the chance to experience the host city’s hospitality and witness first-hand what the mayor called “our urban evolution.”
