Resilient Thessaloniki A Strategy for 2030

A Strategy for 2030 Contents Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary82. Introduction123. Vision for a Resilient Thessaloniki144. Thessaloniki: a City in Transformation165. Resilience Journey226. Thessaloniki's Goals, Objectives and Actions28 •Goal 1: Shape a thriving and sustainable city34•Goal 2: Co-create an inclusive city58•Goal 3: Build a dynamic urban economy90•Goal 4: Re-discover the city's relationship with the sea114 7. Monitoring and Implementation134 Appendix 136 A. Summary of Goals, Objectives and Actions137B. Indicators145 Glossary147 Acknowledgements148 Letter from MayorYiannis Boutaris 2030 is not far away - it is 13 years in the horizon. Looking back 13 years, wewere celebrating the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece, only few years fromthe economic and political crisis. Significant changes can happen in 13 yearsand our city has survived many of those over the centuries. Thessaloniki used to be an important crossroad of cultures and populations,a melting pot of various religions and ethnicities that managed to coexistsmoothly and positively. This embedded complexity is reflected in the presentcultural richness of the city, the pride and unique identity of the people. Our administration was the first, after many years of introversion, to open upthe city again to the world. Since 2011, we doubled the number of internationalvisitors in Thessaloniki, we created a safety net for the most vulnerable,we provided communities with spaces for expression and action, whilstimplementing robust internal administration and financial reform. Now is time to maximize our efforts further, to ensure a legacy for futuregenerations and together, create a new roadmap for the ongoing developmentof the city. Our participation in the “100 Resilient Cities” network is anopportunity to be part of a global community of cities and people, and todevelop a holistic strategy for the future of Thessaloniki. Yiannis BoutarisMayor of Thessaloniki How do we want Thessaloniki to be in 2030? What are the challenges todayand tomorrow? What should the focus of our work be over the next years? •Designing and providing mobility that serves our citizens•Developing an urban economy agenda that invests in the human talentof the city and supports local economic clusters such as tourism, creativeeconomy, and historic central markets•Making the city welcoming to new residents, especially those coming fromcountries affected by war•Co-creating and activating public spaces and re-discovering the city’srelationship with the sea•Developing partnerships and enhancing collaboration among themunicipalities of metropolitan Thessaloniki The strategy comprises around 30 ideas that will define our actions andpolicies. Thessaloniki was, is and will remain great, it is open to change andprogress, it is a place for people to act and interact. We strive to achieve our vision for a resilient Thessaloniki, and we are confidentwe will achieve it. For Thessaloniki, for the pride of its citizens, for futuregenerations. Letter from President of 100Resilient Cities Michael Berkowitz On behalf of the entire 100 Resilient Cities family, I want to congratulate thecity of Thessaloniki, Mayor Boutaris, and Chief Resilience Officer and DeputyMayor in Urban Resilience and Development Planning, Lina Liakou on therelease of “Thessaloniki 2030” the city’s Resilience Strategy, a major milestonefor the city and 100RC’s partnership with it. An ancient city with a rich history,Thessaloniki builds on its past as it lays the foundations for a resilient future.Thessaloniki 2030 sets forth an extraordinary vision of urban resilience for allthe residents who call this city home. From its perch on Thermaikos Bay, Thessaloniki has, for thousands of years,served as an important cultural crossroads, with an uncommonly long historyof diversity, tolerance, and vibrant culture. As the city transforms, it usesthis past as a guide for many of the modern challenges it now faces, such asshifting demographics that include an aging population and wave of refugeesfrom Syria. This Strategy is a testament to Thessaloniki’s reorientationtowards its future, and a commitment to implementing actions that ensurethe city survives and thrives in the face of its various challenges. From theoutset, Mayor Boutaris has shown his commitment to the realization of thisvision by appointing the world’s first Deputy Mayor for Urban Resilience andDevelopment Planning, ensuring the city has the resources and support for thisfar-reaching strategy to succeed. Michael BerkowitzPresident of 100 Resilient Cities This document addresses not only potential shocks such as the sudden influxof thousands of refugees, earthquakes, heat waves, and floods, but also thecity’s multiple stresses, such as air pollution caused by an overreliance oncars, high unemployment, and the continuing effects of the national austeritymeasures instituted in 2008. It is not a theoretical blueprint, but rather aconcrete strateg