The City of Bari welcomed the international delegation of the project “EchoGreen – Reshaping Our Environment”, funded by the European programme CERV Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values, Thematic Networking of Twinned Towns – European Conferences.
The delegation was received at Palazzo della Città, where participants were greeted by local authorities and had the opportunity to meet and exchange with Mayor Vito Leccese. During the visit, certificates were also formally presented to the representatives of the partner organisations in recognition of their commitment to the project.
The project, led by the Maltese city of Siġġiewi and involving 13 partners from across the European Union (Malta, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Greece, Cyprus, Estonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Latvia), focused on environmental protection, climate change, the European Green Deal and the circular economy, with the objective of exploring, learning and collaborating on good practices that may secure a sustainable future for the next generations.
The two-day programme in Bari represented the third of six conferences scheduled through July 2026, following previous sessions held in Siġġiewi (Malta) and Holloko (Hungary).
Bari’s Deputy Mayor Giovanna Iacovone opened the meeting by expressing the city’s pleasure in hosting the delegation and by illustrating the strategic priorities of the municipal administration, aligned with the goals of EchoGreen. She highlighted the importance of sharing experiences and working together to identify effective actions that cities can take to address climate-related challenges and protect the environment through both small and large scale interventions in urban regeneration and circular economy initiatives.
Elda Perlino, Councillor for Climate, Ecological Transition and Environment, added that the programme offered participants the opportunity to discover Bari through symbolic sites that reflect its identity, as well as the city’s ongoing projects aimed at tackling climate change, urban green development, soil-consumption reduction, water reuse, and recycling.
The delegation included representatives from partner municipalities, universities and associations.
The group visited the Centro Regionale Mare (CRM) of Arpa Puglia, the regional unit responsible for high-level technical activities linked to the marine environment. They were welcomed by Arpa Puglia’s Director General, Vito Bruno.
In the afternoon, the working sessions took place in the City Council chamber of Palazzo della Città, focusing on “Climate Change and Territorial Fragility” and “Climate Risk Management: Protecting People and Well-being.”
On Thursday, 4 December, the delegation was scheduled to visit Bari Vecchia, the Petruzzelli Theatre and the historic headquarters of the Apulian Aqueduct.
The final afternoon session, hosted at the Apulian Aqueduct, was dedicated to “Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation”, followed by an educational simulation for local schools entitled “The Factory of the Future – The Sustainable City.”
