Finalising Patras Integrated Action Plan (IAP) and organising the dissemination event for presenting it, were the main topics of the consultation meeting of representatives local stakeholders that took place on 22nd February 2018. The meeting is part of the implementation of ARRIVAL CITIES project by «Patras Municipal Enterprise for Planning & Development-ADEP SA» as one of the project partners.

ARRIVAL CITIES is coordinated by the Municipality of Amadora and funded by the URBACT III program (2014-2020), under axe 1.1.2 "To improve the design of sustainable urban strategies and action plans in cities". The partnership besides Amadora and Patras includes Thessaloniki (GR), Riga (Latvia), Roquetas de Mar (Spain), Vantaa (Finland), Messina (Italy), Oldenburg and Dresden (Germany), as well as Val Le Marne (France).

During the consultation meeting, Patras ULG members and other colleagues representing organisations in the sectors of education, culture, volunteerism, protection of human rights and intercultural relations exchanged on the importance of linking Patras IAP with other programming «tools» of city and the region of Western Greece so that to target its sustainability.

Furthermore, emphasis was put to discussing the content of the dissemination event to be implemented in Patras. A decision was taken to organise it on 30th March 2018 at the conference centre of the new Archaeological Museum of Patras and link the action with the agenda of «European Week against Racism-EWAR 2018». Many interesting ideas came out about Patras activities to be incorporated in EWAR in order to reveal the potential of migrant associations (which are already members of Patras ULG) and also to address anti-stereotyping behavior mostly targeting youth.

Everyone agreed on exchanging thoroughly the upcoming period in order to ensure that added value is produced through the strong networking and participatory process applied among the actions.

It is noteworthy that the «ARRIVAL CITIES» project perfectly relates to the activation of Patras in the "Intercultural Cities-ICC" network of the Council of Europe and «ALDA: European Association of Local Democracy» where the city is an active member for many years now, trying to exploit the diversity advantage and also apply democratic values in practice.

This networking has been exploited by the city of Patras and ARRIVAL CITIES project has been presented on ICC and ALDA websites. Additionally, the current activaiton in EWAR 2018 will be also promoted in «UNITED» network (headquarters in NL).

Patras intends to continously exploit its own local, regional, national and international links, so that to achieve a multiplier effect on the dissemination and exploitation of «ARRIVAL CITIES» results.

(For more info, please contact: Chrissa GERAGA, «ARRIVAL CITIES» Patras Scientific Coordinator / email: [email protected] / tel: +30-2610-361743, 746)