The Athens Partnership (AP) released its 2018 Annual Report, detailing the outcomes of its public-private initiatives in Athens, Greece. Since its inception in 2015, AP has directly served more than 150,000 Athenians through its innovative programs in areas including education, community and economic development, social inclusion, technology and culture. AP has engaged over 300 partners in both the public and private sectors to advance projects in coordination with municipal government.
“The Athens Partnership’s programmatic success is thanks to an incredible – and increasing – network of collaborators and supporters,” said Alexandros Kambouroglou, Executive Director of the Athens Partnership. “These programs are sparking change in municipal government, bringing together cross-sector partners in meaningful ways, and garnering international acclaim.
With lead support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and a growing network of partners, AP has lead more than 14 major initiatives in coordination with the . In 2018, Athens was recognized as the European Capital of Innovation by the European Commission, stemming from a range of innovative efforts that included 13 AP initiatives, more than half of the Athens dossier in consideration for the award.
AP’s 2018 accomplishments include:
The Athens Open Schools program exceeded 30,000 participants since its launch, both adults and children. Free classes offered ranged from theater for teenagers by the National Theater to Cisco Networking Academy course and accreditation on CCNA Routing & Switching.
The Designed for Better Learning program launched the City’s first Municipal Maker Space, in collaboration with the Technical University of Crete and with a founding grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. More than 1300 students and teachers were trained in the pilot phase. Over 1.5 million euro in City funding has now been secured for Designed for Better Learning and the Maker Space, ensuring future funding and sustainability under the City’s oversight.
AP and its partners launched the first Municipal Maker Space in Greece, located in central Athens.
The Commercial Triangle project supported the revitalization of the city’s historic center, where a cumulative 30 million euro of private investments has been realized since the start of the program. Ground floor occupancy increased by 25% and new “smart” apps were piloted in collaboration with the local business community, for smart LED lighting and smart waste disposal.
The Commercial Triangle project is creating new pedestrian streets in the center of Athens, upgrading networks, removing graffiti tags from historic buildings and inviting artists to create works of public art.
Digital and technology initiatives supported by the Digital Council were launched as part of the City of Athens’ 15 million euro investment plan. Projects launched included initiatives run through the Athens Digital Lab, the Municipal Maker Space, Commercial Triangle project, and Athens Open Schools.
The Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee issues (ACCMR) enhanced the City’s refugee response, with 92 of the leading government and nonprofit organizations active in the field. ACCMR also supported the creation and operation of the first “Cities Network for Integration”, joining 13 Greek Municipalities that host a large number of refugees to exchange know-how and work towards common solutions.
Building on the success of AP’s Athens Tourism Partnership, a new coalition, known as This & Athens & Partners, was formed between the City of Athens and major tourism enterprises to develop projects that boost economic growth and job creation by attracting investment, businesses, events and visitors. The success of these sustained efforts led to a 10% year-on-year rise in tourist visitation numbers in 2018.
Read the 2018 Annual Report.