Category: News from Asia & Australasia

EU-New Zealand: IURC Cities participated at Sustainable Cities Dialogue

The Delegation of the European Union to New Zealand has launched a new seminar series entitled Policy Futures: EU-Aotearoa New Zealand. The purpose is to deepen policy dialogue on issues of mutual relevance, such as climate action, digital policy and the future of multilateralism. The series will support exchanges between New Zealand and EU researchers, practitioners and decision-makers across government,...

Greek Cities & Leh Strengthen Relations on Urban Issues

A 3-member delegation from the Greek cities of Trikala, Farkadona and Meteora visited the mountain city of Leh in India from 5–8 June, 2023 as part of the ongoing cooperation between the two regions. The focus of cooperation is urban planning, while the delegates shared their commonalities and challenges in terms of location, potential for tourism, funding, etc. The delegates...

A Model Cooperation Between Various Stakeholders on Flood Warning

A water-based city, Kochi has 48 km of waterfront development, a water transport system that converges with other modes of transport. Being a city that lies near sea level, any change in ocean levels will affect the city. The city faced one of the worst floods in 2019. Critical assets like main power substations and arterial roads were flooded. Flash...

Bangkok draws food policy inspiration from Milan

An 11-member delegation from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) visited Milan from 22-24 May for a cooperation dialogue with the Municipality of Milan, which includes the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) Secretariat, to discuss cooperation progress and goals within the IURC programme. The 3-day event consisted of meetings, workshops and site visits in which the Bangkok delegates, led by...

Food Tech in the EU and Japan Webinar by EU-Japan Region-to-Region Innovation Cooperation

The EU-Japan Region-to-Region Innovation Cooperation Webinar webinar on Food Tech held on 24 May from 9:00-10:30 CEST aimed to introduce the respective initiatives of European regions and Japanese prefectures on food innovation. From this perspective, experiences, and support on food industry in regions in Europe and Japan were presented and discussed. The rationale of the webinar lays on the fact...

Asia & Australasia: Webinar on Tactical Urbanism – Part 2

Over the past decade, the concept of tactical urbanism (also known as “urban prototyping”) has gained a strong pace in many cities around the globe. Pedestrian plazas, pop-up bike lanes, pop-up parks and innovative playgrounds are just some of the examples developed by city authorities and civil society to improve the liveability of their cities. Actions are piloted in the...

EU-Japan Region-to-Region Innovation Cooperation: Webinar on Food Tech in the EU and Japan

It is not only in industrial manufacturing but also in the food sector that vigorous changes towards green transition are taking place. There is a growing focus on 'food innovation', or food tech, which encompasses the entire food value chains including agriculture, food production, distribution, food service, food preparation, retail and delivery, restaurants, and among others, people’s dietary habits and...

Energy Transition and Hydrogen in the EU and Japan webinar by EU-Japan Region-to-Region Innovation Cooperation

The EU-Japan Region-to-Region Innovation Cooperation Program's webinar on Energy Transition and Hydrogen held on April 27 from 9:00-10:30 CEST aimed to introduce the respective initiatives of European regions and Japanese prefectures for the development and diffusion of hydrogen. The rationale of the webinar lays on the fact that hydrogen energy, which emits no CO2 during consumption is being emphasized as...

Smart Specialisation Strategy for Startups and Open Innovation Webinar by EU-Japan Region-to-Region Innovation Cooperation

The EU-Japan Region-to-Region Innovation Cooperation Program's webinar on Smart Specialization Strategy for Startups and Open Innovation held on April 26 from 9:00-10:30 CEST aimed to serve as a platform for EU regions and Japanese prefectures to exchange information and best practices on how innovation creation is developing through supporting startups and the promotion of open innovation in line with the...

Bangkok and Milan implement pilot action on food policy and plan exchange visit

On 27 April, Bangkok and Milan held a meeting to provide updates on Bangkok’s District Food Management Sandbox initiative and discuss the programme of an exchange visit in which Bangkok will take part in Milan. The participants on the Bangkok side included the food policy working group, set up for cooperation with Milan within the IURC framework and led by...