The Alicante City Council is spearheading the European initiative 'Cities Gateway', which continues the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. This programme aims to connect administrations and share best practices. Representatives from seven municipalities are visiting La Marjal, the city centre, the 'Alicante se mueve' Traffic Control Platform, the Water Intelligence Centre, a virtual assistant, and the sensorisation of the Santa Bárbara Castle over the course of Thursday and Friday.
On Thursday, the Mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala, welcomed representatives from seven European and North American cities participating in the EU Cities Gateway programme, which is supported by the European Union. Alicante is hosting this phase of the initiative alongside Barcelona.
The programme, involving 32 municipalities, seeks to connect administrations and exchange solutions to urban challenges through innovation, digitalisation, and sustainability. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about innovative projects developed in Alicante, such as the La Marjal Flood Park and the Water Intelligence Centre, the city centre, and the 'Alicante se mueve' Digital Traffic Control Platform. They will also explore the AI virtual assistant ALI on the municipal website, digital kiosks for municipal services, and the sensorisation and visitor management of the Santa Bárbara Castle, alongside the municipal strategy Alicante Futura and the AI-assisted Employment Portal.
Mayor Barcala emphasised the city's commitment to innovation, digitalisation, and sustainable urban development through projects that position Alicante as an international reference. This is evidenced by its recognition as one of six European cities semi-finalists for the title of European Capital of Innovation and its participation in high-profile European programmes like EU Cities Gateway. Additionally, La Marjal received the European New European Bauhaus award for its innovative approach to water cycle management and its environmental focus in urban settings.
The representatives from cities in Europe, the United States, and Canada were welcomed by the Mayor in the Blue Room, where he encouraged them to explore the city's sustainable urban innovation projects and enjoy Alicante, which has reaffirmed its status as a leading medium-sized city in the Mediterranean region.
Alicante is among eight cities participating in the urban innovation and digitalisation cluster, a key initiative of the EU Cities Gateway programme, alongside Albuquerque and Fort Worth in the United States, Edmonton and St. John’s in Canada, Trier and Heidelberg in Germany, and Vilnius in Lithuania.
Unlike the global meeting of all participating cities held earlier this week in Barcelona, Alicante's mission over these two days focuses specifically on visiting municipal innovative projects and fostering future cooperation synergies. Antonio Peral, the Councillor for Innovation, who accompanied the Mayor during the reception along with Councillors for Employment and Development, Mari Carmen de España, and Urban Mobility, Carlos de Juan, highlighted that Alicante presents itself as a city offering experiences and solutions to improve governance, quality of life, and sustainable urban management.
During this meeting, there are hopes to identify new areas of opportunity and development, establishing stable collaborative relationships between the participating cities.
