Nektarios Kalantzis, the President of the European Local Leaders -ELL Group visited Brussels, 10-12 October, 2022, the 20th European Week of Regions and Cities.
As a member of CoR Young Elected Politicians Programme (YEPs) 2022, he met the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Nektarios Kalantzis, the President of the European Local Leaders -ELL Group visited Copenhagen, 01-03 October, 2022 and he met the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Municipality Sophie Hæstorp Andersen at Copenhagen City Hall.
Nektarios Kalantzis, the President of the European Local Leaders -ELL Group visited Lisbon, 8-10 September, 2022.
As a member of European Young Leaders (EYL40) 2022, he met the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas.
Climate change is the defining crisis of our generation, and no corner of our planet is protected or immune.
It’s Time to Act!
Nektarios Kalantzis, President of the European Local Leaders Group was selected to represent Greece at the EU Youth Conference in Prague(11th-13th of July, 2022). ‘Young Voices’ in Greece, is part European wide process called ‘EU Youth Dialogue’ which gives young people all over Europe a chance to ‘have your say’ about decisions affecting your life. Young Voices aims to give young people an opportunity to influence decision makers and policy makers on the themes selected for the EU Youth Dialogue cycle. The focus of this EU Youth Dialogue Cycle is ‘A Greener more Inclusive Europe’.
The Network of Young MEPs & MEPs Stelios Kympouropoulos (Greece, EPP), Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Denmark, Greens/EFA), Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (France, RE), and Alessandra Moretti (Italy, S&D), will host a two-day in-person conference of young local elected politicians from across the European Union. The initiative, which falls under the high patronage of the European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions, is also supported by the Young Elected Politicians Programme and the European Local Leaders Group. Taking place in Brussels, the conference will seek to give young politicians, approximately 70 in total, the opportunity to meet their respective European counterparts, to share their ideas and experiences of the local, national, and EU dimensions, and to learn in greater depth how the EU institutions function. The gathering will give the floor to the young elected leaders themselves, facilitating them to have their voices heard, while also allowing different levels of political governance to meet and discuss the pressing issues of the day. The initiative itself was largely inspired by the successes of the Conference on the Future of Europe, and the European Commission instigated “European Year of Youth 2022.” With few specifically youth oriented events planned for this year, the Young Leaders of Europe Conference was deemed to be both a necessary and timely inter-institutional venture. The two-day event will kick-off on June 21st at 14:30 at the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), during which an assembled panel consisting of MEPs, Mayors and Regional Governors, will engage with the young elected leaders. Senior figures from both the Commission and the CoR will be among those making opening remarks. The theme ‘citizen participation,’ especially as it relates to youth engagement, and how this can foster a sense of democratisation, inspiration, and hope for our future societies, will be the focus point for discussion. A networking cocktail will follow the proceedings later that evening. On the morning of day two, June 22, conference participants will visit the European Parliament, during which further concluding discussions/presentations are planned to take place, including a formal institution tour. The conference will draw to a close that afternoon.
Nektarios Kalantzis, the President of the European Local Leaders -ELL Group visited #Berlin and #Rostock, 9-12 May, 2022. He spoke with representatives from the Deutscher Bundestag, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz, Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag e.V. (DIHK), @BDI – Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, TLGG, @ROSTOCK PORT GmbH, OTC Ocean Technology Campus Rostock, IHK zu Rostock, @Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock #SmileCityRostock and @Bürgerschaft of Rostock! His topics could not be more contemporary: #Digitalization and #Energy #Transition were the pillars, around which he discussed about sustainability and future plans. He found common ground and exchanged experiences on good and bad practices. #team #technology #sustainability #economics #future #energytranstition #energyefficiency #digitalization
Ellgroup- Christmas Greetings from:
Brussels November 1, 2021
Based on our common European origins and roots, the need for understanding between peoples and the need to exchange cultures, the cooperation between the young people of Europe, the so-called Next Generation EU, which will shape the next day in Europe, is more important than ever.
The creation of the Committee of Young Elected Europeans in Cities and Regions, known as European Local Leaders (ELL) is a first in Europe and is a European initiative, with elected young people from all over Europe.
In an effort to promote and contribute to a better future for local governance, we are creating the first European Council of Young Local Leaders (ELL) for young elected leaders in cities and regions across Europe, to discuss the problems of local governance in all parts of Europe, to propose solutions by sharing good practices and to give them the best possible tools and knowledge, helping them to become the young European leaders of tomorrow.
From today, hundreds of young people involved in local government in Europe – elected in cities and regions across Europe – will have the opportunity to come closer and understand better the different cultures that make up Europe’s cultural unity.
The exchange of good practices between European regions and municipalities is more important today, as technology allows the faster development of innovative practices and applications from one European city to another.
Europe’s young leaders should become stakeholders in changing Europe, with the young generation ahead, ELL Under40, under the greatest pressure and called upon to carry the greatest burdens for the Europe of tomorrow, in order to make our cities modern and innovative.
Climate change, smart cities, the use of new technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence, urbanisation, in conjunction with environmental protection, as well as tackling social inequality, should be the priority of the new generation of elected officials in Europe’s cities, where sharing good practices and know-how from other cities is the only way to make our cities innovative and more creative.
Digital governance, e-government, e-services, cycling networks, electromobility, renewable energy and greenery are at the forefront, as our own European history, our human potential, our European heritage, demand that we lead the way to make Europe stronger and more powerful for tomorrow.
The Executive Committee of European Local Leaders (ELL) consists of 100 +1 members from more than 30 countries in Europe, with gender (women and men) represented on an equal basis and in equal numbers.
They are young mayors and young municipal and regional councillors up to 40 years old, from as far away as Rovaniemi in Lapland and Reykjavik to Athens and from the Atlantic coast in Portugal to Belfast, Dublin, the Baltic and the Carpathians.
For a strong and fair Europe!
For more information, visit our website: www.ellgroup.eu
The President,
Nektarios Kalantzis
Like every year, this year World Environment Day will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 5, 2021. Like the previous years, this year World Environment Day Theme 2021 is “Ecosystem restoration”. The theme is selected to create consciousness about resetting our relationship with nature. The United Nations Environment Program declared this theme the previous year.
Nature is sending us a clear message. We are harming the natural world – to our own detriment. To care for humanity, we must care for nature. We need our entire global community to change course.
It is time for all of us to think again what we buy and use. It is time to adopt sustainable habits, farming and business models, keep safe the wild spaces and wildlife and commit to a green and resilient future.
It is time to work together, it is time to put nature where It belongs-at the centre of our decision making. The role of our cities and regions is very important.
Urban areas occupy less than 1 per cent of the Earth’s land surface but house more than half of its people. Despite their steel and concrete, crowds and traffic, cities and towns are still ecosystems whose condition profoundly marks the quality of our lives. Functioning urban ecosystems help clean our air and water, cool urban heat islands, shield us from hazards and provide opportunities for rest and play. They can also host a surprising amount of biodiversity.
European Local Leaders created a video to pass the message across Europe. Our message for the World Environment Day is clear “It Is time for Nature, it is time for the future ”.
If we are to safeguard the environment for future generations, we must take urgent action now to implement development policies, incentives and actions. It is through working together that we will succeed in delivering a sustainable, healthy, and prosperous future for all.
“IT IS TIME NATURE, IT IS TIME FOR THE FUTURE"
The ELL Team
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