Within the EU programme that promotes cooperation on sustainable urban development and building partnerships between EU cities and cities of the Asian and Australasia region – International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia and Australasia, a delegation from the City of Rijeka led by mayor Marko Filipović is paying a return working visit to the Japanese city of Kawasaki with the aim of exchanging experiences, challenges and best practices in the field of sustainable development and identification of potential projects for further cooperation.
In addition to mayor Filipović, the Rijeka delegation, also includes Jana Sertić, head of the Department of Entrepreneurship, and Tajana Jukić Neznanović, the mayor’s advisor for energy, beside them, the working meeting in Kawasaki is also attended by representatives of the City of Zagreb.
Namely, within the project IURC Asia and Australasia, the Croatian cities, Zagreb and Rijeka, were chosen for cooperation with the Japanese city of Kawasaki, so that within the project, they organise mutual study visits during which the project partners exchange experiences related to common challenges that they face, but from significantly different perspectives.
During their stay in Kawasaki, the delegations from Rijeka and Zagreb will learn about projects promoted in Kawasaki, such as a hotel that uses hydrogen as an energy source, a large solar power plant, a project aimed at converting an area with heavy and petrochemical industry into a “carbon neutral” industrial area, etc.
Given that Japan is known for the development of new technologies and for respecting and preserving its heritage and culture, we are happy that we have an opportunity to see a successful combination of new technology, cultural heritage and nature, i.e. experience of Kawasaki in the use of renewable energy sources – said mayor Filipović .
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- Delegation of the City of Rijeka on a return working visit to Kawasaki
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- Delegation of the City of Rijeka on a return working visit to Kawasaki
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- Delegation of the City of Rijeka on a return working visit to Kawasaki
Last year in November, within this project, a delegation from Kawasaki paid visit to Rijeka, and on that occasion the work and development of the city with an emphasis on energy, IT and cultural topics were presented to the guests. The Development Plan of the City of Rijeka 2021-2027, the sustainable development of the city and the mitigation of climate change, as well as capital city projects: Art quarter Benčić and Energana – Startup incubator for creative technologies and the IT industry were presented to the guests. Visits to the Sugar Refinery Palace and the Torpedo Production Park were also organised. The guests also visited the Lurssen Design Centre, and the development of the project relating to the future ACI Marina Rijeka in Porto Baroš were presented to them, with an emphasis on the sustainable and green components of the project.
In addition to cooperation through the EU project IURC Asia and Australasia, Rijeka and Kawasaki have been fostering friendly cooperation since 1997, when they became sister cities. On this track, the Rijeka delegation in Kawasaki holds additional meetings with the mayor of Kawasaki, Norihiko Fukuda, and his colleagues.