Athens has launched new “Adopt Your City” program

Mayor Bakoyannis calls on residents to get involved and improve the city

The Greek capital has launched an initiative to get individuals, businesses and organizations involved in an effort to improve the quality of life in the downtown area.  

The “Adopt Your City” program gives participants the unique opportunity to take on the cost of maintenance of a street, sidewalk, public square, park, playground or even a single bench, in cooperation with the Athens Municipality.  

This innovative initiative aims to involve private and public entities as well as city-dwellers in actions planned for the improvement of life in Athens.

Athens Mayor calls on residents to get involved and improve the city 

Kostas Bakoyannis, Mayor of Athens presented the project as a “new model of public policy” with the involvement of the business and academic communities and civil society. He is calling on residents to actively join upgrade efforts through the new program.

Mayor Bakoyannis further added that “Athens, our city, is the municipal authority’s responsibility, and the mayor’s, but it is also everyone’s right… it is 50 a municipality responsibility, but also 50% a responsibility of the public”.

The “Adopt” series has already started with the “Adopt-a-Tree” program, which invites inhabitants of Athens to choose a city tree and contribute to its survival by watering it during the summer.

Residents, businesses, foundations and non-profit organizations taking part in the "Adopt" program, can also even adopt an entire neighborhood.

The Adopt program will be carried out through the Athens Partnership, a public-private collaborative platform aiming to implement urban upgrade programs.

The aim of the scheme is to promote transparency, accountability and flexibility, while involving the residents.

Together, all stakeholders have to seek modern solutions in areas such as cleanliness, green spaces, lighting, homeless welfare, culture, social solidarity, technologies, education and sport.