About

This virtual European Maritime Day event is held within the framework of the Hellenic Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). It is co-organised by the International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) and the University of the Aegean. It examines the role of women and young people in the blue economy of port cities in the wider Black Sea region. Three themes are covered: city diplomacy, emerging skills and new technologies.

Carola Hein (Delft University of Technology, 2026-2027 felow at the Paris IAS-City of Paris Chair) delivers the keynote address of the session “New technologies at the service of port city ecosystems: how to embrace technological advancement?”

Programme

9:00 – 9:20 am | Opening session

• Maria B. Lekakou, Professor in Maritime Economics, University of the Aegean (Greece)
• Georgios Mitrakos, Director General, ICBSS

9:20 – 10:30 am | City diplomacy in the blue economy and the added value of women in multilevel governance

• Moderator: Elpida Besi, ICBSS
• Keynote: Teona Dzneladze, Batumi State Maritime Academy (Georgia), WIMA Europe
• Speakers: Eudokia Balamou (Larnaca and Famagusta Districts Development Agency, Cyprus), Madalina Davidescu (IULS Iasi, Romania), Io Chatzivaryti (URBACT, Urban Spark Consulting)

11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Emerging skills for students and young professionals in blue economy sectors

• Moderator: Stavros Kalognomos, University of the Aegean
• Keynote: Andreea Strachinescu-Olteanu, DG MARE, European Commission
• Speakers: Theocharis Tsoutsos (Technical University of Crete), Natasa Vaidianu (Ovidius University of Constanța / University of Bucharest), Alexandra Petrova (New Bulgarian University, ERUA), Eirini Apazoglou (EuroMarine)

2:00 – 3:30 pm | New technologies at the service of port city ecosystems

• Moderator: Stavros Kalognomos, University of the Aegean
• Keynote: Carola Hein, Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands), PACT COST Action
• Speakers: Irina Kircheva (Marine Cluster Bulgaria), Gökçe Çiçek Ceyhun (Bursa Technical University, Türkiye), Delia Dimitriu (Smarter Mobility Solutions, United Kingdom)

Closing remarks: Stavros Kalognomos

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