Opening Ceremony of Vilnius as European Green Capital 2025

As a new year starts, Vilnius is preparing to take on the European Green Capital title. The opening ceremony will be held on January 22-23, 2025, gathering members of the European Green Capital Network, politicians, and environmental experts.

Event Details

On January 22, Vilnius’s mayor, Valdas Benkuskas, will present the city’s sustainable commitments. The day will include sessions on urban resilience with contributions from high-level politicians.

On January 23, members from the European Green Capital Network will share ideas to foster collaboration and best practices in addressing future challenges. The event will welcome new members: Guimarães as the European Green Capital 2026, and Águeda and Vaasa as European Green Leaf 2026. Discussions will align with the New European Bauhaus initiative.

Background

The European Green Capital Awards, launched by the European Commission in 2008, recognize the sustainability efforts of European cities. The award is given to cities with over 100,000 inhabitants, while the European Green Leaf is for smaller cities with at least 20,000 residents. These awards promote local efforts towards a greener future, enhancing urban environments, tackling pollution, and strengthening resilience to climate change.

Vilnius was selected as the 16th winner of the European Green Capital during a ceremony in Tallinn in October 2023, succeeding Valencia (Spain) as the European Green Capital 2024.