Meet the Friendship Cities: Digital kick-off - 29.01.

On January 29th, 2025, the KISMET project officially launched its Friendship  Cities Online Kick-Off Meeting, bringing together an engaged network of cities and project partners committed to fostering sustainable food environments. Hosted by Vidzeme Planning Region, this digital event served as a crucial milestone in the project ‘s mission to transform public food systems through knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and innovative solutions.

The digital kick-off meeting provided an opportunity for participating cities to gain valuable insights into the project’s overarching goals and activities while exploring pathways for engagement as friendship cities. Friendship cities, supported by KISMET project partners, will actively test and implement selected project solutions throughout 2025 as part  of their sustainable food initiatives. Friendship  Cities Programme

The Programme pairs the eight Partner Cities with selected Friendship Cities across the Baltic Sea region, facilitating cooperation and sharing expertise to develop sustainable food environments. The participating cities and municipalities include:

• (DK): City of Copenhagen – Vejle
• (DK): Hedensted Municipality – FOOD Organisation
• (LT): Kazlų Rūda – LIC
• (LV): Cēsis Municipality – Vidzeme
• (SE): Ekerö Municipality – Södertälje
• (FI): Eura Municipality – Satakunta
• (FI): Iisalmi City – South Savo
• (EE): Peipsiääre Municipality – Tartu
• (FI-DE): Savonia Univeristy of Applied Science and Savonia Region – City of Hamburg

KISMET and its Friendship Cities are working to strengthen sustainable food systems by enhancing education, promoting local production, and fostering collaboration. The project aims to implement sustainable food practices, improve supply security, and encourage community engagement. By sharing best practices and resources, KISMET is driving long-term change for resilient urban food systems across the Baltic Sea Region and beyond.

Next Steps for KISMET Cities

Looking ahead, the next phase of the KISMET project will focus on the development and implementation of key solution components. Friendship cities will tailor elements of the project to their unique local contexts, with support from their KISMET partner cities. This hands-on phase will allow cities to refine their strategies and tackle challenges with guidance from our experienced project partners.

Explore the KISMET Enabling Programme: Solutions, Actions and Tools

To support cities in their transition towards sustainable food systems, KISMET has launched a dedicated Enabling Programme Website. The platform provides access to valuable resources, extensive research, best practices, and interactive tools designed to guide cities through the implementation process. Whether you are a project partner, a friendship city, or a stakeholder interested in urban food sustainability, the website serves as a central hub for insights and collaboration opportunities. Visit https://kismet-project.eu/  to explore more!

Programme Manual Online

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