Representatives of nearly 50 cities to discuss the future of the Balkans in Sofia on February 24 – 25
 
The most prestigious forum of local government in the Balkans – B40, was opened today in Sofia by Vasil Terziev and the Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu. Representatives of nearly 50 cities from the Balkans are joining the Sofia edition of the initiative on the theme: “The Future of the Balkans: Innovation, Cooperation, Green Transition and Growth”. 
“Now more than ever, in the context of division and unacceptable aggression, we must rethink our challenges as shared opportunities. The future will not wait for our cooperation – the future depends on our cooperation – and the shameful events that took place in Sofia just two days ago are further proof that we must act now. For me personally, this is not just a meeting. This is a turning point.” This was said by the new president of B40 – the mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev. 
He accepted the presidency of B40, with which our capital took over from Tirana at the helm of the initiative. The focus of the Bulgarian presidency of the initiative is related to partnership between cities in the context of the enlargement of the European Union. 
“I am glad to see my good friend Vasil Terziev, who as a young visionary will take B40 to a new level. Together with the participation of our observers and our partners from respected global organizations, we will build a more sustainable and prosperous future. B40 is more than a diplomatic initiative; it is a tool for justice, prosperity and democratic governance in the Balkans.” Those were the words of the mayor of Istanbul and founder of the B40 network, Ekrem İmamoğlu, in his welcoming speech. 
Sofia Deputy Mayor for European Policies, International Affairs and Tourism Nikola Barbutov welcomed the participants in the forum and stated that cities face common challenges and therefore need to be united. In the presence of the Ambassador of Ukraine to Bulgaria, Ms. Olesya Ilashchuk, he was categorical that the B40 cities support Ukraine.
15 new members joined the B40 network during the opening of the Sofia hosting of the initiative. This brings the total number of members to 73 cities from 12 Balkan countries. 
The forum continues with discussions on increasing regional climate resilience through sustainable urban development and green energy projects, promoting inclusive governance practices, technological solutions for smarter governance, as well as finding the balance between technological innovation and ensuring cybersecurity. 
Improving trade, tourism and cultural ties will also be discussed in a special panel during Sofia’s hosting of B40. 
The focus of Sofia’s work during the year will also be the active activity of the four working groups. The working groups are a platform for joint work between cities, where participants exchange experiences, ideas and good practices. Their aim is to promote cooperation and convergence of cities by developing common solutions for specific topics such as economic development, sustainability, culture, infrastructure and social integration. Through this joint work, cities have the opportunity to inspire each other, learn from each other and create innovative strategies that will contribute to better development and quality of life both locally and internationally.
 
The B40 organization emphasizes the role of local government for sustainable and positive changes by focusing its efforts on partnerships in areas such as the economy, addressing global challenges such as climate change, green policies and digital transformation, education and culture.