2025 edition - Congress of Mayors

Programme · 10 April 2025

2025 agenda

A programme built around the development of public administration: strategic presentations, networking sessions, a special session with the European Commission and the Sustainability Gala.

Nationwide participation

Local authorities confirmed their attendance from the following counties: Alba, Bacău, Brașov, Brăila, Bucharest (Sector 2), Bistrița-Năsăud, Călărași, Cluj, Galați, Giurgiu, Hunedoara, Iași, Ialomița, Ilfov, Maramureș, Mureș, Neamț, Prahova, Timiș, Tulcea, Vâlcea.

10:00-10:30

Official opening

Eduard Dumitrașcu - President, Romanian Smart City Association. Addresses from the Government, representatives of central and local administration, embassies and strategic partners.
10:30-12:00
Panel 1

Local government between funding and strategy: how do we speed up the green transition?

Speakers:
• Rareș Hopincă - Mayor of Sector 2
• Nicolae Moldovan - Mayor of Beclean, First Vice-President, Association of Romanian Towns
• Emil Drăghici - President, Association of Communes of Romania, Mayor of Vulcana-Băi
• Ionuț Pucheanu - Mayor of Galați
• Răzvan Pirtea - SMB Team Leader, Lenovo
• Ileana Spiroiu - Director, National Cartography Centre
- How to raise money for green projects: EU funds, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), public-private partnerships
- What already works in Romania: local authorities that have taken concrete steps
- Sustainable infrastructure and digitalisation for efficiency
- Adapting to new EU requirements: regulation, green taxes, legislative challenges
12:00-13:30
Panel 2

Energy, water, waste: strategic investment for local authorities

Speakers:
• Florin Bănică - President, Environment Fund Administration (AFM)
• Alexandra Bogdan - Business Intelligence Manager, PPC Blue
• Cosmin Ionuț Andrei - Mayor of Botoșani
• Laurențiu-Dan Leoreanu - Mayor of Roman
• Desmond Wheatley - CEO, President and Chairman, Beam Global
• Alexandru Holicov - CEO, ADServio
• Teodora Petre - Executive Commercial Director, Banca de Investiții și Dezvoltare
- Lower bills, higher efficiency: renewable energy solutions
- The water revolution: hydraulic infrastructure and cutting losses
- From waste to resource: separate collection, recycling, the circular economy
- Regulation, funding and public-private cooperation
13:30-14:30

Lunch & networking - Smart City Networking Area powered by ARSC

Premium lunch and direct networking with mayors, local decision-makers, representatives of ministries and national institutions, private-sector partners and experts. Highlight: speed networking to connect mayors and companies quickly.
14:30-15:45
European CommissionSCN

Special session in partnership with SCN - European Commission

The digital transformation of local government: a panel organised by the European Commission through the Smart Communities Network (SCN), together with ARSC and the National Cartography Centre.

Speakers:
• Svetlogor Kirov - European Commission, European AI Office
• Ignacio Garcia Vega - Chief Innovation Officer, Serendipity
• Pavel Vrba - EIT Urban Mobility
• Hristo Popov - CEO Theoremus, Bulgaria
• Victor Grigorescu - Deputy Director, National Cartography Centre
• Florin Dumitru - Business Unit Director, Zipper
• Valentin Vieru - Mayor of Moinești
• Stoian Gheorghe - Deputy Mayor of Călărași
• Andreea Iordache - Public Administrator, Râmnicu Vâlcea
• Florin Țîra - Deputy General Manager, SCALA Assistance
• Alexandr Baltag - Executive Director, Smart Communities Association of Moldova
- Digital transformation and alignment with EU goals (Digital Decade, EU Green Deal)
- Data-driven decisions: the role of Local Digital Twins (LDT)
- Good practice from Romania and across the European Union
- Accessing EU resources for digitalisation: LORDIMAS, Online Procurement Helpdesk, LDT Toolbox
15:45-17:30

Gala

Sustainability Gala for Local Administration

Recognising excellence in sustainable development: the gala opening, the award categories and the presentation of the awards.
Official list of 2025 award winners →
17:30

Close of the event - networking