“Finally, local governance”: Annual KEDE Conference begins Thursday in Dedeağaç
Mayors from across Greece and senior government officials will gather in Dedeağaç this week for the annual conference of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), taking place from November 6 to 8 under the title “Finally, Local Governance.”
The three-day event, hosted at the Ramada Plaza Thraki Hotel, aims to address the future of local self-government over the next decade, promoting collaboration and discussion on the key challenges facing municipalities nationwide.
Government Participation
The conference will open on Thursday, November 6, with an address by Interior Minister Theodoros Livanios, who will outline the government’s agenda for local administration. The session will also feature remarks by Deputy Interior Minister (Macedonia–Thrace) Konstantinos Gioulekas, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Athanasios Kontogeorgis, and Deputy Interior Minister Vassilios Spanakis.
On Friday, November 7, the focus will shift to “Institutional Issues, Digital Transformation, and Artificial Intelligence.” Speakers include Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou, Deputy Minister Christos Dermendzopoulos, and Deputy Interior Minister Vivi Charalambogianni.
The Environment, Energy, and Rural Economy session will host Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou, his deputies Nikos Tagaras and Nikos Tsafos, and general secretaries Manolis Grafakos and Petros Varelidis.
In parallel, the Islandness, Mountainous Areas, and Tourism Development panel will feature Deputy Tourism Minister Anna Karamanli and Deputy Shipping Minister Stefanos Gikas.
Sessions on migration policy and youth delinquency will include contributions from General Secretary for Migration Policy Manos Logothetis and Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki, respectively.
KEDE has also emphasized the conference’s institutional dimension, with keynote addresses by Council of State President Michalis Pikramenos and Court of Audit President Sotiria Ntouni.
Conference Structure
The event will open with political addresses and greetings from the Union of Regions of Greece (ENPE) and representatives of Cyprus’s Union of Municipalities and Communities.
Friday’s agenda will divide into three halls, covering seven major themes:
Institutional Issues – Digital Transformation – Artificial Intelligence
Local Government Finances & Funded Programs
Social Policy, Cohesion, Family, Health, Equality
Environment, Energy, Rural Economy, Infrastructure
Islandness – Mountainous Areas – Tourism Development
Refugee Crisis – Migration
Youth Delinquency – ITA Research Presentation
The conference will conclude on Saturday with KEDE’s financial report, participant statements, and adoption of the final resolution.
Key Figures Attending
Alongside government ministers, the event will bring together:
KEDE President Lazaros Kyrizoglou
ENPE President and South Aegean Regional Governor Giorgos Hatzimarkos
Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Regional Governor Christodoulos Topsidis
Alexandroupoli Mayor Ioannis Zampoukis as host
Presidents of all Regional Unions of Municipalities (PED) across Greece
And representatives from Cyprus’s Union of Municipalities and Union of Communities
