On 28–29 September 2026, AURORA project partners gathered in Athens, Greece, for a two-day plenary meeting focused on turning project work into practical solutions and preparing for the next stages of demonstration.

The meeting combined presentations, discussions and interactive workshops, giving partners the opportunity to review progress, exchange perspectives and work together on the activities ahead.
From mitigation strategies to actionable AURORA recommendations

A key focus of the first day was the session “From Mitigation Strategies to Actionable AURORA Recommendations.” Together with external experts, AURORA partners discussed how the knowledge and mitigation strategies developed within the project can be translated into meaningful and actionable recommendations. The session brought different perspectives to the table and provided an opportunity to challenge ideas, identify gaps and consider how AURORA's results can respond to real-world needs.

The first day also offered an opportunity to demonstrate the developing AURORA platform – the project’s Decision Support System. The platform is taking shape, with a ready-to-use version expected by the end of 2026. During the demonstration, partners explored its current functionalities and discussed how it could be further improved to better serve the needs of AURORA demonstration cities. The feedback gathered in Athens will contribute to the platform’s further development ahead of its planned public presentation in spring 2027.

The second day shifted the focus towards the upcoming demonstration events and how to make them meaningful, engaging and effective. During a creative, hands-on workshop, partners worked together to brainstorm ideas for the events, consider different formats and approaches, and identify potential “red flags” that could create challenges during their preparation and implementation.
The exercise encouraged participants to look at the demonstrations from different perspectives and think beyond the technical aspects: Who needs to be involved? How can different audiences be engaged? What could go wrong? And what needs to be considered early to make each demonstration successful?
With plenty of ideas, discussions and practical feedback collected over the two days, the Athens plenary marked another step towards bringing AURORA’s work from research and development into real-world demonstration.

The next phase will put these plans into action, as AURORA partners prepare to bring the platform, recommendations and demonstration activities closer to their intended users and stakeholders.

A big thank you to the whole team for this intensive meeting.