Network activities

Atlantic Cities brings together the cities and towns located on the European Atlantic Arc to allow them to share their experiences and good practices. All members of the network guide activities and define priorities at an annual general assembly, and the members of the executive board meet every three months.

In addition to these meetings, member cities meet regularly to take part in thematic working groups, addressing cultural matters, Atlantic Area governance issues and more.

Working group on cultural issues

The working group on culture enables cities to showcase interesting initiatives, from urban art to local gastronomy. This working group homes in on local cultural stakeholders and demonstrates the abundance of culture in the Atlantic Area’s territories. Through these exchanges, cities can inspire each other and come up with new cultural initiatives or projects. Since November 2023, exchanges between members have focused on Atlantic gastronomy.

Working group on the protection of the oceans

At the 2023 General Assembly in Biarritz, the Atlantic cities made a strong commitment to the protection of the oceans by signing a joint declaration. Fully acknowledging the crucial role of cities in the fight against climate change, the Atlantic cities expressed their determination to take specific action to make an active contribution to the protection of seas and oceans. In order to put this commitment into practice, the Atlantic cities have decided to set up a working group focusing on knowledge of and protection of oceans, which will meet regularly to exchange ideas and coordinate collective action to preserve these valuable marine ecosystems. This working group will be officially launched in 2024, marking the commencement of closer cooperation by the Atlantic cities for the preservation of our oceans.

Working group on network expansion

In order to build joint projects with a greater diversity of cities in the Atlantic arc and to consolidate their influence on the direction of European public policies, member cities have taken the decision to expand the network.