The Region of Attica presented its development and social initiatives across all 66 municipalities at the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, with Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias highlighting a €1.6 billion regional investment program and the need for economic growth to have a measurable impact on local communities.
Hardalias inaugurated Attica’s specially designed exhibition pavilion on Saturday, September 5, together with Eurogroup President and Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis.
Speaking at the opening, Hardalias described the Thessaloniki International Fair as an established institution that provides an opportunity to present Attica as an integrated example of regional governance and to exchange experience and expertise with public- and private-sector organizations.
Ο Περιφερειάρχης Αττικής εγκαινίασε μαζί με τον Πρόεδρο του Eurogroup και Υπουργό Εθνικής Οικονομίας και Οικονομικών Κυριάκο Πιερρακάκη το περίπτερο της Περιφέρειας στη Διεθνή Έκθεση Θεσσαλονίκης. Δευτέρα 7 Σεπτεμβρίου 2026 (ΓΡ. ΤΥΠΟΥ ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑΣ ΑΤΤΙΚΗΣ/EUROKINISSI)
He also said the fair offered an opportunity to hear from citizens and representatives of the business community in northern Greece, noting that many of the challenges faced by different regions are shared, from the climate crisis to supporting small businesses and improving everyday life in local neighborhoods.
€1.6 billion regional program
Hardalias said Greece’s positive economic indicators were creating conditions for more investment, opportunities and resources for the country’s regions.
“The essence of our presence at the Thessaloniki International Fair,” he said, is the need for the positive performance of the national economy to translate into development with a real impact on local communities, through “a specific plan, projects and measurable results.”
He said Attica had the conditions to become a strong regional hub for innovation and creativity in southeastern Europe.
The regional governor said his administration’s goal was to turn the region’s economic potential into a lasting development impact through major projects underway across all 66 municipalities and through its strategy for a modern, outward-looking and competitive metropolitan Attica.
Pierrakakis described Attica as a model in the management of funds and as the country’s largest economic and productive engine.
He pointed to the region’s concentration of business activity, investment, research, innovation and capital, while also highlighting its challenges, including densely populated neighborhoods, major infrastructure, environmental pressures, and increased needs in civil protection, transportation, housing, education and social cohesion.
The €1.6 billion “Attica 2021-2027” Regional Program, he said, is one of the most important funding tools available to transform the wider Athens metropolitan area.
Ο Περιφερειάρχης Αττικής εγκαινίασε μαζί με τον Πρόεδρο του Eurogroup και Υπουργό Εθνικής Οικονομίας και Οικονομικών Κυριάκο Πιερρακάκη το περίπτερο της Περιφέρειας στη Διεθνή Έκθεση Θεσσαλονίκης. Δευτέρα 7 Σεπτεμβρίου 2026 (ΓΡ. ΤΥΠΟΥ ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑΣ ΑΤΤΙΚΗΣ/EUROKINISSI)
According to Pierrakakis, 95% of the program has already been approved for funding, contracts have exceeded €1.1 billion and payments are approaching €665 million.
“These numbers matter because they reflect the work being done,” Pierrakakis said. “Behind every amount there is a project, a business, a neighborhood.”
352 projects through 2028
After the opening ceremony, Hardalias met with exhibitors, visitors and representatives of the business community and presented the progress of 352 projects and interventions that represent commitments by the regional administration to citizens, with a target horizon of 2028.
He also emphasized the high absorption of available European funds through the “Attica 2021-2027” Regional Program.
The funds, according to the region, are being deployed through specific planning and converted into projects and initiatives intended to deliver measurable development and social benefits.
Programs for students and adults
Attica also organized two events at the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair to present educational and social programs run by the region.
The first focused on the Children’s University, an initiative designed to introduce elementary and middle school students to science, research and innovation.
The program is carried out in cooperation with academic and research institutions and provides free courses and workshops to 800 students at the institutions’ facilities. Students also take part in hands-on activities, explore modern scientific fields and develop skills considered important for their future.
The second event, titled “Attica: The Next Day of Digital Literacy in the Region of Attica,” focused on an extensive digital education program for adults.
The program involves 10,000 citizens in 50 of Attica’s 66 municipalities. Participants receive training in modern digital applications and tools, gaining knowledge intended to help them use new technologies and online services more easily in their daily lives.
The presentation focused on the region’s efforts to strengthen citizens’ digital skills and promote broader access to knowledge while reducing digital exclusion.
Particular emphasis was placed on the changes brought by the era of artificial intelligence and on enabling more citizens to use the opportunities of the emerging digital environment safely and confidently.
