Μake us preferred on Google The Municipality of Hellinikon-Argyroupoli has won the Seoul Smart City Prize 2026 in the Leadership category, putting Greece at the top of an international competition that drew cities and leaders from around the world, Mayor Giannis Konstantatos announced on social media.
Konstantatos said the honorees included cities such as Madrid, Los Angeles, Manila, Lyon, Tokyo and Alexandria, Egypt, with his municipality receiving the top distinction for local leadership. The competition attracted some 300 applications worldwide, he noted, and the ceremony in Seoul was attended by hundreds of mayors.
According to the mayor, this was the first time a Greek city had taken part in the competition and been evaluated, making Hellinikon-Argyroupoli the first municipality in Greece to earn the award. He described the outcome as almost unbelievable, pointing out that the municipality reached the final four before being named the winner.
Konstantatos admitted that when the decision was made a few months ago to submit a bid, he never imagined it would go so far. He explained that the application was particularly demanding, was also submitted in English, and detailed the work carried out in recent years.
It highlighted the municipality’s civil protection services and crisis management center, its use of artificial intelligence, volunteer programs and social policy, along with daycare centers, senior community centers, a municipal veterinary clinic and a physiotherapy center. Parks, playgrounds, theaters, a care facility for people with disabilities, and efforts to promote investment and entrepreneurship were also featured as projects that are transforming daily life in the city.
The mayor said that hearing the municipality’s name announced before an international jury and representatives of cities from across the globe was a deeply moving moment, one he called an honor for Greece as well.
He stressed, however, that the award was not a personal achievement but belonged to the municipality and its residents, adding that it marked a significant distinction for the country as a whole.
