The Municipality of Thessaloniki aims to promote sustainable material use and empower citizens to actively participate in the transition towards a circular economy. Governed by the objectives set for the implementation of LIFE-IP CEI-Greece, which aims to promote a new perception of waste management by integrating the principles of the Circular Economy in the Regions of Greece, the Municipality of Thessaloniki has designed a structured series of reuse and upcycling workshops. The proposed project for the EWWR seeks to cultivate environmental responsibility, enhance practical skills, and strengthen community engagement in sustainability actions.

At its core, this initiative focuses on the reuse of plastics, paper, and textiles, emphasising their potential as valuable resources rather than disposable waste. Municipality’s association partner Greek Eco Project and its team members of the “SKG Makers by Greek Eco Project” will offer daily, hands-on workshops from November 24 to November 28 (09:00–17:00), the Municipality will provide citizens with direct experience in transforming discarded materials into new, functional, and creative objects. Activities will include:

• Plastic reuse sessions, using specialised machinery at the Centre for Reuse, Repair, and Recycling (RRR) to process old bottles and cups into practical or artistic items;

• Paper upcycling workshops, demonstrating techniques for making decorative objects and crafts from recycled paper pulp; and

• Textile repair and transformation sessions, where participants will learn to mend garments or creatively upcycle them into new products.

To enhance awareness and engagement, the project will open with an introductory public event designed as a Repair Café, where citizens will be invited to bring their broken or malfunctioning electrical devices and observe — or actively participate in — the repair process, guided by experienced repair experts and technicians. The entire organisation will be dedicated to the promotion of the Right to Repair movement to foster community to get aqcuainted with its principals. People will learn about repair and circular practices, and participate in informative presentations and open discussions. Representatives from the Municipality’s Recycling Department, and its collaborative waste management bodies, as well as the team members of SKG Makers, who operate the RRR Centre, will be there to contribute insights on circular strategies, resource recovery, and community-based repair and reuse initiatives.

By integrating education, creativity, and environmental action, this initiative aims to:

• Strengthen citizens’ knowledge and skills in material reuse and repair techniques;

• Encourage behavioural change towards sustainable consumption and waste prevention;

• Foster local collaboration among public institutions, social enterprises, and community groups; and

• Build a foundation for sustained citizen engagement and skill development in repair and reuse practices beyond the project’s duration.

Ultimately, the project aspires to transform Thessaloniki into a model city of circular practice and citizen empowerment, where materials, knowledge, and community energy are continuously renewed.