On 23–24 September 2025, the ARSINOE project celebrated its Final Event in Brussels, bringing together partners, policymakers, researchers, and citizens to reflect on three years of collaboration and innovation for climate resilience.

Hosted at the Permanent Representation of Greece to the EU, the event marked the culmination of a Horizon Europe initiative that went beyond delivering tools and data — ARSINOE created a community of change-makers, committed to advancing Europe’s capacity to adapt to climate change.

Day 1: Making Climate Adaptation Real

The opening session, with welcome remarks from Rector Charalambos Billinis and Project Coordinator Prof. Chrysi Laspidou (University of Thessaly), set the stage for two days of exchange and reflection.

A highlight of the morning was the presentation of the “Grains of Change” documentary trailer, filmed in Sardinia, which tells the story of climate impacts on durum wheat — a staple crop in Mediterranean culture and livelihoods.

The afternoon programme featured:

  • Roundtable – The Way Forward for Case Studies
    Moderated by Prof. Isabelle La Jeunesse and Dr. Ebun Akinsete, this session gave local stakeholders the floor to share their journeys, lessons learned, and how outcomes will continue shaping more resilient communities.

  • Panel Discussion – From Innovation to Transformation: Bridging Policy, Science, and Markets
    Moderated by Prof. Chrysi Laspidou and Dr. Ebun Akinsete, the panel included insights from:

    • Prof. Chrysi Laspidou (University of Thessaly) – ARSINOE project overview

    • Dr. Joep van den Broeke (KWR Water Research Institute) – evidence-based recommendations

    • Prof. Isabelle La Jeunesse (Université de Tours) – reflections from case study dialogues

    Distinguished panelists such as Philippe Tulkens (European Commission, Mission Adaptation to Climate Change), Prof. Emmanuella Doussis (ELIAMEP & University of Athens), Durk Krol (Water Europe), and Prof. Ralf Ludwig (LMU Munich) explored the pathways to turn climate innovation into real transformation.

  • Innovation in Action
    The day closed with Gerardo Anzaldúa presenting the Climate Innovation Window and an Innovation Bazaar, showcasing concrete solutions and pathways from research to impact.

Day 2: Spotlight on ARSINOE Innovations

The second day shifted focus to the tools and legacies ARSINOE leaves behind:

  • The Serious Game, allowing participants to explore climate resilience pathways through interactive play.
  • The SustainGraph and MINKA, digital tools designed to support decision-making and engage citizens in resilience-building.
  • Exchanges with sister projects such as REGILIENCE, Climate Impetus, TransformAr, and Pathways2Resilience, ensuring continuity and synergies beyond the project’s lifetime.

The event also welcomed Ambassador Ioannis Vrailas (Permanent Representative of Greece to the EU) and Dimitrios Tsiodras (MEP, EPP, Greece), whose presence underlined the political importance of ARSINOE’s work in the broader European adaptation agenda.

A Lasting Legacy

Across its duration, ARSINOE has:

  • Delivered innovative tools and technologies to enhance climate resilience.
  • Built a robust knowledge and data infrastructure, including SustainGraph, MINKA, and the Serious Game.
  • Fostered meaningful dialogue between citizens, researchers, industry, and policymakers.
  • Shaped evidence-based recommendations to inform EU climate and water policy.

In the words of the consortium, ARSINOE has “not just delivered solutions, but created a new way of generating knowledge” — one urgently needed in an era of overlapping crises.

As the project closes, its outputs and partnerships will continue to shape Europe’s journey toward climate-resilient societies, ensuring its impact endures well beyond the final event.