Urban food systems and ecosystems (UFSE) demand immediate action. CITIES2030 innovative approach have a great opportunity to attract the best researchers, entrepreneurs, civil society leaders, cities and all agents of the UFSE as well. The main goal of CITIES2030 is to create a future proof and effective UFSE via a connected structure centered in the citizen, built on trust, with partners encompassing the entire UFSE. CITIES2030 commit to work towards the transformation and restructuring of the way systems produce, transport and supply, recycle and reuse food in the 21st century. CITIES2030 vision is to connect short food supply chains, gathering cities and regions, consumers, strategic and complement industry partners, the civil society, promising start-ups and enterprises, innovators and visionary thinkers, leading universities and research across the vast diversity of disciplines addressing UFSE, including food science, social science and big data. CITIES2030 actively encourage the participation of citizens by delivering a trusted UFSE, moving consumers from being passive recipients to active engagement and motivated change agents. This objective is achieved via multiple tools delivered by CITIES2030 such as the CRFS Alliance, a community of practice supported by a digital platform, reaching all over Europe and beyond. This approach will enable policy developments, innovation actions within result-driven Labs, and enhancements on a pan-European scope with a global reach. Cities and regions will improve resilience and sustainability, and their leadership will create short food supply chain and ecosystems enabling local investments, trans-borders and transnational deployment. A blockchain-based data-driven UFSE management platform will secure intelligence and coordination actions by delivering an accurate, almost real-time digital twin of the whole supply chain, e.g. from production to waste management, but also on key enablers of resilience and sustainability.

"<< Background >>CONTEXT:The world is plagued by an increasing number and variety of types of emergencies, an impression that is certainly heightened by what seems to be frequent, very-largescale natural phenomenons, including earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, epidemics and wildfires all over the globe. When we add to these events a wide range of severe storms, mudslides, lightning strikes, tornadoes, and other hazard agents affecting smaller numbers of people, one might conclude that natural phenomenons are increasing (Madigan, 2018).Noah was the first emergency manager and he faced the same problems and issues that emergency managers face today. Although Noah received news about a major flood from an impeccable source, only a few heeded Noah’s warning and helped him to prepare. The story of Noah reflects what emergency managers may experience today (Dynes 2003). However, the leadership roles and responsibilities of “epidemic leaders” are somewhat different because of the characteristics of a pandemic that distinguish it from other emergency incidents.EM-CITY recognizes that emergencies occur in a social context and have social consequences. From this point of view, it is essential to provide equal access to services and information for all people. It is therefore imperative that the emergency management studies should be proactive in developing strategies and policies for working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities and long-term residents etc. In other words, with the EM-CITY project, young people, regardless of their nationality, language and religion, will possess the opportunity to have education on their roles during emergency situations about how to design interactive processes and build “interactive bridges” between different parties in the process of emergency management, build communication channels among the stakeholders and local communities.These days, all of Europe is going through an extraordinary emergency issue. One of the obstacles that we had during the emergency activities was limited communication among different groups of people living in the local area together. And in case of an emergency, it is not easy always to include all these groups in an emergency plan. This includes both young and elderly people, families, Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, long-time residents, and so on. Young people have a strategic position in emergency situations such as COVID-19. They are the most dynamic group with developed digital skills in local areas who can connect all the groups mentioned above. Also, they need to be part of and have an active role in such emergency plans considering the foreseen pandemics and emergency situations for the future. Considering this need we designed the EM-CITY project to promote social cohesion among different groups in the local communities in case of emergency, recognizing that young people, if properly sensitized and involved, can play a pivotal role in facilitating these relations.<< Objectives >>By implementing the EM-CITY project we want to:- promote interactive processes between local authorities, civil protection operators, young people, key community representatives, and other persons that can be useful during emergency situations.- foster the role of the youth as ""interactive bridges"" between Civil Protection operators, Local Authorities, non-CALD, and CALD communities, citizens groups, and other key actors in the local area;- promote civic engagement, active citizenship, civil protection values, emergency management skills on youth among the local community- promote awareness of emergency communication issues (and creating solutions) among the stakeholders (involving both CALD and non-CALD people, CP operators, local authorities), and the local community.<< Implementation >>Project activities will start with a mapping, understanding (and future plans) of group dynamics and interactions in the local area in an emergency by the anthropological research/action research/ethnographic research. Within the scope of mapping activity we will do FOCUS GROUPS&INTERVIEWS&DESK RESEARCH. We will involve all parties from local area (representatives of different groups, local authorities, NGOs, and policymakers, civil protection operators/managers). Besides, with DESK RESEARCH, we will collect all good and bad practices on civil protection and emergency response in the areas where different groups live together.Based on this, a set of good practices, indications, and suggestions for ""fostering interactive processes between different groups of communities during emergencies, by the active involvement of youth volunteers” will be developed. Training activity for youth volunteers, age 18-30, will e organized in each project country, aiming to provide them improved knowledge and skills, responding to the needs of possible future emergency situations (we plan to train about 25 people for each territory). Then we will develop a Web Portal as well as IOS and Android-based mobile applications. With the portal, the necessary information for action will be produced and disseminated, individuals and groups will be coordinated and directed in line with the information, and future volunteer young leaders will be guided by taking advantage of the information and practices. Under the dissemination activities, we will prepare a methodology booklet to be presented to local C.P. operators and authorities for possible continuation and replication of project activities. Articles will be published, workshops and conference will be organized, A blended learning and training activity, ""Teamwork in Emergency: Exchanging Knowledge and Observing Experience"" will be held in Greece for the young people involved in the project to build ""interactive bridges"" between local people and Civil Protection parties.A multiplier event ""Final Project International Conference"" will be organized by CCI with the support of EPC followingthe last Transnational Meeting in Heraklion, Greece with the main objective of supporting the mainstreaming and multiplication of the project results at the EU level.<< Results >>EXPECTED RESULTS- Increased involvement of youth/leaders of different local communities in dialogues/interactions on how to face emergencies and cooperating with other local groups (CALD and non-CALD communities, CP operators, local authorities, youth, etc.)- A group of sensitized and trained youth will then be able to act as ""interactive bridges/junctions"" between local communities, CP operators, and local authorities during emergencies- An open-access EM-CITY web portal based on the Agile Web development model to be used by young people, local people, CP operators, and local authorities to interact, gain knowledge, have the training, work together on emergency issues.- Availability of a new and tested methodology, useful for the dialogue and fostering interactive processes between different groups of communities during emergencies, by the activeinvolvement of youth volunteers.- The capability of local actors to enhance their Local CP emergency plan, including greater involvement of youth volunteers and greater attention to CALD communities andcommunication issues.PLANNED Results-R1: Emergency Map of Local Area-R2: EM-CITY Training Module for Young Volunteers-R3: EM-CITY Web Portal"