The mayor of Timisoara, Dominic Fritz, is the only Romanian mayor selected to join the inaugural cohort of the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative, an international training and collaboration programme for mayors and municipal teams across Europe, according to a press release from the Timisoara City Hall on Monday.

The programme brings together 30 mayors from 17 countries, leading cities with a combined population of over 21 million. Participants include the mayors of Zagreb, Helsinki, Ulm, Oslo, Madrid, Dublin, Krakow, Turin, Thessaloniki, and Maastricht.

The initiative is designed and coordinated by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), implemented by LSE Cities in collaboration with the Hertie School in Berlin.

The programme aims to strengthen local governments' capacity to address urban challenges through effective leadership, innovation, and collaboration.

'This participation recognises Timisoara as a city that has demonstrated courage and vision in local governance. We will benefit directly from the experience and network this programme offers and bring back tested ideas from major cities worldwide to improve life for the people of Timisoara. From more effective public policies to modern solutions for mobility, digitalisation, and quality of life, this is a chance for Timisoara to learn from the best international practices while serving as a model for other cities,' Mayor Dominic Fritz was quoted as saying in the press release.

The programme includes a four-day intensive leadership training in London, which began today, followed by a nine-month remote training course. Participants will work with international experts from Bloomberg Philanthropies, LSE, and Hertie School, as well as local and global leaders such as Michael R. Bloomberg, the 108th Mayor of New York City and founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.

Michael R. Bloomberg expressed his pleasure in partnering with the London School of Economics and Hertie School for the initiative, noting that Europe is increasingly looking to local governments to take on leadership roles, while providing mayors and their teams with the tools, training, and networks necessary to address the continent's most pressing challenges.

Through this initiative, Timisoara will gain access to international expertise to develop innovative solutions in housing, mobility, sustainability, and civic engagement. The programme will support the modernisation of public services, improve administrative management, and strengthen the municipal team's ability to respond to citizens' real needs.

Participation is fully funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, covering tuition, accommodation, and travel. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Otilia Halunga; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)