Prague's dedication to sustainable urban development is evident in its strategic planning and policies, which encompass various aspects of sustainability. **Energy efficiency** stands as a crucial focus area, with the city implementing measures to reduce energy consumption and minimize its carbon footprint. Through investments in green technologies such as solar panels and efficient heating systems, Prague has made significant progress in adopting renewable energy sources and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels.

In addition to energy efficiency, Prague has also prioritized effective **waste management** and recycling programs. The city has implemented comprehensive waste management systems that encourage citizens to separate and recycle their waste responsibly. By doing so, Prague has not only reduced the amount of waste destined for landfills but has also fostered a culture of environmental responsibility among its residents.

Prague's commitment to **sustainable transportation** is evident in its efforts to enhance public transportation systems and promote eco-friendly mobility options. The city boasts a well-developed tram network, extensive bus routes, and a connected metro system, all of which contribute to reducing private car usage. These sustainable transportation initiatives have not only alleviated traffic congestion but have also mitigated air pollution, making Prague a more livable and environmentally friendly city.

One of the defining features of Prague is its abundant **green spaces**, which play a crucial role in the city's sustainability efforts. Parks, gardens, and urban forests are carefully maintained, providing residents with ample opportunities to connect with nature. These green spaces not only enhance the well-being of citizens but also support biodiversity and act as vital habitats for various plant and animal species.

Prague's ranking as the 10th most sustainable city in Europe underscores its commitment to creating a greener and more livable urban environment. The city's relentless pursuit of sustainability serves as an inspiration to other cities striving to implement environmentally conscious practices. As Prague continues to prioritize sustainability in the years to come, it is poised to further enhance its reputation as a model sustainable city, leading the way towards a more sustainable future for all.

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Prague ranks as the 10th most sustainable city in Europe

The event took place in the Prague Congress Centre where beautiful sights were accompanied by roaring sound effects, game soundtracks presented by world-renowned experts in the field as Alexey Pajitnov (inventor of Tetris), Rhianna Pratchett (writer for Tomb Raider) and many others. For two days, attendees had a chance to speak to the great minds of the business, share ideas and inquire about their unique insights.

Apart from professionals, the conference also provided a space for starting game developers to network, mingle and share ideas. A designated room full of small gaming studios, IT students, and like-minded enthusiasts were the place to be!

The City of Prague has a long-term vision of promoting perspective businesses in the creative digital space, supporting starting businesses of game developers.

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Game Developers Session: Gaming Superconference

## CZECH CITIES & REGIONS PAVILION
Amongst the nearly 1900 exhibitors from 36 countries, the City of Prague made its mark – joining forces with other partners, the City was part of a pavilion called the Czech Cities & Regions in Hall A2 of the trade fair. The booth was designed by the Czech architecture and urban design studio CHYBIK + KRISTOF. Teaming up with other partners of the Czech Republic proved to be a superb move – the Czech pavilion enticed a plethora of potential investors and sparked a fruitful discussions.

### Presenting the Urban Future
The Czech pavilion provided a platform for the City of Prague, the City of Ostrava, Moravian-Silesian Region, and the Czech business and development agency CzechInvest, where the investors could ask questions to the representatives, discuss business, investments or any other future cooperation. Those inquiries regarding the Prague urban development were then answered by the team of the Deputy Mayor of the City of Prague, Petr Hlaváček. Besides the widely discussed transportation infrastructure projects of a new metro line and extensions of the tram lines, the City of Prague has been working on unblocking construction at multiple brownfield sites in the city. These sites provide an opportunity to develop real estate in between the currently existing structures – creating attractive investment opportunities. The Deputy Mayor emphasized the precious role of the city – identifying the potential investment, development, and construction opportunities whilst setting high-quality standards. 

### Discussions & Inspirations
During the three-day fair, the pavilion hosted events, debates and presentations, where different areas were discussed regarding the Czech real estate and urban development topics. 

#### Deputy Mayors Discussion
On Thursday, the Deputy Mayor of Prague, Petr Hlaváček, and the Deputy Mayor of Ostrava, Hana Tichánková, joined the stage in a debate and discussed the future plans for the Czech metropolises’ urban development.

#### Eva Jiřičná and Steven Holl on Upcoming Projects
Two prominent architects presented their projects that are changing the landscape of Czech cities. The Czech architect, Eva Jiřičná, spoke on the reconstruction of a multi-storied building, emphasizing that the building constructed in the 60s and 70s will be primarily reimagined and reconstructed, not demolished. In the same spirit, Steven Holl spoke on the reconstruction of a concert hall in Ostrava, building onto the shared value of sustainability in architecture.

## ABOUT EXPO REAL 
EXPO REAL Trade Fair has been held in Munich, Germany ever since 1998. It is the biggest trade fair for property and real estate investments in Europe, offering a platform for networking amongst cities, regions, private and public investors to join forces in great projects that have the potential of reshaping city landscapes, significantly improving the quality of life and moving towards a better future.
This year’s three-day EXPO REAL focused on sustainability, demographics, and digitalization. Whilst expanding on these topics to ensure a better real estate development and planning, the community is also faced with the current sign of the times – high inflation and the related high construction and land costs. These challenges, however, make the trade fair presence even more important – finding better, more efficient, and sustainable solutions in cooperation with diverse partners might be the answer


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The Future of Prague City Showcased at EXPO REAL

EXPO Real

The City of Prague is praised not only for its astonishing sights, galleries, and museums (placing **4th in the world in Museums Category**) but also for the development undergone during the pandemic. The city flexibly modified public spaces to accommodate the current requirements in order to maintain **a high standard of living** for its citizens. The city, traditionally rich in sights and culture, is now becoming **an enticing destination for international companies**, such as **Microsoft, Cisco** and **Oracle**, attracting plenty of expats and young talents.

In the **World’s Best Cities Report**, cities are ranked on business and education development, prosperity alongside with infrastructure, housing, culture and overall atmosphere of the area. 

Full report to be found at the [World's Best Cities Website](https://www.worldsbestcities.com/rankings/worlds-best-cities/).

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Prague Ranking 12th World’s Best City

The City of Prague regularly participates in Expo Real for networking purposes, to raise its visibility on the market among other cities and to present offers for potential investors of international projects. 

The stand attracted many visitors and the presentations held there were well received. Councillor Jan Chabr talked about the urban development in Prague and presented current projects which will be realized by the Prague Development Company (Pražská developerská společnost) and Monika Habrova from the Prague Institute of Planning and Development presented Vltava Philharmonic Hall.
 
We would like to thank the architect studio Chybik+Kristof Architects for the elegant design of the stand and the City of Ostrava and Moravian-Silesian Region. Thank you very much for inspirational networking and we are looking forward to seeing you at Expo Real next year!

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Vltava Philharmonic Hall and other development projects were presented at the Czech stand at Expo Real 2022 in Munich

The Czech gaming industry has continued to grow rapidly, with 14 new studios being founded in 2021 alone, and had a turnover of 7.11 billion CZK (a growth of 33% over 2020). This is a continuation of a positive growth trend in recent years. In total, 55 new titles were published by Czech developers in 2022. With over 95% of the industry’s export being to international markets, the Czech gaming industry has become a serious actor on the global stage, and Czech developers have most definitely delivered products that live up to this position.

One of the most notable Czech titles in recent years has been **Kingdom Come: Deliverance**, released in 2018. The game explores medieval Bohemia during an era of rivalry between King Wenceslaus IV. and Sigismund, his half-brother and king of Hungaria. The game received wide acclaim mainly due to its detailed historical elements, absorbing storytelling and attention to detail. 

**Kingdom Come: Deliverance** has been compared to titans of the RPG genre on the international gaming scene, such as Skyrim and Witcher 3. The game received “Best PC Game” at gamescom, the world's largest gaming event. Notably, the game was also voted the best Czech video game of the decade at the Czech Game of the Year Awards in 2020. On the Czech scene, Kingdom Come: Deliverance received the award “Křišťálová lupa” in the category “Project of the year”.

Another Czech title to make its way to the international gaming scene is **Beat Saber**, a music-rhythm movement/dance game released in 2019. It has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and was awarded multiple awards for its visual style. Its wide success and popularity is mainly credited to its seamless virtual reality immersion. Another major reason for the game’s success is the fact that it allows players to create and download custom songs. It is a great achievement to create a virtual reality game that plays so seamlessly and it is an amazing achievement for a Czech-developed game to be considered one of the best in the virtual reality genre. 

The Czech gaming industry also has notable indie titles, such as **Machinarium** and **Botanicula**. Both of these projects were created by **Amanita Design**, a Czech indie game studio which started out as a graphic studio. Amanita Design are best known for their stunning animations entwined with gorgeous music. The studio’s projects received several awards for their visuals at the Independent Games Festival, which is the largest indie video game festival. On the Czech scene, the game Botanicula was awarded “Czech game of the year” at Anifilm, with the committee especially appreciating the game’s graphics and artistic contribution to Czech gaming. 

While the Czech gaming industry is now more prominent than ever, this rise is thanks to long years of hard work that have been celebrated at home as well as on the international scene. Czech game development studios have a long history of creating titles that have a lot to say and inspire through their visuals, music, storytelling and technical improvements.

The figures on the economic growth of the Czech gaming industry were taken from the [Czech Game Developers Association latest study](https://gda.cz/cs/cesky-herni-prumysl-rostl-navzdory-krizi-opet-hlasi-rekordni-obrat-i-zisky/ 
).

_Text by Eliška Unzeitigová_

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Success stories: Projects that put the Czech gaming industry on the map

Until now, Prague's branding strategy has (very successfully) focused on communicating the city as a tourist destination. However, in order to maintain competitiveness in an increasingly intense race for talent and investment, Prague must strengthen its reputation abroad and actively communicate its position as a city suitable for living, working, studying and doing business.

The goal of the project is to present the uniqueness of Prague and define which of its characteristics create an emotional bond with the city. Since cooperation between individual city stakeholders is absolutely essential for the success of the project, the future branding strategy must take into account the general direction of Prague and the way it is perceived by Prague citizens, expats, tourists, institutions, entrepreneurs or investors.

### Scope of the Future Public Tender

The Future Public Tender should incorporate the following:

• qualitative research on the perception of Prague from the point of view of expats (mainly foreign students and workers with regard to their motivation when choosing Prague as their destination for life), Prague residents (with regard to their perception of life in the city and its future development) and key foreign markets (with regard to their perception of Prague);

• stakeholder management – organization of workshops and other activities for important stakeholders within the city;

• creation of a strategic vision and a strong identity for Prague in the areas of work, study and invest;

• implementation proposal and its evaluation.


### Scope of the Market Consultation

The purpose of this consultation is to collect and verify information necessary for defining a public tender, especially when it comes to:

• conducting relevant quantitative and qualitative research;

• determining the price for the services provided;

• possible methods of tackling the implementation of the project;

• defining qualification requirements for suppliers;

• stakeholder management - approach, schedule, etc.


### Practical information

The invitation to participate in the consultation is aimed primarily at entities operating in the field of city branding, nation branding, place branding and/or destination marketing. 

The consultations will take place online, in English and with each participant separately. Questions to be discussed during the consultation will be provided to the participants at least two days before the meeting. The estimated duration of the consultation is 1-2 hours, depending on the complexity of the feedback.


**If you are interested in participating in the preliminary market consultations, please fill in [the following questionnare](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOw69dMu63oes-G4Cw-CQDc3t81sOpHPZS5XP8VNsD9SQQPA/viewform?usp=sf_link) by April 5, 2023 (EOD).**


In case of any questions, please get in touch by e-mail: [lucia.legathova@praha.eu](mailto:lucia.legathova@praha.eu).

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Preliminary Market Consultation for the future place branding strategy of the City of Prague

The visit of the Prague representatives to the University of Kobe in Japan confirmed the positive impact of the official memorandums of cooperation between universities. Japan officials appreciate that the partnership with Charles University, established fifteen years ago, has so far led to dozens of joint scientific outputs across faculties and scientific disciplines. For example, the possibility of using the Fugaku supercomputer in Kobe was discussed in the context of cooperation with the city. Prague has the highest number of universities, research and technical departments of any Czech city, and bears comparison with world capitals.

Thanks to a partnership agreement between the cities, which dates back to the last parliamentary term, Prague also has similar cooperation with the capital of Taiwan, Taipei. This has proved particularly successful in the case of assistance with the supply of medical supplies during a pandemic, the introduction of robots into teaching in Prague's secondary schools and cooperation between zoos and universities.

_"After the successful cooperation with Taipei, we want to focus our long-term attention on inter-city diplomacy, specifically on cooperation with Japanese cities, which we had the opportunity to visit with the support of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Japanese counterpart. During the course of our study visit, we gathered key contacts, especially for support in the launch of the Prague Science and Technology Park, or in the framework of transnational university cooperation on student exchange with a focus on biotechnology, AI development or startup incubation. Japanese partners, on the other hand, want to get inspiration from us in working with urban data and the Golemio data platform,"_ says Daniel Mazur, Councillor for Science, Research, ICT and Innovation.

Since 2017, Prague has had its own smart city development strategy - the Smart Prague 2030 Concept. Thus, it fulfils the long-term Smart Cities concept with the aim of making life easier for the citizens of Prague through the implementation of smart solutions and helps the city management to run the metropolis more efficiently based on data, implementing pilot projects and then translating them into long-term solutions in six thematic areas ranging from transportation to waste management.

_"We want to promote the intensive development of student exchanges, foster partnerships between universities in advanced fields, and collaborate in training and experience sharing on the part of officials or employees of city companies and contributory organizations. The people of Prague are open to new technologies and foreign investors can test new solutions on our market before entering larger and economically critical markets,"_ says Jaromír Beránek, Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Relations and EU Funds.

In the past, Prague has repeatedly participated in Europe's largest smart technology fair Smart City Expo & World Congress in Barcelona or Smart City Summit & Expo in Taipei, and this year it took advantage of an invitation from Tokyo City Hall, which was co-organising the new City-Tech.Tokyo expo. Tokyo. To boost interest in business cooperation with Prague, Prague startups need to be visible and supported in their promotion. Last year, the City of Prague hosted a successful mission to its MedTech, AI and biotech partner city Phoenix. In 2021, a mission in the cultural and creative industries with an emphasis on the gaming industry (computer game development) was held in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey. Cooperation with the partner city Kyoto is being carried out under the IURC (International Urban and Regional Cooperation programme) with the main objective of establishing closer cooperation, exchange of experience and transfer of know-how from non-EU countries to EU cities and vice versa.

_"One of my priorities in this term is to focus on the development of the startup environment and the overall support of the private innovation ecosystem. Inspiration can be drawn from a visit to the Cambridge innovation centre (CIC), where there is a high concentration of talent from startups, corporates and the public sector. We need to have something similar in Prague. Centralizing all the discussion within this sector in one place is absolutely crucial for the development of the entire ecosystem,"_ adds David Procházka, Chairman of the IT and Smart City Committee.

_"Every year Prague chooses one topic to cover in terms of the business mission. This year, the theme of urban innovation was chosen through City-Tech.Tokyo. This mission had the support and participation not only from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Japan, which hosted one of the side events, but also from the Czech Ministry of Trade and Industry through the CzechInvest and CzechTrade agencies. We look forward to the Japanese delegation from Kyoto visiting Prague next week,"_ concludes Tereza Hrušková, Head of the Foreign Relations Department.

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Prague will use contacts from Japan to launch a science and technology park, while Japanese cities take inspiration from the Golemio data platform

The meeting focused on the current state of politics in Belarus and the problems Belarusians face. Tsikhanouskaya and Hrib discussed establishing a location for the House of Belarus in Prague and setting up the date for the International Day of Solidarity with Belarus, which has been appointed on May 29, the one-year anniversary of her husband's arrest.

Since the Belarusian presidential elections in 2020, which outcome has been rejected by the majority of the democratic world, the Czech Republic has received many Belarusian refugees. As a sign of solidarity, Prague City Hall had displayed the flag of Free Belarus, provided the refugees with housing and organized various events with repressed artists, and is ready to help Belarusians with concrete actions and support.

Tsikhanouskaya’s visit to the Czech Republic focused mainly on supporting the Belarusian diaspora in the Czech Republic. Besides Mr Hrib, Tsikhanouskaya met with Czech President Milos Zeman, Prime Minister Petr Fiala and several ministers to discuss launching a working group on the migration issues of Belarusians. 

As a result, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched new immigration program Civil Society to support the freedom of repressed citizens of Belarus and their families and defend human rights. In support of Belarus, the Czech parliament also formed an informal group Friends of Free Belarus that unites different parties across the Czech political scene. Moreover, as a part of the Czech Presidency of the EU Council, a series of events involving Belarus' democratic forces and civil society will take place.


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Prague supports the democratic Belarusian opposition

Prague is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The city boasts a rich history, stunning architecture, and a vibrant culture, but one of its most significant assets is its public transport system. Prague's public transport has been ranked highly in recent years, and it's no wonder why.

### 1. It's convenient
One of the most significant advantages of Prague's public transport is its convenience. The city has an extensive network of buses, trams, and metro lines that connect almost every corner of the city. With over 130 bus lines, 25 tram lines, and 3 metro lines, getting around Prague is a breeze. The transport system is also very well-integrated, meaning that it's easy to transfer from one mode of transport to another, making journeys even more convenient.

### 2. It's cheap
Prague's public transport is also very affordable. Compared to other major cities in Europe, the cost of a ticket in Prague is relatively low. The city operates on a zone-based ticketing system, which means that you pay according to the number of zones you travel through. A single ticket for one zone costs 24 CZK, which is roughly equivalent to one euro. A day pass that allows unlimited travel on all modes of transport costs 120 CZK, and a monthly pass costs 670 CZK. These prices are much lower than those in other European cities, making Prague's public transport very accessible to everyone. Prague's public transport system is also committed to inclusivity, with free travel available to elderly, disabled, and young passengers. This ensures that everyone, regardless of their age or physical abilities, can access the city's public transport network and enjoy all that Prague has to offer.

### 3. It's efficient
Speed is another significant advantage of Prague's public transport. The city's metro system is one of the fastest and most efficient in Europe, with trains running every few minutes. The tram system is also very efficient, with most trams running on dedicated tracks, making them less affected by traffic congestion. The bus system is also well-designed, with bus lanes and priority at traffic lights to ensure that buses can get around the city quickly.

### 4. It's green
Prague's public transport is also environmentally friendly. The city has made significant investments in recent years to reduce the environmental impact of its transport system. This includes the introduction of electric buses, trams, and metro trains, as well as the implementation of bike-sharing schemes and pedestrian zones. As a result, Prague's public transport is a sustainable and eco-friendly way to get around the city - more than half of Prague residents use public transport daily (in comparison with only 20% that use a car on a daily basis).

### 5. It's digitalised
Prague's public transport system has also embraced digitalization in recent years, making it even easier for commuters to navigate the city. The metro system now features a mobile signal, allowing passengers to stay connected throughout their journey. Online apps such as DPP Info provide real-time information on any delays or disruptions to services, enabling commuters to plan their journeys more effectively. Additionally, Lítačka, the city's transport card system, allows commuters to purchase tickets and coupons with just a few clicks on their smartphone, eliminating the need for cash or paper tickets. The Lítačka app also offers a journey planner feature, allowing passengers to easily search for the best transport connections to their desired destination. The digitalization of Prague's public transport system has made commuting in the city even more convenient and accessible to residents and visitors alike.

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Prague's public transport ranked second best in the world

During his trip to the Czech Republic, the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, visited the Mayor of Prague together with other members of the Czech National Delegation of the European Committee of the Regions. The main agenda of the meeting was the current refugee crisis. Since the outbreak of the war, the Czech Republic has already issued over 279,000 visas to fleeing Ukrainians, while Prague became a new home to more than 66,500 of them.

### Cities need a long-term solution for the refugee crisis
President Tzitzikostas praised the dedication and solidarity of Prague and its citizens. He also added that the European Union would not be able to cope with this crisis without the commitment and proactivity of city leaders in the most affected regions, including Prague and the Czech Republic. The Committee of the Regions within the European Union is raising awareness that the situation is serious not only in the countries bordering Ukraine but also in the Czech Republic. Therefore, large-scale assistance should be allocated also to the Czech Republic and its capital, Prague.

_"We agreed that although for now, Prague manages the arrival of a large number of people fleeing the Putin War, EU assistance is absolutely essential for a long-term solution to the situation. European funds must flow directly to cities and regions as soon as possible. After all, I promoted this even before the war within the framework of the Pact of Free Cities. I am therefore pleased that the European Committee of the Regions has now come up with the appropriate financial instrument to deal with the refugee crisis. The European Commission will decide on it next week. The Committee of the Regions is a key advisory body to the European Commission, so it is great that we have such an influential partner in negotiating direct finances,”_ said the Mayor of Prague, Zdeněk Hřib.

### Supporting other cities and regions during the Czech Presidency
Representatives of the Czech National Delegation to the European Committee of the Regions, of which Mayor Hřib is a member, presented events focused on the development of cities and regions planned in Prague during the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU. They agreed that during the presidency, Prague will be the centre of the development of cities and regions at the European level, addressing key issues such as increasing need for energy self-sufficiency, managing the effects of the Russian war on Ukraine, and sustainable modernization.

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Prague's Mayor discussed the refugee crisis and direct funding for cities with the European Committee of the Regions

_"The Energocentrum project has been in development for about two years. It uses the heat of wastewater that is treated on Císařský ostrov. Every second, three cubic metres of filtered wastewater leaves the treatment plant, which even in the coldest months has a temperature of more than ten degrees. We have a big opportunity to use this water to provide heat for up to a third of Prague. This has been successfully applied for decades in Denmark and Sweden, and there is no reason why it should not be the case here too. Moreover, sewage is the only raw material that Prague will always have enough of,"_ says Petr Hlaváček, First Deputy Mayor of Prague.

The Energocentrum is one of the initiatives to make Prague independent from Russian gas. In the future, the Energocentrum in Bubeněč could also be used to heat and cool down the Vltava Philharmonic Hall, which will be built by the river near the Vltavská metro station. 

The new urban district of Bubny-Zatory is to be built in the future to replace one of the largest brownfields within the city today, which covers an area of more than 100 hectares. Up to 25,000 inhabitants will find a home here in 11,000 flats. The first houses could start to be built in 2025 and the project is expected to be fully finished by 2040. For such a large and complicated area, the City of Prague has commissioned a detailed plan for the location of supply networks and other technical infrastructure.

_"Bubny-Zatory is the largest brownfield site basically in the city centre, which will offer a vibrant neighbourhood for up to 25,000 inhabitants in the future. Its centre will be the forthcoming Vltava Philharmonic Hall. That is why it is important to prepare all the technical conditions for its proper development in good time. The use of wastewater for heat generation is one of the key projects that resonates even more strongly in today's socio-political situation. This would create a self-sufficient and climate-neutral district in Prague,"_ adds Ondřej Boháč, Director of the Institute of Planning and Development.

More information can be found in [official press release](https://www.praha.eu/jnp/cz/o_meste/magistrat/tiskovy_servis/tiskove_zpravy/okolo_vltavske_filharmonie_muze_vyrust.html).

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