We have seen the “top-down” management of the people who manage the Local Authority. This model has a certain limit of success, depending on the ability of the Local Authority. But imperative in our time is social activation and joint planning with the citizens. Active citizens’ groups are an essential factor in organizing and managing the visions and actions of the people. They themselves have something to suggest and need a way of active participation. Local government should enable them to participate in planning and controlling implementation.

We want the active groups of citizens active around solutions and actions of their neighborhood, city or village that want to go beyond the protest by proposing creative ideas for improving the quality of life to become an organic element of a participatory ecosystem contributing to the improvement of the urban and of the peri-urban environment. Every major policy for Heraklion will involve citizens in the design and evaluation of results. We will pursue a twofold relationship of respect and autonomy with roles distinct between active groups of citizens and Local Government. In the city there are lively groups of citizens who have the focus of their interests on innovation and new technologies. The Digital Students ‘Annual Student Festival, the Labaki Group, the Commonwealth Festival, the Opencoffe Group and TedXHeraklion are just some of the active citizens’ groups Of Heraklion that contribute to the bottom-up activities of the city.

Heraklion is also a place that strengthens and hosts actions of other groups outside of Heraklion such as Google DevFest, AgileCrete, JCrete4Kids, Agrockathon. The aim is for our city to encourage with its policies the action of such groups and create an attractive urban environment of creativity.

We use crowdsourcing tools to harness the ideas and creativity of the crowd. In May 2014 the first hackathon focused on city applications was organized, while the first Agrockathon for agricultural applications, which is a strategic axis of its development, is being prepared for June 2015 Island.

Digital Social Inclusion and Participation

The aim is therefore to ensure that the citizen has the right to express his / her opinion using digital platforms for participation, problem reporting, opinion on all major issues, before making decisions.
Consultation with active citizenship, problem analysis, target selection, action plan implementation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Cultivation of the idea of networked society as a new economic and social development model.

Households connected to the internet

A key part of active citizenship is the access of households to widespread Internet connection services. Because broadband is now as important as running water and electricity, the city of Heraklion has realized the importance of promoting it and improving the penetration of its services. For this reason, four providers of telecommunications services, apart from OTE, have been given the right to transit through the municipality for the installation of their fiber optic networks across the city, thus increasing the penetration of services and improving competition. As a result, broadband is now available in almost 100% of the municipality’s population.
At the same time, the free wireless access network of the Municipality of Heraklion, which today has more than 130 access points in the city, serves up to 12000 unique users, offering more than 4000 GB of data to them each month.

Introduction of smart mobile devices

Creating and deploying the wireless access network is a trigger for the citizens of Heraklion to acquire and utilize smart mobile devices. We also pay attention to the development and availability of information, service and participation of residents and visitors in the life of our country. Particular attention will be paid to developing applications for mobile devices, thus giving an additional incentive to use such a device. In addition, incentives will be given for the use of smart mobile devices by citizens for the purpose of mobile sensors and the use of information on pollution, noise, traffic, etc. In this way, collecting citizens’ requests and problems Of the city transforms the function of the Municipal Services.
Social media
It is not always necessary to reinvent the wheel. Social media offer a ready platform for information and sharing of ideas that can be used by the Municipality of Heraklion for its interaction with citizens. A strong social presence in the media with relevant content and regular publications can help in the digital life of citizens and the city.
Among other efforts to exploit social media, the Municipality of Heraklion aims at the following:
• Social Protection Notifications – Earthquakes, fires, severe weather events and other emergencies can develop very quickly with little or no warning. Social media can help inform citizens with important information about the security of the affected areas in a short period of time.
• Activities and Registration in Seminars – Social media can be used to inform or remind the community of upcoming activities and to enroll in seminars and educational activities.
• Public Service Announcements – Public service announcements are an effective method of raising awareness on issues that affect our community.
• Developing Society – Local governments work best when they have community involvement and collaboration. One way to improve the relationship between the municipality and the citizens is to develop a sense of social pride by sharing photos, stories and events about each community.

Social media

It is not always necessary to reinvent the wheel. Social media offer a ready platform for information and sharing of ideas that can be used by the Municipality of Heraklion for its interaction with citizens. A strong social presence in the media with relevant content and regular publications can help in the digital life of citizens and the city.
Among other efforts to exploit social media, the Municipality of Heraklion aims at the following:
• Social Protection Notifications – Earthquakes, fires, severe weather events and other emergencies can develop very quickly with little or no warning. Social media can help inform citizens with important information about the security of the affected areas in a short period of time.
• Activities and Registration in Seminars – Social media can be used to inform or remind the community of upcoming activities and to enroll in seminars and educational activities.
• Public Service Announcements – Public service announcements are an effective method of raising awareness on issues that affect our community.
• Developing Society – Local governments work best when they have community involvement and collaboration. One way to improve the relationship between the municipality and the citizens is to develop a sense of social pride by sharing photos, stories and events about each community.
Training actions to reduce the digital divide
We are taking initiatives to provide citizens with basic knowledge and skills for the effective use of new technologies, especially those used in citizens’ transactions with municipal services. Reducing the “digital divide”, as mentioned above, is part of our key commitments.
We make sure that people have personalized help when they use municipal equipment and new technology facilities.
We create e-learning platforms to help citizens make use of municipal digital services and equipment.
Creativity
Creativity in the context of grassroots life can be used to encourage people’s local involvement, to enhance public space and to contribute to the achievement of healthy and sustainable communities. It is a strategy to improve the well-being of the Heraklion community and to strengthen its position and distinction on a global scale.
The successful integration of creativity into the everyday life of Heraklion depends on collaborations between the various stakeholders and citizens, such as local authorities, private initiatives, non-profit organizations, artists and groups of citizens.
As part of this process, collaborations and joint leadership are vital to give new impetus and exploit the power of art to increase the quality of life and revitalize urban areas of Heraklion. In this process there are many tools to cultivate interconnections between people and the place, such as in areas with particular cultural features, the development of mixed use spaces, municipal cultural planning, creative industries, public art, urban planning.
The ultimate results of creativity can be surprising, and it is important that Heraklion does not simply borrow or copy what has been done elsewhere, but instead, by using its own positive elements, innovative local dimension strategies are emerging.

Living Living Lab
With the collaboration of local stakeholders, LivingLab has been created, called Cretan and South Aegean Living Lab.