Rethymno: National Zero Waste Forum on 13-14 October

The Municipality of Rethymno announced on Thursday, 24 September 2026 the organization of the National Zero Waste Forum, a conference dedicated to circular waste management. According to the Municipality’s press release, the conference will take place on 13 and 14 October 2026 at the Theartemis Palace Conference Centre in Rethymno. Participation in the conference is free, as explicitly stated in the announcement by the Municipal Authority. The keynote speaker will be Deputy Tourism Minister Anna Karamanli, according to the Municipality of Rethymno, which presents her participation as a central point of the event.

The National Zero Waste Forum is part, according to the Municipality’s press release, of the theme of the circular economy and waste reduction, an issue that has systematically occupied Crete’s municipalities in recent years, especially due to the increase in waste volume during the tourist season. The Municipality of Rethymno’s announcement does not include a detailed programme of speakers or thematic sections beyond the participation of Ms Karamanli, nor does it mention the expected number of delegates or the bodies that may be co-organizing the event. It is also not clarified whether free participation requires prior online registration or simply attendance at the conference venue during the two days of the event, a detail that remains unclear according to the available press release.

The choice of the Theartemis Palace Conference Centre as the venue places the organization in Rethymno, a city that already hosts a series of institutional and scientific events during the fall, when the summer tourist season ends and the pressure on local waste management infrastructure decreases. The participation of the Deputy Tourism Minister in the conference links, according to the Municipality, the issue of circular waste management with the tourism sector, which is a major economic activity in the Rethymno area and Crete in general. The Municipality of Rethymno presents the organization as an opportunity to highlight circular economy practices at the local level, without, however, mentioning specific projects or programmes of the Municipality itself that will be presented within the conference.

The Municipality of Rethymno has not announced further details about the detailed programme of the two days of the conference, nor has it published a link or registration process for interested parties, details that remain unclear. Citizens and bodies wishing to attend the National Zero Waste Forum on 13 and 14 October 2026 at the Theartemis Palace will need to await a further announcement from the Municipal Authority with detailed participation instructions. The Municipality of Rethymno has also proceeded at the same time with other infrastructure interventions, such as activation of the drilling at Makries Elies, while detailed information about the area is available on the Rethymno page.