SEL-NTUA at the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2026: Bringing Nature-Based Solutions Closer to Citizens
From 5 to 7 June 2026, the CARDIMED project participated in the Great Exhibition Road Festival, one of London’s leading public celebrations of science, technology, creativity and innovation. Hosted at Imperial College London, the CARDIMED stand in the World Science Zone brought together researchers from Imperial College London, the Sanitary Engineering Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens (SEL-NTUA) and the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS-NTUA) to introduce visitors to the role of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in strengthening climate resilience.
SEL-NTUA was represented by Prof. Simos Malamis, Dr Theocharis Nazos and PhD candidate Ilias Chatzimpalis, who contributed to the project’s public engagement activities and discussions with visitors throughout the festival.
Through interactive demonstrations and discussions, children, families, students and professionals had the opportunity to explore how Nature-Based Solutions can help Mediterranean regions respond to challenges such as water scarcity, flooding, biodiversity loss and increasing climate pressures. Examples presented included urban green infrastructure, wetland restoration, sustainable drainage systems and ecosystem-based approaches to water management.
The CARDIMED team also demonstrated how digital tools and decision-support approaches can complement Nature-Based Solutions by supporting their planning, assessment and monitoring and by helping authorities and practitioners better understand their environmental and societal benefits.
A particularly important moment took place during the festival’s VIP reception, where Prof. Evina Katsou of Imperial College London and Prof. Simos Malamis of SEL-NTUA presented CARDIMED to Marc Lemaître, Director General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, and Lord Patrick Vallance, UK Minister for Science, Research and Innovation. The discussion offered an opportunity to present the project’s ambitions and underline the importance of collaborative, research-driven approaches to climate adaptation and sustainable development.
Beyond its scientific programme, the festival provided an important platform for dialogue between researchers and citizens. Visitors shared experiences from their own communities, discussed local environmental challenges and showed strong interest in practical solutions that combine ecosystem protection, climate adaptation and improved quality of life. CARDIMED brings together researchers, public authorities, practitioners and local communities across the Mediterranean to develop, demonstrate and evaluate Nature- Based Solutions for climate resilience.
Participation in the Great Exhibition Road Festival offered an excellent opportunity to communicate this work beyond the research community, strengthen collaboration among project partners and highlight the role of science in supporting informed and active participation in climate adaptation.
More information about CARDIMED and its participation in the festival is available on the CARDIMED website: https://cutt.ly/8yr5oqbd
