The UCLG World Council sees Jan Van Zanen become President of UCLG

Welcome to your update on UCLG’s efforts to amplify the voice of local and regional governments in global discussions!

UCLG World Council 2024 took place in The Hague

Once a year, members of all UCLG sections meet to decide on the organization's policies. 

Earlier this month, under the theme "A New Peace Agenda for Future Generations”, our network of local and regional leaders gathered in The Hague from October 8-10 thanks to the invitation of the Mayor of The Hague. During 3 days, our members attended policy debates, Municipal Peace Talks and statutory meetings.

Mayor of The Hague is our new President for 2024-2025

The UCLG World Council in The Hague concluded with Mayor Jan Van Zanen officially taking over the presidency from Mayor Uğur Ibrahim Altay. With a strong commitment to advance the New Peace Agenda for Future Generations, Mayor Van Zanen reaffirmed his dedication to ensuring that #LRGs remain crucial actors on the global stage, particularly in peace building, and defending human rights and local democracy.

UN USG Guy Ryder joins our World Council to address the key role of LRGs in achieving the UN Pact for the Future

United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder joined the UCLG World Council 2024, in particular the opening plenary and the Business Session of the Executive Bureau. Throughout the event,  highlighted the essential role of local and regional governments in addressing global challenges, commenting that “the UN Pact for the future, agreed by the 192 members of the UN recognises that local and regional governments are part of the solution to our global challenges. Cities are where we can foster the transitions needed to achieve the 2030 Agenda”

Mayor of The Hague Jan Van Zanen focused on the city's tradition of municipal cooperation, while Mayor Uğur Ibrahim Altay reflected on the year's progress in amplifying the voices of local leaders on the international stage. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof, also addressed the assembly with a message of support for local and regional leadership.

World Council and Executive Bureau

Chaired by Ye Niuping, Mayor of Xi’an and UCLG Copresident, alongside UCLG Copresidents Berry Vrbanovic and Bheke Stofile, the Executive Bureau reviewed statutory updates and upcoming policy priorities for 2025. Key discussions focused on the organization’s global care strategy leading to the World Social Summit, where the Local Social Covenant will be presented, as well as the "10, 100, 1000 Human Rights Cities" campaign update by The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Representative Todd Howland. The VI LED Forum, Forum of Intermediary Cities, UCLG Culture Summit, and UCLG's involvement in programs like YCAF with Bloomberg Philanthropies were also highlighted.

At the World Council business session, the then President Uğur Ibrahim Altay reviewed the organization's achievements over the past year, with a focus on the Summit of the Future. He underlined the importance of integrating local governments into the new governance system outlined in the Pact, urging stronger collaboration between local and international governance to address 21st-century challenges.

UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach welcomed the Council via video, underscoring the importance of peacebuilding and the continued collaboration between UCLG and UN-Habitat.

Mayors from around the world contributed, including Vice Mayor of Sevilla Minerva Salas, who introduced the 4th Financing for Development Conference, Mayor Sami Kanaan of Geneva discussing the MOU between United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and UCLG, and Mayor Antoine Le Solleuz of Nancy sharing updates from the Working Group on Territorial Cohesion.

Special Envoys Carola Gunnarsson and Anthony Berthelot presented UCLG’s policymaking roadmaps, linking the outcomes to 2025 milestones.

UCLG Municipal Peace Talks 

At the UCLG Municipal Peace Talks, representatives of the UCLG Presidency, including President Uğur Ibrahim Altay, Co-President Fatimetou Abdel Malick and Vice-President Paola Pabón, as well as partners PAX , OHCHR and Bilbao Mayor Juan Mari Aburto reflected on the deeply rooted role of peace building in the history of our movement, as well as on local peace building initiatives and the transformative potential of cities.

The Municipal Peace Talks provided an opportunity for the mayor of Montevideo, Mauricio Zunino, to present the next edition of the World Forum of Cities and Territories of Peace, to be held in Montevideo in 2025.

Participants discussed the importance of interacting with local aspects of the new peace agenda and celebrated The Hague's legacy as a city of peace and justice on the occasion of its 125th anniversary, with Mayor Jan Van Zanen presenting the “Hague Charter on Municipal Peace”.

See more pictures of the event here. 

Summit of The Future 

In September, the Summit of the Future took place at the UN HQ in New York. From September 19 to 22, world leaders, including representatives from our organization, gathered for this crucial event. The summit was divided into two parts: the days of action, during which key initiatives were discussed, and the summit itself, during which global commitments to the future of multilateralism were strengthened.

The World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments in the framework of the Summit of the Future sent a clear message to the international system: “We either break through, or we break out.” The World Assembly was, therefore, the space was a call for the recognition of local and regional governments as essential political actors within the UN system. Local and regional governments are on the front lines, addressing global challenges such as climate change, inequality, and food insecurity. 

The key role of local and regional governments was echoed at the UCLG World Council in The Hague, where Guy Ryder, UN Under Secretary-General for Policy, recalled the importance of local governance in achieving global solutions. He highlighted the role of cities to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

The adoption of the Pact for the Future at the Future Summit reinforced these ideas, covering crucial elements such as the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations. This pact highlights the role of local actors as key players in peace building, sustainability and human rights. 

Read the adopted document here.

OIDP Conference in Valongo

Over 350 participants from 43 countries gathered in Valongo from 17 to 19 October for the 23rd Annual Conference of the OIDP - International Observatory on Participatory Democracy (OIDP). With the theme, “Populist Threats: Building Democratic Resilience with Participatory Communities,” the three-day event brought together local and regional government representatives, civil society leaders, and experts from 43 countries to explore how participatory local democracy can address the challenges posed by rising populism and safeguard the future of democratic governance. 

The conference was inaugurated by José Manuel Ribeiro, Mayor of Valongo and OIDP President, highlighting the encounter as a “crucial moment for our municipalist movement”, as it was an opportunity to share on the best practices to enhance our democratic systems through participation. Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of UCLG, underscored the role of the OIDP Conference in reshaping democratic processes globally: "From UCLG and OIDP, we are committed to shaping tools and actions that bring democratic learning and resilience into the global conversation. What happens in places like Valongo impacts multilateralism and the world." Carola Gunnarsson, VP of UCLG for Europe and Special Envoy, brought to the forefront the aspect of proximity of local and regional governments as key in fostering democracy through civic engagement, participation and the promotion of gender equality.  

The Conference featured 39 different sessions including panels, workshops and other activities co-organized by OIDP, UCLG and other partners and collaborators. In the closing ceremony, Krakow was announced as the host city for the Conference in 2026. The next 24th OIDP Conference will take place in Córdoba (Argentina), from 21 to 23 May 2025.  

Read the final Valongo declaration here.

Lampedusa Health and Migration Policy Lab 

On September 12, UCLG's 2nd Lampedusa Charter Policy Lab on ‘Mainstreaming health in migration’ virtually gathered 40 stakeholders from local and regional governments, civil society, and international organizations and doctors to focus on sustainable health services for migrants at all stages—origin, transit, and arrival. Co-hosted by the municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa, UCLG Partners from the UN Network on Migration’s Workstream 3 linking migration and health -  World Health Organization , the UN Major Group on Children and Youth (UN MGCY) and Platform for Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) co-facilitated varied thematic groups discussion on this migration-health nexus.

Local health experts underscore the urgent need for extensive research and data collection to standardize and monitor the success of health initiatives for migrants. By raising awareness of their healthcare needs upon arrival at borderlands globally, we can better address these critical issues. They also propose sharing long-term solutions and data on recurrent health challenges faced by migrants.

Lampedusa remains a pivotal advocate developing dignified and innovative approaches to welcome newcomers and ensure that their fundamental human rights are upheld. This Lampedusa policy lab set the stage for their transnational meeting on healthcare and psychological support for migrants, as part of the URBACT WELDI network (Building welcoming communities for migrants), on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the October 03 migrant shipwrecks.

Read the background paper of the Policy Lab here.

Urban Economy Forum

The 6th Urban Economy Forum took place in Toronto & Kitchener, from 24-27 September 2024, under the title “Financing Sustainable Tourism, Advancing Quality of Life”. Mayor of Konya Uğur Ibrahim Altay, then President of UCLG, and Mayor of Kitchener Berry Vrbanovic were part of the opening segment and throughout the Forum.

UCLG advocated for the need to bring local and regional governments into the conversation on global tourism strategies. Involving local populations in the decisions that will affect their  ways of life, and building tourism strategies that Care and Diversity guide will be essential for a model that cares for visitors, but also for local communities. Only together, participants argued, will we be able to shape a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable tourism model for generations to come.

International Day of Care

The overarching vision which guides the efforts of our constituency toward the 2030 Agenda and leverages our impact, is built around care as the foundation for revitalizing rights-based public service provision and establishing a new social contract. This vision bridges local actions with global development agendas, ensuring that policy-making resonates with the aspirations of local communities.

On October 28, as we celebrate the International Day of Care, we reaffirm our commitment to this mission. From our Pact for the Future, which centers on Care for People, Planet, and Government, to our Local SDG Rescue Plan, local and regional governments will continue prioritizing the rights and needs of present and future generations through local care systems grounded on public service provision. With the development of the Local Social Covenant—a coalition dedicated to rights-based localization—we aim to build inclusive societies where access to fundamental rights, such as the right to the city, food, housing, culture, and health, is a reality for everyone, no matter where they live. Now is the time to act, and local and regional governments are ready to lead the way in reshaping global governance with care at its heart.

A standout example of women’s local leadership advancing care: here

Next on the Agenda!

Bloomberg Philanthropies 2025 Global Mayors Challenge: Core City Services, Reimagined 

UCLG supports the Mayors Challenge: a competition, launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies, that aims to spur government innovation that improves lives in cities around the world. Open to cities from anywhere in the world with 100,000 residents or more, the competition calls on mayors to work with residents and entrepreneurs to radically reimagine their core municipal services, from public transportation to waste management, housing and shelter, emergency response and more. Applications must focus on innovating a service that is citywide, resident-facing, and that falls under the municipality’s authority.

In this year’s Mayors Challenge, 50 finalists will receive piloting funds and coaching to test and improve their ideas with residents. From the 50 finalists, 25 winning cities will receive $1,000,000, operational assistance to bring their proposals to life.

We would like to invite our members to join the Mayors Challenge, to bring transformative policies to life, and improve the lives of residents. Twenty-five winners will be awarded $1M and operational assistance to ensure these impactful policies can happen. Applications are due on December 20, 2024 at 11:59PM ET.

To learn more about the 2025 Global Mayors Challenge and access the application and resources to develop an application, register on the program website at mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org. 

World Urban Forum #WUF12 in Cairo

Co-hosted by UN-Habitat and the Government of Egypt, the 12th World Urban Forum (#WUF12) will take place from 4 to 8 November 2024 in Cairo, Egypt. 

With the theme “It All Starts at Home: Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities,” this global event provides an inclusive and high-level platform for tackling the challenges of sustainable urbanization and driving forward local solutions for more resilient cities.

Smart City Expo in Barcelona

UCLG will participate once again in the Smart City Expo World Congress, held in Barcelona since 2011. Mayors, local governments’ technical staffers and representatives from city networks will join international organizations, other government representatives and private partners to move cities towards a better future through innovation and empowerment.

UCLG will be present in different agoras and sessions through the voice of Vice President Carola Gunnarsson, our involvement in the Cities Coalition for Digital Rights, the co-organization of the session “Talents for Tomorrow: How Can Local Governments Address Emerging Challenges?” together with Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and Eurocities and many more activities.

Urban20 in Rio de Janeiro

Hosted by Rio de Janeiro, co-chaired by São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), this edition will bring together city representatives and key partners to shape impactful urban solutions. For the first time, U20 will take place just before the G20 Heads of State and Government meeting, featuring G20 Social, a dedicated platform for stakeholder engagement with G20 leaders.

Convened by C40 Cities and UCLG, the U20 provides a critical space for cities to lead global discussions on sustainable development, under the leadership of a rotating Chair city.

Forum of Intermediary Cities in Cuenca

On January 23-24, 2025, the third World Forum of Intermediary Cities will be held in Cuenca, Ecuador. The UCLG Forum of Intermediary Cities serves as a platform for consultation and policy development, culminating in a biennial event. 

The Forum follows a participatory process, featuring regional and global consultations that contribute to shaping the final Declaration of the World Forum.

Mayors Mechanism’s Call for inputs: Survey on local responses to Strengthen Safe and Regular Migration Pathways

All legal human mobility pathways are the mandate of national governments (including the issuing of visas and provision of residence permits). Against this context, our GFMD Mayors Mechanism Partnership (UCLG + Mayors Migration Council (MMC) + IOM) aims to scope how Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) enable more effective national pathways regimes. This deep-dive survey would highlight ways to improve national-local coordination to expand migration and refugee protection pathways.

The Mayors Mechanism is a crucial interlocutor of local governments to the Global Forum for Migration and Development (GFMD) process. In this role, we seek your input to better understand the role that LRGs play in the day-to-day management of migration that enables pathways to be safe and regular – whether that be providing legal services for visa processing, offering pre-departure orientation for those migrating, or creating the housing and infrastructure needed to welcome newcomers.

The survey findings will contribute to the Mayors Mechanism White Paper on LRGs Role in Strengthening Regular Migration Pathways, which we will present to the vast GFMD community.

This White Paper aims to bring insightful LRG perspectives to the 2024-2025 GFMD Chair - the Government of Colombia - which seeks to advance discussion on regular migration pathways under the overarching topic of ‘Regular Migration, Labour Mobility and Human Rights: Pillars of Development and Well-Being of Societies’.

We urge all members and representatives of Local and Regional Governments to kindly input to our survey, no later than November 21.

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