The nearly one-week 2023 UCLG Retreat concluded with a unique Marketplace where participants could symbolically “purchase” the tools and projects presented to them. This marketplace was conceptualised as an interactive space for partners to deliver an “elevator pitch” of their organization, initiative, or event. Partners showcased over 19 projects, divided into three categories: campaigns and events, tools and processes, and local4action hubs.
CAMPAIGNS
SDG ACTION CAMPAIGN
Objective: To unite individuals from around the globe to achieve the SDGs and hold decision-makers accountable for their progress.
Value: Collaborating and ensuring a better future for all is more crucial now than ever. The SDGs Summit in September 2023 presents an opportunity to reinforce the commitment to action.
Opportunities for local and regional governments: Apply for the 2023 UN SDG Action Awards, which recognise and celebrate initiatives and individuals that #FlipTheScript by mobilising, inspiring, and connecting people to work towards a better world.
More information: https://www.sdgactioncampaign.org/
10, 100, 1000 HUMAN RIGHTS CITIES AND TERRITORIES
Objective: To make visible and organise the global movement of cities and territories committed to human rights, with a target of reaching 1000 Human Rights Cities and Territories by 2030.
Value: To foster solidarity, cooperation, and dialogue among human rights cities and territories from different regions of the world and to expand local human rights actions to encourage the involvement of local and regional governments in human rights global agendas and mechanisms at the international level.
Opportunities for local and regional governments: The campaign is open to local and regional governments worldwide, regardless of size or type of jurisdiction, who are willing to commit to human rights and have prior experience.
More information: cisdp1@uclg.org
CALL TO LOCAL ACTION ON MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
Objective: To increase the number of local and regional governments endorsing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees.
Value: To highlight local actions that have achieved or exceeded the Compacts’ objectives, encouraging cross-fertilisation, peer learning, and replicability.
Opportunities for local and regional governments: The Call for Action allows the submission of local- level initiatives. A MOOC on “Localizing the Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees – Territorial Action on Human Mobility” is also available.
More information: http://localaction.mayorsmechanism.org/
EVENTS
FORUM ON INTERMEDIARY CITIES AS TALENT TERRITORIES
Event: The forum will focus on intermediary cities as talent territories, particularly on the future of employment, digital transformation, and healthy nutrition.
Location: Tandil, Argentina
Dates: 29-30 May 2023
More information: https://intermediarycities.uclg.org/
FIRST CONGRESS ON ACCESSIBLE TOURISM
Event: Promoted by Mercociudades and its South-South Cooperation programme, this evento aims to promote the right for everyone to enjoy the city.
Location: Canelones, Uruguay
Dates: 8-9 June 2023
More information: https://sursurmercociudades.org/
WORLD FORUM ON CITIES AND TERRITORIES OF PEACE
Event: The forum is a multi-stakeholder, multi-level platform highlighting the importance of building coexistence and peace within cities and territories and encouraging joint efforts on policies and programmes that contribute to building a peace culture.
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Dates: 27-28 June 2023
More information: https://www.ciudadesdepaz.com/
ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVATORY ON PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
Event: The IOPD holds an annual international conference to discuss and reflect on the state of participatory democracy worldwide. The evento brings together local, regional, and national politicians, academics, and political activists.
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Dates: 16-18 October 2023
More information: https://oidp.net/en/conference.php
AWARDS
UCLG PEACE PRIZE
The Municipality of Palmira in Colombia won the UCLG Peace Prize in 2022. It awards successful initiatives undertaken by local governments for conflict prevention, peace-building, and post-conflict reconstruction. Applications for the next edition will open on 1 January 2024.
More information: https://peaceprize.uclg.org/
GUANGZHOU AWARD
It recognises innovation in improving social, economic, and environmental sustainability and promoting good urban governance in cities and regions, ultimately advancing their citizens’ prosperity and quality of life. The award is open to all cities and regions worldwide, and the Call for Submissions for the 6th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation will be open until 31 August 2023.
More information: http://www.guangzhouaward.org/
TOOLS & PROCESSES
FINANCE YOUR CITIES – GLOBAL FUND FOR CITIES DEVELOPMENT
This initiative provides tools for strategies and operational solutions to finance urban development projects for emerging and developing local authorities. It has mobilised more than 1,500 local governments from 110 countries, 60 Local Government Financing Institutions (LFIs), and 250 companies and investors, resulting in over USD 1 billion of mobilised funds in the past five years.
More information: https://www.fmdv.net/
OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS LOCAL INITIATIVE
This initiative promotes tools for open government based on the values of transparency, accountability, responsiveness, and inclusion.
More information: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/ogp-local/
GENDER HUB – CAPACITY AND INSTITUTION BUILDING (CIB)
It aims to act as a global collaborative platform to strengthen the feminist municipal movement by offering resources and tolos and a space for dialogue and collaboration.
More information: https://cib-uclg.org/gender-hub
EXECUTIVE MASTER IN AFRICAN CITIES MANAGEMENT
It is designed to enhance the capacity of professionals such as city managers and financial, technical, and human resources directors working in local African governments. The first cohort of students, comprised of twenty-one students, comes from French-speaking countries, while the second cohort will focus on English- speaking countries.
More information: https://uclgafrica-alga.org/en/training-offer/executive-master-in-city-management/
GOLD VI REPORT
It was published in 2022 under the title “Pathways to Urban and Territorial Equality: Addressing inequalities through local transformation strategies”. UCLG, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and Tomorrow’s CITIES propose a peer-to-peer learning event to capitalise on the learnings of the Gold VI Report in July 2023.
More information: https://www.goldvi.uclg.org/en
LOCAL4ACTION HUBS
A map showcasing all the Local4Action hubs is available at https://local4actionhubs.uclg.org/global-map
YOUTH EDUCATION AND CULTURE – XI’AN CITY COUNCIL
It promotes exchanges and interactions among youth from various cultural backgrounds, focusing on training and capacity-building related to urban governance in collaboration with the university.
More information: https://www.uclg.org/sites/default/files/local4ction_hub_xian_launching_concept_note.pdf
METROPOLITAN FOREST – MADRID CITY COUNCIL
It promotes collaboration among different actors to develop nature-based solutions for advancing climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Metropolitan Forest will consolidate a 32,000-hectare forest belt in the city, spanning 75 kilometres, and contributing to promoting citizens’ health, improving the landscape and air quality, and enhancing urban biodiversity.
More information: https://bosquemetropolitano.madrid.es/
EQUALMED – BARCELONA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL
It is a decentralised cooperation project between municipalities of the province of Barcelona and Morocco. It promotes the political participation of locally elected women and gender equality in local governments. It aims to support elected women, particularly young women, in implementing impactful and gender-sensitive policies at the local level.
More information: https://www.imadel.org/equalmed/
RESILIENCE HUB – ESTEBAN ECHEVERRÍA
Promotes the exchange of experiences and best practices to make resilience processes visible and foster cooperation between cities, focusing on intermediate and peripheral cities. It emphasises tools for climate action from the Latin American perspective.
More information: https://www.estebanecheverria.gob.ar/local4action-hub/