The UCLG Congress in six questions

1. What is the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders?

From 11 to 15 November in eThekwini- Durban, UCLG is holding the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders, one of the largest and most influential meetings of mayors, councillors, local and regional governments and associations worldwide. 

This event brings together approximately 3000 local elected leaders and professionals representing towns, cities, metropolises and regions, civil society, citizens and experts from international business and academia with the aim of establishing links and developing the policies that transform society and the way local governance works for and by people. 

The future of our communities depends on a transformation of multilevel governance and how that concept is understood between the different spheres of government, and that’s why in Durban we will offer a space to discuss and redefine.

 2. What’s important about this edition?

The World Congress of UCLG will be held during the World Summit of UCLG, bringing together UCLG members to define the international agenda of local and regional governments on the one hand, and to renew the governing bodies of the organisation on the other.

Likewise the Global TaskForce, internationally recognized for the role it played in the creation of the New Urban Agenda, convenes the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments. Through this mechanism the collective of local and regional governments will deliberate and decide on their political voice on the international agenda.

3. What results are expected at the Summit?

The recommendations and policy papers adopted at the Summit will become a reference for the development of future policies, advocacy and work plans of both the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments and the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments. 

For the first time, the outcome of the Congress will be a series of integrated policy recommendations aimed at guiding the renewal of the UCLG Strategy towards 2020 and beyond. 

4. What are the main themes to be addressed?

A Summit that aspires to provide a space to rethink local democracy. The Right to the City, Opportunities for All, Culture and City Diplomacy, Territorial and Multilevel Governance and Ecological Transition will be present throughout the duration of the Congress, along with gender equality at the centre of its debates, and will also address the role of youth in decision-making in discussing scenarios of cities of the future as places for peace-building. The sessions will feature high-level speakers, taking into consideration territorial/geographic and gender balances.

The organization of this Summit is a dynamic process that began months ago, that continues to be a dialogue and idea exchange up to, during and after the event. Therefore, every space and session has been designed and nurtured to include the ideas of all participants, to foster highly interactive spaces where all will be able to interconnect and interact so as to contribute to the final political process. 

5. What is Local4Action HUB space?

Local4Action HUB will be the space where everyone feels at home! It will provide a multitude of formats for all spheres of the network to share, listen and comment on different experiences in the cooperative process.

6. Do you want to be part of the Summit communication?If you think that in order to be the first to know what is going to happen, the first thing is to be in the right place and place, we invite you to be part of the communication of the Summit through an agreement of collaboration.