World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders - Local Voices for a Better World and
5th United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) World Congress

The 2016 World Summit convened for its final day on Saturday, beginning with the launch of the 4th Global Report on Local Democracy and Decentralization (GOLD IV), which provides analysis, innovative examples and case studies from around the globe to support the recommendations of the Global Agenda of Local and Regional Governments for the 21st Century. Throughout the morning, participants attended sessions on civic culture and happiness.

A meeting of the UCLG World Council, which is the network’s policymaking body, also took place in the morning. The Council elected the new UCLG President, Mpho Parks Tau, Councilor of Johannesburg, South Africa, and President, South African Local Government Association, for the 2016-2019 period. The Summit came to a close at 12:38 pm.

On Friday morning, the 2016 World Summit began its third vibrant day of forums, meetings, policy dialogues, and workshops, focusing on: the spirit of solidarity; the right to the city at the heart of the New Urban Agenda; local finance, participation and inclusive governance; city-to-city and South-South and triangular cooperation for decent work; how local climate action will deliver on the Paris Agreement; and local resources and public investments. The permanent working platform dedicated to co-creating the city examined the right to the diverse city, experimental cities and the right to the fair city.

In the afternoon, the second session of the Second World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments adopted a joint statement on the New Urban Agenda to deliver to Habitat III.

Following the Assembly, participants joined evening sessions on financing the new agenda, cities in crisis, public spaces, urban innovation and governing with the citizen. The day was also filled with opportunities for networking and connecting, including a social event in the evening.

On Thursday morning, 2016 World Summit participants attended parallel workshops, policy dialogues and learning forums covering: culture and urban transformation; Latin American decentralization; a model city council; strategic facilitation; bottom-up national development; affordable housing, gentrification, accessibility and urban development; local economic development for social cohesion; mobility; and the ‘Handbook on International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning.’ The permanent working platform on co-creating the city continued throughout the day.

In the afternoon, a plenary on ‘Linking up the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda’ convened, followed by a meeting of the UCLG Executive Bureau. Afternoon workshops explored: the UCLG City of Bogotá Peace Prize Finals; territorial governance for food security; SDGs localization; and the HIV threat in cities. A policy dialogue addressed territories for the promotion of sustainable local economic and environmental policies, while a learning forum emphasized the importance of learning for professionals and leaders, specifically in local governments.

Throughout the day, attendees could also explore new topics through films at the cinema forums and 30-minute talks in the presentations corner. Constituencies held community forums and other groups met, including the metropolitan and peripheral cities constituency, CEOs of local government associations, the UN Advisory Committee on Local Authorities (UNACLA), the Metropolis Executive-Financial Committee, and the preparatory meeting of the 1st World Forum on Urban Violence and Education for Coexistence and Peace to be held in April 2017.

The 2016 World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders began on Wednesday morning in Bogotá, Colombia, with an official opening ceremony featuring welcoming speeches from President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos, Bogotá Mayor Enrique Peñalosa, President of United Cities and Local Government (UCLG) and Mayor of Istanbul, Turkey, Kadir Topbaş, and UN-Habitat Executive Director Joan Clos.

Following the ceremony, Summit attendees took part in parallel sessions, including: an urban journalism academy; workshops on public transport, drug policies, Seoul’s policies and best practices for inclusive and transparent city development, and operationalizing culture in sustainable cities; and a permanent working platform on co-creating the city.

In the afternoon, an opening plenary addressed the theme of ‘The Era of Strong Local Government: Recalling the Spirit of Habitat II.’ Following it, participants attended workshops on: migration and mobility; the role of local governments in effective national development; and local governments as decision makers in world affairs. Another session focused on the Lancet Series on urban design, transport and population health, and a policy dialogue convened around the topic of stronger, more accountable local and regional governments.

The World Summit is also providing forums for participants belonging to a single constituency or a decision making body to exchange views and advance their agendas. On Wednesday, presidents of local government associations met in a community forum, as did the intermediary cities constituency. In addition, the Board of the Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV) convened in the morning and UCLG committees and section caucuses met throughout the day.