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UCLG 2023 Culture Summit - 26.07.2022

Apply to become the host city of UCLG 2023 Culture Summit!

The Culture Summit has become a major event for UCLG. After the success of the Summits previously held (Bilbao in 2015, Jeju in 2017, Buenos Aires in 2019 and Izmir in 2021), and considering the growing importance of culture in the framework of sustainable cities, UCLG has decided to convene a 5th UCLG Culture Summit in 2023.

The UCLG Culture Summit is a unique global event. It responds to the growing importance of culture in local development, a fact that is being evidenced in all continents at least since the beginning of the 21st century, and more than ever since the recent global crisis generated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

We invite you to check the Terms of Reference of the 5th UCLG Culture Summit. Direct or indirect members of UCLG can apply to be the host city by 2 September 2022 in writing to the UCLG World Secretariat: UCLGExBu@uclg.org, putting in copy: culture@uclg.org.
Climate - 24.06.2022

Elected representatives receive trainings on climate adaptation and mitigation
CEMR, PLATFORMA together with United Cities and Local Government (UCLG), and Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative, organised two training sessions for politicians dedicated to climate adaptation and mitigation.

The aim of the training academy was to inspire politicians to develop their strategies, plans and actions through the discussion about climate change adaptation, mitigation and resilience in the global and Europe and Central Asia specific context. We counted on over 120 participants worldwide.
World Refugee Day - 16.06.2022

CEMR marks the World Refugee Day with a high level event
Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) all over Europe are playing a crucial role in the management of this new migration wave as well as in the integration process of the newcomers. But this refugee crisis not only calls for emergency management but also reminds us of the urgency of establishing better-coordinated and more sustainable integration strategies that take into consideration the local perspective as the most relevant one.

For this reason, the next in the series of IncluCities debates on core issues related to the current migration crisis will cast light on the importance of effective multilevel governance as a key tool to face migration emergencies. We will discuss with MEPs: Birgit Sippel (S&D), Fabienne Keller (Renew), Damian Boeselager (Green/EFA) and Thomas Liebeig from the OECD. (Agenda) You can still register to follow the event in person or online.
Ukraine - 13.06.2022

The Slovakia-Ukraine Local Solidarity Forum: Together we are stronger!
On the 9th June, more than 100 participants took part in the first Local Solidarity Forum jointly organised by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), PLATFORMA, Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia and the U-LEAD with Europe Programme.

Twinning and partnerships between Local and Regional Governments were at the centre of the discussions. Cooperation is the only way for the Ukrainian reconstruction.

Join un on 14 June, from 10:00 to 12:00 CEST, for the Poland-Ukraine Local Solidarity Forum!
Africities - 01.06.2022

CoM SSA advocates for the financing of waste projects of African local authorities at the Africities Summit 9
The Covenant of Mayors for Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) and its implementing partner Expertise France highlighted the cross-cutting issues of climate, energy and waste management in African cities during two technical sessions at the Africities Summit. For more information, visit the project's website here.
Cities Energy Savings Sprint - 20.05.2022
Join the new EU initiative to reduce our cities’ dependence on Russian energy
The Cities Energy Saving Sprint is a joint initiative of the European Commission, the Covenant of Mayors – Europe, and the European Committee of the Regions to encourage cities to take measures that will immediately reduce their energy consumption. The “Sprint” will last for 4 months.

It is crucial to increase energy savings now to prepare for next winter. Every kilowatt/hour saved now will allow us to refill the storage tanks and be better prepared for next winter. Every gram of greenhouse gas we don’t emit in the coming months will be an important step, not only for the climate, but also as an act of solidarity with Ukraine.

In parallel with all the measures for profound changes, reduction of consumption and energy transition, there is an urgent need to take emergency energy saving measures today and to plan for energy consumption reductions during the coming winter. Municipalities have a crucial role to play here.

How can my city take part in the Cities Energy Savings Sprint?
- Register here to join
- Checkout the Toolkit for ideas on emergency measures your city can take
- Use the Communication Kit to promote your local actions and be part of an EU-wide movement
- Share your experience with on social media with the hashtag #EUCitiesSaveEnergy or by sending the Covenant of Mayors an email
Twinning - 11.05.2022

Twinning has to be a part of Ukraine’s reconstruction
In a letter to the president of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, CEMR calls on the European institutions to set up an initiative to strengthen twinning for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

The letter is signed by the Mayor of Kiev and President of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC), Vitaliy Klitschko, its Executive Director, Oleksandr Slobozhan, but also by CEMR's President, Stefano Bonaccini, and its Secretary General, Fabrizio Rossi.

It stresses the willingness of local and regional governments across Europe to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukrainian municipalities and cities. It also invites the institutions to define, in collaboration with CEMR and its Ukrainian association, “strategic and operational aspects of a twinning initiative to launch and implement the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities and towns »

Letter to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
Letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
Letter to the President of the European, Charles Michel.
Culture - 28.04.2022

Training capacity-building for European Capitals of Culture
On 12 & 13 May 2022, the final Academy Camp of the project "Capacity-building for European Capitals of Culture (ECoC)" will take place online, under the moderation of the the UCLG Committee on Culture. The project started in October 2019 with the aim at supporting capacity building and peer-learning activities for ECoC.
This final session of the project will provide the opportunity to review lessons learnt in the previous workshops as well as discussing additional topics and way forward.
The programme and registration link are available here.
RFSC - 19.04.2022

Event UNECE 7 april
At the occasion of the Regional Forum for Sustainable Development organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and as part of the Forum of Mayors, an event on the SDG localisation process in cities was held on 7 April.

This event allowed speakers from different bodies and countries to talk about their experiences regarding the implementation of the SDGs, mainly Mrs Sidorova, working at the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava and Mr Dimitrov, representing the city of Veliki Preslav.

This exchange of good practices showed the usefulness of the Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC) for different types of stakeholders, to help them implement the SDGs in their cities, where it might not always be popular.