The founding congress of the new worlwide organisation of towns and local governement United Cities and Local Governements will take place in Paris from 2 to 5 May 2004.
 

The new organisation is the result of the merger between the Fédération Mondiale des Cités Unies (FMCU) and the International Union of Local Authority (IULA).
 

Some 150 personalities who will take the floor, including :
 

- Koffi Annan, Secretary general of the UN

- Jorge Sampaio, President of Portugal

- Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal

- Valery Giscard d'Estaing, CEMR President

- Dominique de Villepin, French Foreign Minister

- Bertrand Delanoë, Mayor of Paris

- Mercedes Bresso, FMCU outgoing Chair

- Alan Lloyd, IULA outgoing Chair
 

More personalities will attend including representatives from international organisations (World Bank, UNESCO, UNPD), Mayors of big cities (Barcelona, Washington, Seoul, Athens, Lisbon, Moscow, Rome, Kabul...), representatives from associations of towns, municipalities and regions from each continent, amongst which CEMR.
 

The conference will focus on issues relevant to most towns : poverty and social inclusion, economic development, acces to basic services, managing the environment, human rights and local democracy.
 

For more information, visit the website of United Cities and Local Governments.