The U20 initiative is permanently convened by C40 Cities and United Cities and Local Governments, under the leadership of a Chair city that rotates annually. Following a handover from Rome and Milan, the city of Jakarta is the Urban 20 (U20) 2022. The Governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, is chairing the fifth U20 cycle, and together with Mochamad Ridwan Kamil, the Governor of Jawa Barat, they will co-chair the 2022 U20 Mayors Summit.

Through the U20, cities representing G20 member states engage with the G20 and commit to working together with national governments to address the most pressing challenges our world is facing.

The U20 Mayors Summit will allow U20 cities to present their joint recommendations to the government of Indonesia as President of the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit, which is set to take place in Bali on 15-16 November 2022.

Held every three years, the UCLG World Summit and Congress builds on the century-old origins of our Organization as a movement driven by peace, solidarity and city diplomacy, and the pledge of the local and regional governments’ constituency around the world to safeguard the dreams and aspirations of their communities.

We would like to announce that early bird registration is open until August 31st for the World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders – 7th UCLG Congress, which will be held from 10 to 14 October in Daejeon, South Korea. 

After the final day of the High-Level Political Forum, the draft ministerial declaration was shared. The Ministerial Declaration of the Forum presented an important step forward in the recognition of local and regional governments in the international sphere, with an explicit acknowledgment of the need to empower Local and Regional Governments. 

The Declaration also calls for the involvement of voluntary subnational and local reviews #VSR #VLR as an essential tool to show progress and foster exchange on local implementation of the 2030 Agenda to foster ownership and bring the voice of our communities and their needs forward at the international sphere.

Local and regional governments and their networks are committed to the localization of the universal development agendas and to ensuring whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches. The Declaration speaks to our work, but we need to go beyond to keep pushing for the transformation we need. 

We are ready to bring about the future that our communities are calling on us to deliver.
Read our statement to the HLPF here!

In the framework of the 2022 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), the Local and Regional Governments Day brought together the delegation of local and regional governments and included a special segment on the review and implementation of SDG 5 on Gender Equality and the role of the Feminist Municipal Movement in achieving the 2030 Agenda. 

On this edition of the LRG Day two reports to the HLPF on the localisation of SDG 5 were launched. First, From Making Commitments to Realizing Change: Local and Regional Governments’ Progress on Gender Equality’, this special report was developed with Associate Professor Jennifer Piscopo as lead author, in consultation with members of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments (GTF), UCLG Regional sections, UCLG Women politicians and technical representatives and with UCLG’s Ubuntu Advisor, Ana Falu.

Deadline: September 15, 2022.

The cities of Barcelona, Grigny, Gwangju, Mexico City, Utrecht and Vienna are launching an international call to invite 100 pioneer cities and territories to commit to human rights through a unique global campaign.

Launched as part of the activities of the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights, the campaign will bring together local and regional governments wishing to advance human rights through access to education, housing, health, food, security; as well as by promoting transformation and empowerment against inequalities, discrimination or climate change. 

The campaign will build an active community of cities and territories promoting human rights to guide their action and ensure dignity for all.

The form to join the campaign is to be sent to the secretariat of the UCLG-CSIPDHR (cisdp1@uclg.org) before September 15, 2022.