Newsletter March 2014
Main Stories
To mark 10 years since its creation, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the global network that represents and defends the interests of local and regional governments on the international scene, is launching a new version of its website - more intuitive, more modern, more user-friendly and complete with the latest content.
The United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) will celebrate the 7th session of the World Urban Forum in the Colombian city of Medellín on 5-11 April under the overall theme “Urban Equity in Development – Cities for Life”. This global event will include a number of important sessions for the local and regional agenda.
UCLG Sections & members
United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA), which is the umbrella organization of the local and regional authorities and their unions operating in the Middle East and West Asia region, has initiated talks in which academics and experts in the field of “local authorities” will participate.
The Culture Working Group, established by the joint Executive Bureau and Council Meeting of United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia Section, was convened on 19 December 2013 in Konya. Representatives from various municipalities made reference to the difficulties encountered by local authorities in terms of organizing culture-art events.
“We should not keep thinking the city in its administrative borders. A future EU urban agenda should facilitate the access and active involvement of all types of cities - small, medium-sized and large cities - in the policy making process in relevant subjects and areas,” said CEMR President, Annemarie Jorritsma, at the seminar "An EU urban agenda – for and with cities".
CEMR and its national associations of local authorities officially launched "The local and regional governments manifesto", during a meeting at the European Parliament on 10 February 2014. At the invitation of the Vice-President of the European Parliament - in charge of relations with local government, and Executive president of CEMR, Oldrich Vlasák.
COMMITTEES, WORKING GROUPS, COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE & FORA
The UCLG Local Finance and Development Committee has just published a study on “Capturing Land Values: a route to financing urban investment in Africa?” conducted in partnership with the Global Fund for Cities Development, and with the contribution of UCLG Africa, SCET, AFD, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cities Alliance.
In the framework of the 7th World Urban Forum, which will take place in Medellin (Colombia) from 5 to 11 April 2014, the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights of UCLG will co-organize different activities. The agenda of the 7th World Urban Forum will include a range of other important sessions for local and regional governments.
UCLG, in partnership with academia, NGOs, development agencies and donors, are encouraging technical cooperation between cities and their associations in order to gain insights into ways to further support the professionalization of decentralized cooperation.
The National Constituent Assembly of Tunisia adopted a new Constitution on 26 January, taking another step towards real democracy and recognizing the rights and freedoms of its citizens. This new constitution, which was very well received by the vast majority of the population, brings an end to this period.
As part of the OWG 8 session in New-York this week, Member States, Major Groups and stakeholders will discuss the issue of equality, in particular gender equality and women empowerment. UCLG, building on its longstanding work on the topic and convinced that a successful Post 2015 agenda needs acknowledging these issues.
Blog
By Paul James, Professor at the Institute for Culture and Society, University of Western Sydney, Australia, and a writer on globalization and social theory. He is Director of the United Nations Global Compact Cities Programme, a UN International Secretariat with offices in Sydney, Melbourne and New Yorkprovide guidance for Metropolis/UCLG thinking on the urban vision.
Last January, Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, did something that no other city its size had done before: It made all public transit in the city free for residents. City officials made some bold predictions about what would result.
Entrevista a Josep Roig, Secretario General de Ciudades y Gobiernos Locales Unidos, para el Monográfico de la Asociación Internacional de Ciudades Educadoras sobre “Ciudad, Inclusión Social y Educación”. En los últimos años los miembros de CGLU han incorporado en su acervo el concepto de “derecho a la ciudad”.
Events
March 05, 2014
March 07, 2014
March 12, 2014
March 17, 2014
March 17, 2014
March 20, 2014
April 05, 2014