Innovation for co-creating the future of our communities, a shared goal at #WorldCitiesDay

#CitiesAreListening at #WorldCitiesDay

We are seeing a clear lack of trust from our communities in the institutions that represent them, and we keep seeing how governing systems are being challenged throughout the world.

From the words of the UN Secretary General, “there is a clear deficit of confidence between the populations and the establishment, that threaten the social contract”. The local and territorial level is critical to rethink, and to reshape the governance systems into more participatory, accountable and transparent ones that can respond to the demands and the dreams of their citizens.

The impact of new technologies has contributed to increase inequalities among our societies, and it is up to our communities to harness new technologies for good, and not allow them to shape how we govern ourselves.

The theme of #WorldCitiesDay in 2019, “innovations and better life for future generations”, resonates with our constituency of local and regional governments, since it is through the day-to-day work and innovations of local and regional governments that we will be able to deliver the future that we want for our communities.

#CitiesAreListening to their communities

We have long called for the international sphere to #Listen2Cities, bringing local and regional voices at some of the most important gatherings, and amplifying them to showcase that cities and regions are already part of the solutions, and working to achieve the global agendas through the bottom-up by providing services to their citizens.

We need to bring everyone on board to achieve the SDGs, and to ensure that the new social contract envisioned by the 2030 Agenda comes to fruition. From the civil society, to the private sector, to national governments and, of course, the local communities that we represent.

The World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders, our #UCLGCongress, is being created through a participatory process. We strive to bring everyone on board: we are bringing the civil society, national governments, representatives from the youth, and of course, local and regional leaders to the mix.

Local democracy, which is coming back in full force to the centre of our organisation, gender equality, intergenerational dialogues, and peacebuilding, will be some of the strategic topics to address at the Congress, all of which have been a key part of the World Organization, and will be co-developed further during the Summit.

We strive to co-create engagement among all stakeholders, to bring people together talking among themselves to co-create the policies that we need to face the future of humanity. #CitiesAreListening to the youth, to women, to people with disabilities… listening to all of our voices will be essential to ensure we leave no one, and no place behind. 

Our UCLG World Summit process will result in a series of policy recommendations, offering continental and region-specific priorities, as well as inputs from the civil society constituencies, which is why we strive for the process to be innovative, complementing the traditional formats to be complemented with interactive sessions and networking hubs.

Walking the walk: #CitiesAreListening through the #UCLGMyWorldSurvey

The #UCLGMyWorldSurvey, that is being launched on the 31st of October during #WorldCitiesDay, is an integral part of our #CitiesAreListening process. Four years after the adoption of the SDGs, the time has come to review and advance the achievement of the goals that we set for ourselves. 

The global citizen survey brings the perspectives from our communities to the global debates on the achievement of the SDGs, which is why we need everybody to join, to answer the survey, and to bring to the table their dreams and aspirations in order for the goals to be met.

The process for co-creating our future, together, has just begun and the #UCLGMyWorldSurvey will be integral to complete it. Be a part of it, and make your voice heard through our survey today!