“We must gather local governments to build the future of decentralised cooperation”
“In a more and more interdependent world, we must gather local governments to build the future of decentralised cooperation”, says Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg and President of Cités Unies France (CUF) in a testimonial ahead of the Paris meeting “Internationalisation of towns & regions”.
This conference will be held on 9 and 10 October 2017 at the Pavillon d’Armenonville in Paris (France).
“By 2050, almost 70% of the world’s population will live in urban territories, yielding around 80% of the global GDP. Social stakes, such as global warming, migration & cohabitation, are concentrated in cities and metropolis. Those areas, as being in touch with economic actors and citizens’ concerns, are also at the forefront to oversee public policies directly on the field.
In this specific framework, the international action of local governments never ceased. These last few years, and especially since the Paris Climate Agreement, it has continued to structure itself, and has even expanded. Furthermore, the States and the other political actors have increasingly acknowledged the local governments’ abilities – especially their capacity to connect local stakes with global ones.
The world is becoming more and more interdependent, and opening borders is absolutely required – and this, despite the rise of inward – looking attitudes that are at odds with the world’s need to talk and to be brought back together.
The stakes of our world and our societies’ future lay in the local areas. It is our responsibility to act together, beyond borders and openly, for the youth of today and tomorrow. We must implement the required measures to improve our efficiency.
Cités Unies France has reinforced its role towards local governments in this ambitious context. Backed by its progress and evolution since more than 40 years, and with its strong value of solidarity, Cités Unies France works with local governments to identify their needs in building a new dimension of the decentralised cooperation.
With our historical partners (the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Agence française de Développement, and PLATFORMA, with the suppport of the European Commission), I have the great pleasure to invite you to our next Paris meeting of “The internationalisation of towns & regions” in order to discuss those issues and embark on new projects together. This event will take place on 9 and 10 October 2017 at the Pavillon d’Armenonville in Paris.
This meeting will be an undeniable opportunity for each and everyone wanting to shape tomorrow’s decentralised cooperation to discuss, learn, meet and highlight technical knowledge and experience.”
Roland Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg, President of Cités Unies France (CUF) and vice-president of UCLG.
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