A Brilliant Gathering: Guangzhou Witnesses Shinning Moments of Cities

The 2023 Global Mayors' Forum Ends Successfully

GUANGZHOU, China, Dec. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2023 Global Mayors' Forum held in Guangzhou attended by over 800 guests came to a successful conclusion on December 9 by Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office. Over the past few days, mayors from around the world gathered in the City of Flowers for a grand event on urban governance under the theme of "High-quality Growth with Urban Innovation and City-to-City Cooperation".

This remarkable assembly of mayors provided insight into common challenges faced by global cities regarding urban growth.

This grand gathering also unveiled the key to innovative governance implemented by various cities.

Initiator: Creating a hub of inspiring ideas for governance innovation

Guangzhou played the role of an initiator in the series forum activities which were widely responded by many cities around the world.

More than 800 guests representing 65 cities of 37 countries and 9 international organizations, including 23 incumbent governors or mayors, attended the Forum. A total of 274 initiatives from 193 cities and regions of 54 countries were submitted for the 6^th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation ("Guangzhou Award"), with the number of participating cities and initiatives both surpassing those of previous cycles.

During the three-day event, Yuexiu International Congress Center seemed to turn into a "hub of inspiring ideas" for urban governance.

Many mayors came to Guangzhou with the mission of communication and learning. In addition to sharing their "highlight projects", they also wished to learn from other city managers, including those of Guangzhou, and bring back inspiring solutions that can make their cities better.

In the city of Iztapalapa, Mexico, Utopia is not simply a utopia, but an initiative within reach. Through decentralizing administration and cross-sector collaboration, the UTOPÍAS initiative transforms a dilapidated public space of 540,000 square meters into a beautiful and diversified community with cozy dwelling environment for the poor. In the old city of Halandri, Greece, the Cultural H.ID.RA.N.T. initiative re-introduces and utilizes the subterranean Roman-times infrastructure, which not only revitalizes the cultural heritage but also promotes environmental protection and circular economy, eventually winning the 6^th Guangzhou Award for Halandri.

Here at the Forum, "bringism" was much encouraged. Any inspiring experience or practice could be "a takeaway" for participants to bring back and, after combining with their own situations, contribute to better governance solutions for their cities and better life for their citizens.