A powerful comeback after three years. In the afternoon of November 4, it was announced at the press conference of the Information Office of Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government that the 2021 Global Mayors’ Forum, the 13th World Congress of the World Association of Metropolis and the 5th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (“2021 Global Mayors’ Forum Serial Events”), organized by Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office, will officially kick off next Monday. From November 8 to 13, the serial events will be held in Guangzhou Yuexiu International Congress Center in an online + offline hybrid format.
Under the theme “Moving Forward Together, Modernizing Global Urban Governance”, nearly 600 Chinese and international guests from 113 cities around the world will share their wisdom on innovative urban governance and explore the shared future of cities across the world in the 2021 Global Mayors’ Forum serial events. The 5th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (the “Guangzhou Award”) will be given to 5 cities among the 15 shortlisted cities from around the world.
The press conference was also held in a hybrid manner. Octavi de la Varga, Secretary-General of Metropolis and Nicholas You, Advisor to the Guangzhou Award and Executive Director of the Guangzhou Institute for Urban Innovation, made the briefing online; Deng Changxiong, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Guangzhou Government, delivered the presentation offline; and Emilia Saiz, Secretary-General of the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments, spoke through video.
According to statistics, as of November 3, 584 guests from 113 cities in 74 countries and 9 international organizations, and consuls-general or representatives from 27 consulates in Guangzhou will attend the conference online or offline to discuss topics such as public health, science and technology and new infrastructure, poverty reduction, climate change, improving urban resilience and carrying out urban renewal.
The 2021 Global Mayors’ Forum 2021 serial events have 24 conferences and activities, including 13 online-based activities, 10 hybrid ones and one exhibition. The first three days are mainly online and the last three days are a combination.
