Speaking within the
framework of the United Nations Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, on
Sunday, the mayors outlined a united vision in which local government would
lead the global response to rising urbanisation.
Among participants of this representative
forum were Mayors from Russia: Dina Oyun, Mayor of Kyzyl and Aisen Nikolaev,
Mayor of Yakutsk.
U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed over 1000 participants of the
conference gathered in the Agora Hall.
Mayors
in their speeches which followed his greeting said collaboration rather than
competition would help them address the most urgent challenges for the world's
cities, from affordable housing and transport to climate change, migration and
refugees.
One of them quoted U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who once said that if "you need to settle a
problem, ask a mayor" and urged his colleagues to remember that
"united we conquer".
"I believe that national
governments will have to realise that cities exist and that it is not just in
speeches that we make a difference in the quality of life of our people, our
citizens," mayors stressed.
Dina
Oyun started in Russian switched onto the greeting in Tuvan and followed in
Spanish. She underlined the need to find universal solutions to common problems
but attached attention to the importance of culture, language, traditions of
people. "Look at each other. We are 
different. And our diversity is our
treasure and our force. We should take care of it. Look: I’m holding a white
scarf. In our Tuvan culture it means good way, no obstacles. And I wish our
Forum white way! Good solutions. Fruitful work!”
Denis
Coderre, Montreal: "Today we find ourselves at a crossroads: with
migration the world is not defined any longer by countries or continents but by
cities. We, local government, are the ones at the frontline to address many of
the most pressing issues."
More than 35,000 people, from academics
and planning specialists to government officials and U.N. leaders have gathered
together in the Andean city to discuss the future of the world's cities.
Held every 20 years, the conference comes at a
point when, for the first time in history, more people live in cities than
rural areas.
In 2014, 54 percent of the population lived in cities but by
2050 this is expected to rise to 66 percent.
The mayoral group met in The Hague last month to launch a
Global Parliament of Mayors (GPM).
The idea is the brainchild of political scientist Benjamin
Barber. In his book "If Mayors Ruled the World", Barber argues that
mayors are pragmatic officials driven by the need to problem-solve at local
level.
Speaking in Quito, the mayors said that working as a united
front would allow them to share ideas and best practice on critical issues such
as inequality and development pressures which are a problem for all cities in
an increasingly globalised world.
The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, delivered a passionate
call for cities to be "fair for all", the young and old, able and
not, refugees and migrants, straight and gay.
She said the feminisation of politics at local government
level had already achieved more livable cities and that the group had to work
for more women at the helm.
Berlin's
mayor, Michael Mueller, and his Cologne counterpart, Andreas Wolter, spoke of
their pride at their cities' generosity of spirit in embracing and rehousing
refugees.
"We still have a long way to go but this is just one of
the many tasks ... we have thousands of lone women, lone children (refugees);
we don't run away when the situation gets critical," Wolter said.
The mayors said that local government is the tier closest to
city residents and that the role of local government must be key if the New
Urban Agenda, to be adopted this week in Quito, is to succeed.
The document aims to guide the growth of cities, towns and
informal settlements, ensure that they are sustainable, do not destroy the
environment and protect the rights of the vulnerable.
But with 175 pledges lacking specific goals or timelines to
support aspirations such as "people-centred development" and
"equally shared opportunities", some analysts have said it is
unlikely the summit will deliver concrete improvements on the ground.
Politics 
