The Secretary General Awarded the Winner

In 2020, based on the outcomes of a large-scale study, the results of the Rating of Cities’ International Activity, an initiative of UCLG-Eurasia, were announced. About 80 cities of Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Moldova and Palestine took part in this project.

The Palestinian city of Beit Jala ranked third among small cities (with a population of less than 20,000 people).

On September 10, during IV UCLG Culture Summit in Izmir, Secretary General of UCLG-Eurasia Rasikh Sagitov presented Mayor of Beit Jala Nikola Khamis with a diploma for the third place in the Rating of Cities’ International Activity.

"I congratulate Mr. Nikola Khamis, Mayor of Beit Jala, on this event and wish the city of Beit Jala prosperity, further development and strengthening international cooperation and increasing the visibility of the city", Rasikh Sagitov congratulated Mayor of Beit Jala Nikola Khamis presenting the award.

Let us recall that the main awards ceremony was held on February 28, 2020, as part of the annual UCLG Retreat in Tangier, Morocco. However, due to the outbreak of the pandemic, representatives of Beit Jala could not take part in the awards ceremony, and the diploma was awarded later.

It is worth noting that the research conducted by UCLG-Eurasia includes not only the ranking of cities. Its goal is to identify how cities are working towards the development of international relations and which ones are doing it better than others. At the same time, the main emphasis is placed on activities of local governments.

10.09.2021

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