Eurasia Regional Section of the World organization "United Cities and Local Governments"
Eurasia Regional Section of the World organization "United Cities and Local Governments"
On Saturday, October 30, 2021, Secretary General of UCLG-Eurasia Rasikh Sagitov moderated the round table “International Cooperation Among Municipalities: New Challenges and Prospects” held as part of the International People’s Diplomacy Forum “Dialogue on the Volga: Peace and Mutual Understanding in the 21st Century” in the city of Volgograd.
This Forum aimed at strengthening cooperation, expanding international public links and external openness for the purpose of efficient solution of contemporary global and regional issues and peaceful and safe development of peoples and states.
The participants of the round table discussed the role of organizations for intermunicipal cooperation in ensuring international contacts in the modern world; the development of intercity linkages at the international level in the context of the pandemic, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on the municipalities’ international cooperation. The round table gathered representatives of local governments from different parts of the world: Bulgaria, Great Britain, Turkey, China, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Russia.
“The COVID-19 has affected the life of society, relations between countries, regions and cities. Local governments as the closest level of public government have been on the front line combating the pandemic. The provision of appropriate medical services, security of citizens are one of the priorities of municipalities’ activity. Despite the difficult times, local governments continue to develop international cooperation, share experience and address common challenges for the sake of prosperity and well-being of their citizens,” Rasikh Sagitov noted.
The round table was attended by Director of Culture, Migration, Peace and Security Department of UCLG Africa (Morocco) Mustapha Moufid, Deputy Mayor of Izmir (Turkey) Suat Çağlayan, Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Department at Krasnoyarsk City Administration – Head of the Foreign Relations Division (Russia) Inna Dozortseva, Deputy Mayor of Bukhara for Investment and External Trade (Uzbekistan) Kamol Davronov, Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council (United Kingdom) Abdul Khan, Senior Expert for International Cooperation and Projects of the International Policy Directorate of Ruse (Bulgaria) Zheodar Gergiev, representative of the International and Interregional Relations Directorate of the Tolyatti Administration (Russia) Alexey Poruchikov, Head of Cultural and Social Affairs Department of the Konya Metropolitan Municipality (Turkey) Selim Yücel Güleç, Chair of the Committee for International Cooperation of the City of Novosibirsk (Russia) Evgeny Molin, Head of the External Relations Department of the International Relations and Analytics Directorate of the Osh Municipality (Kyrgyzstan) Maksatbek Orozaliev, Head of the Division for International and Intermunicipal Affairs, and Protocol Events of the Rostov-on-Don City Council (Russia) Galina Skripka, Deputy Director of Xi'an Municipal Foreign Affairs Office (China) Li Xiaoyan, Deputy Head of International and Regional Relations Directorate of Volgograd Mayor’s Office (Russia) Sergey Ushakov.
It is important to note that Volgograd is the founder of the international movement of twin cities, and it is rightfully considered one of the centers of public diplomacy. The Forum “Dialogue on the Volga” has been held in Volgograd annually since 2014 and is dedicated to World Cities Day (celebrated on October 31).
01.11.2021
