# WCS 2017: Mayors and Leaders of 54 cities declare to create Sustainable Cities through Innovation and Collaboration

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2017-05-19T10:00:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/wcs-2017-mayors-and-leaders-of-54-cities-declare-to-create-sustainable-cities-through-innovation-and-collaboration
- **Topics:** Government & Policy, Sustainability & PropTech, Regional Markets

## Featured rationale

The commitment signals stronger policy emphasis on resilient, inclusive urban development, which could influence future planning, heritage integration and built-environment investment across participating cities.

## AI summary

Mayors and leaders from 54 cities declared in 2017 that they would pursue sustainable cities through integrated planning, innovation and stakeholder collaboration.

## Original article

The World Cities Summit (WCS) Mayors Forum and WCS Young Leaders Symposium 2017 held in Suzhou, China ended on a high note, with mayors and city leaders from 54 cities making a declaration to work towards the shared vision of creating liveable, inclusive, harmonious, resilient, safe and sustainable cities through innovation and collaboration.

The declaration noted that they will do so by practising dynamic urban governance and long-term, integrated master planning as key principles to direct development of cities and implementation of plans; collaborating with stakeholders to curate and leverage on cities’ built heritage and cultural assets to benefit the economy and quality of life in the city; co-developing initiatives between city leaders and the community to improve the resilience of cities’ built, natural and social environment to shocks and stressors; and innovating systemically and adapting flexibly in order to balance economic growth and liveability. (See Annex).

In his closing speech, Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance and Chairman of the Forum Lawrence Wong highlighted that there seems to be certain trade-offs arising from urban planning, preservation of culture, and balancing growth with its impact to cities. However, a paradigm change will allow us to see beyond the trade-offs and promote further growth. 

“For example, more planning may well give us the capacity to be more flexible. It may give us the preparedness to have more participatory and consultative processes. So, more planning need not hold back ground-up involvement. In fact, it can facilitate better ground-up involvement,” said Minister Wong. Likewise, a stronger sense of culture and identity could provide the confidence to venture forth and to try out new ideas, he added.

Mr Li Yaping, Acting Mayor of Suzhou city and host of this year’s WCS Mayors Forum, expressed his delight over the Forum providing a platform for participants to learn from one another, and providing a clearer direction for urban development. Mr Li pledged that Suzhou will exercise innovation in the preservation of its heritage and urban planning, in order to leverage on architectural and cultural heritage to strengthen residents’ sense of pride in the city, while continuing in its effort to build a sustainable and liveable urban environment.

The declaration was made in support of the universal Agenda 2030: Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 11: Making cities and human settlements safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable and aligned to the goals outlined in the New Urban Agenda adopted at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) held last year. 

This year’s WCS Mayors Forum in Suzhou was attended by more than 200 participants, including leaders from the business sector and international organisations. The WCS Mayors Forum will reconvene in Singapore as one of the key highlights of the 6th World Cities Summit from 8 to 12 July 2018.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 世界城市峰会2017：54个城市市长与领导人宣布通过创新与协作打造可持续城市

在中国苏州举行的2017年世界城市峰会（WCS）市长论坛及WCS青年领袖研讨会圆满落幕，来自54个城市的市长与城市领导人发表宣言，致力于通过创新与协作，共同实现创建宜居、包容、和谐、具韧性、安全且可持续城市的愿景。

宣言指出，他们将通过以下方式实现上述目标：以动态城市治理及长期、综合总体规划作为指导城市发展与计划实施的关键原则；与各方利益相关者协作，策划并善用城市建成遗产与文化资产，以惠及城市经济与生活质量；由城市领导人与社区共同制定举措，提升城市建成、自然与社会环境应对冲击与压力的韧性；以及系统性创新并灵活调适，以平衡经济增长与宜居性。（见附件）。

国家发展部长兼财政部第二部长、论坛主席黄循财在闭幕致辞中指出，城市规划、文化保存，以及在增长与其对城市影响之间取得平衡，似乎存在一定取舍。然而，范式转变将使我们超越这些取舍，并推动进一步增长。

黄循财部长表示：“例如，更多的规划完全可能赋予我们更大的灵活性。它可能让我们有更好的准备，开展更多参与式与协商式的过程。因此，更多规划不必阻碍自下而上的参与。事实上，它可以促进更好的自下而上参与。”他补充说，同样地，更强的文化与认同感，可提供信心去开拓前行、尝试新想法。

本届WCS市长论坛主办方、苏州市代市长李亚平表示，论坛为与会者相互学习提供了平台，也为城市发展提供了更清晰的方向，他对此感到欣喜。李市长承诺，苏州将在遗产保护与城市规划中践行创新，善用建筑与文化遗产以增强居民对城市的自豪感，同时继续努力建设可持续、宜居的城市环境。

该宣言是为支持全球《2030年议程：可持续发展目标》，特别是目标11：建设包容、安全、有抵御灾害能力和可持续的城市和人类住区而作出，并与去年在联合国住房和可持续城市发展会议（人居三）上通过的《新城市议程》所阐述的目标相一致。

本届在苏州举行的WCS市长论坛有逾200名与会者出席，包括来自商界及国际组织的领导人。WCS市长论坛将于2018年7月8日至12日在新加坡再度召开，作为第六届世界城市峰会的重点亮点之一。