Mayors and City Leaders Declare to Build Trust in their Cities through Empowering Communities, Building Social Capital and Leveraging on Adversity

54 mayors and city leaders from 53 cities gathered in Medellín, Colombia, for the 10th World Cities Summit (WCS) Mayors Forum and 6th Young Leaders Symposium, where they declared to work towards the shared vision of building a high trust city through empowering communities, building social capital and leveraging on adversity. More than 270 participants took the opportunity to discuss the latest innovations and good practices in city governance that help build confidence in cities’ societies and institutions, and how cities should plan for economic and environmental security in an age of unpredictable economic fluctuations and extreme weather events.

In his closing address, Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance, Singapore and Chairman of the Forum highlighted that building trust requires a process of engaging, listening, and collaborating with citizens. Though this process may be challenging, these efforts pay off in the longer term as they help to build more robust institutions, which boosts trust in societies. Minister Wong also emphasised the importance of having actions that lead to tangible results. To build trust, cities should ensure that their actions are not carried out in an ad hoc manner, but executed as part of a coherent action plan, and articulated as part of a longer term vision in an integrated manner.

Mr Federico Gutiérrez, Mayor of Medellín and host of this year’s Mayors Forum, expressed his appreciation over the platform provided by Mayors Forum for participants to learn from each other, discuss pressing urban challenges and share best practices. Mayor Gutiérrez pledged that Medellín will continue to strengthen the confidence and trust between the residents and the government by working closely with the local communities and various stakeholders to implement the city’s long term plans.

10th World Cities Summit Mayors Forum Declaration

At the Forum, mayors and city leaders declared to work towards the shared vision of building a high trust city through empowering communities, building social capital and leveraging on adversity. 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 is aligned to the goals outlined in the New Urban Agenda.

The declaration noted that i) good governance and rule of law are the foundation for social and institutional trust and confidence, ii) well managed public spaces have the ability to build social capital and foster trust in communities, and iii) shared experiences and common understanding amongst residents enables cities to bounce back from crisis. In addition, greater trust between the residents and the government is fostered when communities are empowered in the process of rebuilding cities.

World Cities Summit Mayors Forum 2021

Mr Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul, announced that Seoul will host the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum in 2021. Seoul was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize in 2018 for its leadership, commitment to citizen engagement, inclusivity, data-supported problem-solving decisions and creative designs in transforming the built environment, adding vibrancy, and improving quality of life.

World Cities Summit 2020: Adapting to a Disrupted World

The next World Cities Summit (WCS) Mayors Forum and Young Leaders Symposium will reconvene in Singapore on 5 – 9 July 2020, as a key highlight of the World Cities Summit. Themed “Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Adapting to a Disrupted World”, the Summit will bring together cities, businesses and experts at the forefront of these issues to discuss how cities can adapt to disruptions arising from climate change, social shifts and new technologies and ensure their liveability and sustainability.

About the World Cities Summit

The biennial World Cities Summit (WCS) is an exclusive platform for government leaders and industry experts to address liveable and sustainable city challenges, share integrated urban solutions and forge new partnerships. Jointly organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), key highlights of the Summit include the WCS Mayors Forum, the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize and the WCS Young Leaders Symposium. The next edition of the World Cities Summit will be held from 5–9 July 2020 in Singapore. For more information, visit www.worldcitiessummit.com.sg