Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona

More than 40 representatives of 15 cities from 14 countries have met to share and discuss the international activities of their respective metropolitan governments such as of public policies, modes of cooperation with economic and social agents, and the strategies employed by the various cities to find their place in the global agenda.

Organized by the AMB in conjunction with the Barcelona Institut of International Studies (IBEI) and the Euro-Latin-American Alliance of Cooperation Among Cities (AL-LAS),  the event has been an opportunity to exchange experiences and strengthen ties with cities like New York, Montreal, Johannesburg, Lima, Mexico City, Manchester, or Medellín.

Alfred Bosch was in charge of welcoming the participants and introducing the inaugural conference on global cities and the world order, along with the international expert from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Simon Curtis.

This international meeting is part of an increasingly powerful process involving recognition of the need for a global urban agenda. It is in the large cities and metropolitan areas around the world that the highest national rates of economic growth, innovation, and job creation can be found. However, cities lack the resources and regulatory frameworks necessary to respond to the immense complexity of the problems that may arise.

The conference will also serve as preparatory work ahead of the UN Habitat III Summit on Housing and Urban Development, which is to be held in Quito (Ecuador) in October 2016.