UCLG President Altay in China

The President of the United Cities and Local Governments World Organization and the Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality, Uğur Ibrahim Altay, attended the Global Mayors Forum and the 6th International Guangzhou Urban Innovation Award Ceremony in the city of Guangzhou, China.

In the forum held in the city of Guangzhou, China, where mayors and local administrators from various regions of the world participated, President Altay addressed mayors worldwide. He stated that the Global Mayors Forum perfectly aligns with the values and actions of the initiated movement on the theme of "High-Quality Development: Urban Innovation and Collaboration."

President Altay emphasized that local and regional governments are in an ideal position to promote human and planet-centered approaches to scientific, technological, and digital innovations. He continued his speech with the following words: "Therefore, solutions to global problems must be based on local knowledge and meet the needs and desires of our communities. In this regard, in the coming period, there will be an increased need for significant reforms in governance and legislation. Particularly, establishing new partnerships with the private sector and creating new public platforms focused on artificial intelligence will be key items on our agendas. We must ensure that digital technologies are seen not as commodities but as part of a publicly accessible inventory for everyone. The smart cities and regions we need can only be achieved through enhanced citizen participation."

Reflecting on the forum, President Altay noted: "I wholeheartedly believe that this meeting will bring the most beautiful results for our world and our cities. We held the 11th ceremony of the Guangzhou City Awards, which we organize regularly every year in collaboration with UCLG, the Metropolis Organization, and the Guangzhou Municipality. We presented the awards to the winning municipalities. As the Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality and the President of the World Municipalities Union, we consistently strive to convey the Konya Model Municipality approach, AK Party governance, and Turkey's perspectives to the world on every platform. Our efforts to represent Konya everywhere continue unabated."

President of the United Cities and Local Governments and Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality, Uğur İbrahim Altay, gave an interview to the Chinese media during the Global Mayors Forum.