The Global Cities Hub hosted a workshop to discuss the SDG11 Synthesis Report ahead of the 2026 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF). This Synthesis Report is particularly important as it is the last review of SDG11 at HLPF. During the review of SDG11 at HLPF, local and regional governments will be there to defend the role of cities and regions in multilateralism.
The 3rd UN Virtual Worlds Day discussed the concept of the AI-enabled citiverse, a digital paradigm integrating artificial intelligence (AI), immersive virtual environments, and spatial intelligence to transform urban governance and service delivery. Mayors and local leaders contributed with practical insights drawn from on-the-ground experiences in urban transformation.
The roundtable discussion on “Alternative lawmaking for a new multilateralism: cities as co-creators?” explored how LRGs could contribute more directly to international norm creation. It focused on whether evolving forms of international governance may open space for cities not merely as active co-creators of international norms.
The GCH participated in the 2nd Bologna Expert Roundtable to advance discussions on the role of sub-national authorities in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). It addressed a central policy question: how to systematically integrate LRGs into the UPR cycle through localized data, digital tools and structured multi-level governance.
The Global Cities Hub, in partnership with UN-Habitat and UNECE, organised an event on the margins of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD) in the UNECE region to discuss the critical question of what comes after a first Voluntary Local Review (VLR). The discussion underscored the importance of ensuring VLRs are continuous, inclusive, and action-oriented processes.
The roundtable “Implementation and Localization: Progress, Challenges and Enablers” at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD) was a truly multi-level, multi-stakeholder exercise: global, regional, national, subnational and local actors discussed issues of localization and implementation of SDG11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The Global Cities Hub commends the adoption of several Human Rights Council (HRC) resolutions on advancing multilateral work with local and regional governments (LRGs). The GCH provided inputs during the negotiation process. These resolutions reflect a growing openness to recognize the importance and relevance of LRGs.
The Cities for CEDAW campaign is officially launched! By adopting local ordinances, institutionalizing gender equality, and collaborating with civil society and international bodies, every city can become a beacon of gender equality. The future of gender equality is being written one city at a time. The time to act is now.
The Zero-Waste Day, celebrated on 30 March, addressed multiple facets of waste, including plastic waste. The GCH wanted to share good news in that occasion: while the global treaty on plastic pollution is still under negotiation, multilateral cooperation is already delivering concrete results.
For World Water Day, the Global Cities Hub and UN-Habitat organized a Geneva Urban Debate to exchange practical experiences and reflect on global water governance. As cities continue to confront mounting water challenges, the debate underscored that solutions already exist, but their success hinges on political will, inclusive governance, and sustained investment.
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