U20 an important city diplomacy initiative, says Hardeep Singh Puri
Ahmedabad has fast emerged as the major urban center in India and it is only fitting that the city would play an important role as President of Urban20, a special vertical of G20, said Shri Bhupendra Patel, the Chief Minister of Gujarat today in Gandhinagar. While speaking at the launch of Urban20 Logo and social media platforms including the website, Shri Patel said this would lead to major exchange of ideas in terms of urban development and planning. More than 700 representatives including Mayors, Senior officials of urban development bodies from across the country took part virtually in the event and with this the Ahmedabad presidency of U20 was formally launched.
Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, the Union Minister of Housing & Urban Development, in his video message said that the vision of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam and this theme of G20 is a true reflection of India’s culture and civilization. He expressed happiness that the Urban20 is being organized in Ahmedabad which is economic and cultural hub of the country. The Minister said the activities planned and discussions among Sherpa’s, Mayor’s and officials of urban development bodies during the year will help in fine tuning the policies in this area. The platform will also benefit from the sharing of best practices of urban bodies from major cities of G20 countries, he said on the occasion.
During the event, the Chief Minister highlighted the glorious history of the state of Gujarat and said Dholavira and Lothal, the two world heritage sites represent the Harappan and Indus Valley civilization. He also cited the city of Vadnagar, the birthplace of Prime Minister Modi, that has been chronicled by renowned traveler-writer Hieun Tsang. The city of Ahmedabad is a true confluence of rich history and modern development, the Chief Minister said and added that it has led to the city being named as the first heritage city. He invited all the stakeholders to Gujarat during the year and hoped that it will lead to fulfilling the mandate of Urban 20 agenda.
Urban-20 (U20), one of the Engagement Groups of G20, provides a platform for cities from G20 countries to facilitate discussions on various important issues of urban development including climate change, social inclusion, sustainable mobility, affordable housing, and financing of urban infrastructure and propose collective solutions. Bearing in mind the importance of cities as growth centers of development, the U20 strives to enhance the profile of cities on the global stage. This city diplomacy initiative facilitates a productive dialogue between the national and local governments and helps promote the importance of urban development issues in the G20 agenda.
Under the G20 presidency of India, Ahmedabad, a UNESCO World Heritage city, will host the U20 cycle. Along with C40 (Climate 40) and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), two international non-governmental advocacy groups on urban issues, Ahmedabad will organize various events including City Sherpas’ inception meeting on 9-10 February 2023, thematic discussions and side events on urban development issues culminating with U20 Mayors’ Summit in July 2023. It may be recalled that Ahmedabad became a member of the C40 on 30 June 2022 and has been a member of other global alliances like Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy and International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). Ahmedabad city is actively working on climate change and sustainability issues for several years.
Besides G20 countries, the Mayors and representatives of C40, UCLG member cities, and Observer Cities will participate in these events and enrich the discussions. During this year- long presidency, Ahmedabad will showcase its unique urban development and climate change initiatives and rich culture and heritage to the participants. Resonating with India’s G20 theme of ‘वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् – One Earth, One Family, One Future’, U20 Ahmedabad will emphasize that actions at the city level can drive lasting positive global outcomes underscoring the interconnectedness of the world and our shared future. The effort of this cycle will be to move from ‘intention to action’ and draft a roadmap for closing the gaps between policy and practice to address critical urban issues. The Communiqué, outcome document reflecting the aspiration of the participating cities, will be presented by the Mayor of Ahmedabad to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India or his representative.
