Circular
21/2023
Barcelona, 3 July 2023
 
To the members of the World Council
To the Secretaries General
To the Vice-Presidents of United Cities and Local Governments
To the Chairs of UCLG Committees, Working Groups, Communities of Practice and Fora

For information: To the Presidency

Renewal process of the UCLG Policy Councils
Deadline: 8 September 2023


Dear members,

Taking into account the renewed leadership and the adoption of the Pact for the Future in the Daejeon Congress, the Executive Bureau agreed to launch a renewal process of the UCLG Policy Councils, under the leadership of the Presidency and in coordination with the UCLG Consultation Mechanisms.
 
It is possible for members currently involved to continue playing a role.
 
 
Context
 
As you know, the UCLG Policy Councils provide an opportunity for political representatives to participate in the Organization’s policymaking and to have their views raised before the UCLG’s governing bodies.
 
The Policy Councils usually meet twice a year, in the framework of the UCLG statutory meetings (Executive Bureau in the first half of the year / World Council in the second half).
 
The Executive Bureau that met in Brussels in June this year agreed to take inspiration from the enablers of the Pact for the Future to refocus the renewed Policy Councils, as follows:

• Right to the City: Reclaiming the Commons
• Opportunities for All: Redefining Finance and Economies of Equality
• Multilevel Governance: Regaining Trust
• Resilient and Regenerative Territories: Renaturing
• Local Multilateralism and City Diplomacy: Linking the Local to the Global 

The above themes are directly linked to the Pact for the Future and its unfolding strategy, and have been the objects of a co-creation process during the Future Envisioning Exercises launched earlier this year.
 
The Executive Bureau also reiterated that in this foundational moment, no single actor or sphere of government can bring change alone. Building on the experience with the Town Hall process, it was agreed that the renewed Policy Councils would include representatives of international civil society organizations that UCLG has partnerships with.

[For more information on how the Policy Councils function, you can read the Terms of Reference adopted by the Executive Bureau in Madrid in 2017]
 
 
How to express your interest in actively participating in the Policy Councils

Should you be interested in becoming a member of a Policy Council, we invite you to send an email to UCLGExBu@uclg.org by 8 September at the latest, indicating in the subject of the email “Policy Councils renewal” and the name of the Policy Council you would be interested in.
 
If you are already involved in a Policy Council and wish to continue your work, please also write to UCLGExBu@uclg.org, following the same indications.
 
 
Next steps
 
All the expressions of interest will be put to the consideration of the Presidency.
 
The Committee on Statutory Affairs will conduct a final revision and will present the proposals to the World Council in Konya in October.
 
Renewed priorities for the work of the Policy Councils are expected to be developed until the Executive Bureau of 2024, following initial discussions at the World Council.
 
 
Should you have any questions on the process, the Statutory Affairs team remains at your disposal at the same email (UCLGExBu@uclg.org).

Sincerely,

The UCLG World Secretariat