The Committee of Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights welcomes three new members and an associated partner to its network: the Metropolitan Government of Seoul, the Birmingham City Council (Alabama), the municipality of Beit Fajjar, in Palestine, and the National Network of Cameroon Inhabitants.
An increasing network of cities and citizens for the right to the city
These local governments and organization thus expressed their commitment to the promotion of fair, democratic and sustainable cities and territories. With these new members, 143 cities and partner organizations are now part of the Committee, extending its thematic and geographical scope to 37 countries.
Committee work expands to new thematic areas
The membership of new cities and organizations allow the Committee to widen its field of work.
In the case of Birmingham, Alabama, it is planned to co-organize a World Forum of Cities against Racism, to take place in this city between 23 and 26 June. Birmingham, a city in the South of the United States marked by segregation until the 1960s, was at the heart of the civil rights movement. Birmingham is now a leading city of UNESCO’s International Network of Cities against Racism (ICCAR), a partner organization of the World Forum along with the Committee.
The membership of the Metropolitan Government of Seoul, whose commitment for human rights is well recognized, will allow enhancing the Committee’s work on social and solidarity economy. Indeed, the city of Seoul is coordinating the Global Social Forum on Solidarity Economy (GSEF).
For the municipality of Beit Fajjar, a city in the Palestinian West Bank inhabited by 11,000 people, it allows to strengthen the links of solidarity of the Committee with the Palestinian cities, particularly affected by a colonization and apartheid that has been recently condemned by the United Nations.
Finally, the membership of the National Network of Cameroon Inhabitants expands the engagement of civil society movements within the Committee
The Secretariat of the Committee really hopes that these accessions will intensify the cooperation of cities and social movements for the right to the city.