Source: FALP network
The Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and the Municipality of São Leopoldo hosted the Seminar of the FALP Network, held from November 23 to 25 in Porto Alegre and São Leopoldo (Brazil). This meeting brought together up to 47 local authorities from 11 different countries, who exchanged perspectives and experiences on "Sustainable and solidary alternatives for a world in crisis".
Nine round tables gathered 1000 participants throughout three days, tackling issues such as gender equality; culture; Right to the City and New Urban Agenda; climatic challenges; metropolitan development; citizen participation and migrations.
Meaningful meetings and exchanges took place during the Seminar, unveiling relevant experiences on how peripheral authorities tackle shared challenges within their metropolitan areas.
A political statement was drafted in a collaborative way. It is focused on the development of metropolitan areas and reaffirms the will of peripheral cities to be taken into account as full actors of the metropolis.
Declaration of Porto Alegre and Sao Leopoldo
The Seminar was also a good opportunity to advance the discussions on how to organize the network, its role within UCLG as well as regarding the international agenda. In order to improve its efficiency and reinforce the voice of peripheral cities, the Network decided to accentuate its regional efforts. That is why:
- Pikine (Senegal) will become a reference for Africa,
- São Leopoldo (Brazil) and San Antonio de Areco (Argentina) will be the reference for Latin America,
- Nanterre (France) will be in charge of Europe, as well as of the coordination of the network and its permanent secretariat,
These decisions aim at expanding the network and engage more cities to take part in it.
Credit: @StelaFarias, @AryVanazzi & @DjamFALP
A meeting of mayors and local elected representatives was organized in São Leopoldo as a way to reinforce the participation of the Network within UCLG, as well as to assess its integration in the world organization of local authorities. The network sees this new stage as an important advance in the recognition, legitimacy and credibility acquired by the FALP during all these last years.
The FALP thus reinforces its position, having become the voice of the local peripheral authorities in carrying out their aspiration to build solidarity metropolises.