Guangzhou delegateshold talks with representatives of the UCLG's World Secretariat, in Barcelona, Spain.

The 2018 UCLG Retreat and Campus, an annual gathering of the UCLG network to explore deeper partnership and built synergies within network, was held in Barcelona, Spain from Jan 22 to 26. 

A Guangzhou working group, led by Mr. Tu Hongzhe, Vice Counsel of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Guangzhou Municipal Government, attended the five-day annual conference during which a member of the working group joined the panel on Special Session on the UCLG Awards with representatives of other UCLG Awards.

The UCLG Awards refers to the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (Guangzhou Award), the UCLG Peace Prize, and the International Award UCLG - Mexico City - Culture 21, and International Observatory on Participatory Democracy.

During Special Session on the UCLG Awards, the Guangzhou working member group briefed the attendees on the Guangzhou Award and called for global submissions to the fourth cycle of the Guangzhou Award this year, and discussed with representatives of other UCLG Awards on how to create synergies among the UCLG Awards and better capitalize on the resources and knowledge gained from them.

Guangzhou representatives exchange views with the UCLG Learning team,in Barcelona, Spain.

The Guangzhou Award isan open platform to share urban governance experiences and excellent practices in urban sustainability, public service and innovation. It is committed to developing into an important exchange platform emphasizing innovative practices of urban governance.

The delegation also visited the World Secretariatof the World Association of the Major Metropolises (Metropolis)and held a dialogue with Mr. Octavi de la Varga, Secretary General of Metropolis,on the 13th Metropolis World Congress 2020 and the upcoming Guangzhou Award, both to get underway in Guangzhou, the capital city of South China's Guangdong province. 

Delegation members met and exchanged views with Ms. Bernadia Tjandradewi, Secretary General of the UCLG ASPAC in terms of Technical Committee meeting of the fourth Guangzhou Award, and the Ninth Session of the World Urban Forum, to take place in Malaysia from Feb 7 to 13.

They also discussed organizing learning event on Guangzhou Award with the UCLG Learning team.