United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) held Retreat, its annual working meetings, in Barcelona, Spain on Feb 20-24. Mr. Liu Baochun, Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Guangzhou Municipal Government, led a working group to Barcelona.

He attended the meetings as a Representative of UCLG Co-President, Secretary General of the Guangzhou Institute for Urban Innovation (GIUI), Representative of Co-President of World Association of Major Metropolises (Metropolis), and Secretary of Metropolis Regional Office for Asia-Pacific. Mr. Liu also participated in the Metropolis Regional Secretaries Meeting.

Mr. Liu Baochun, Director General of Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office, attends 2017 UCLG Retreat in Barcelona, Spain on Feb 20-24. 

The 2017 UCLG Retreat gathered representatives of the presidency, vice-presidency, UCLG sections and committees, who discussed priorities for 2017, Local Action 2030 beyond Habitat III, local and regional governments’ implementation of New Urban Agenda and SDGs, UCLG learning and work plan. The meetings saw closer exchanges and interaction between the world organization, sections and committees. Mr. Liu briefed attendees on the 2016 “One Award, One Conference and One Festival” event and the 2017 plans including case study tours for the 3rd Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (Guangzhou Award), and workshops for thought leaders.

Mr. Liu Baochun,Secretary of Metropolis Asia-Pacific Regional Office, signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Secretary of Metropolis European Regional Office on Feb 23. 

In response to the call from Mr. Felip Roca, Secretary General of the Metropolis, Mr. Liu attended the Regional Secretaries Meeting on Feb 23, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Metropolis Regional Office for Asia-Pacific and Metropolis Regional Office for Europe, to further the cooperation between the Guangzhou Award and the Policy Transfer Platform for a global open platform for urban innovation exchange.

During their stay in Barcelona, the working group also paid a visit to the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), where they learned how the Expo became a name card for Barcelona and discussed potential cooperation between the Guangzhou Award and SCEWC.