The 2022 Workshop for Thought Leaders and Guangzhou Award 10th Anniversary Celebration kicked off in Guangzhou last night (December 12). Representatives of over 100 cities in more than 50 countries and regions, representatives of international organizations and experts and scholars attended the event online and offline. 

At the opening ceremony, Guo Yonghang, Mayor of Guangzhou; Mohamad Saadie, President of Union of Dannieh Municipalities, Lebanon; Jordi Vaquer, Secretary General of Metropolis; Hamid Reza Gholamzadeh, Deputy Mayor of Tehran and Secretary General of Asian Mayors Forum; Yu Keping, Chair Professor at Peking University and Co-Chair of the 5th Guangzhou Award Jury; and Christoph Wiederkehr, Deputy Mayor of Vienna, Austria, delivered speeches. Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, UK; Amath Dia, Secretary General of the Department of Saint-Louis Region, Senegal; Anna Scavuzzo, Vice Mayor of Milan, Italy; Evgeniya Lodvigova, Deputy Mayor of Kazan, Russia; James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities, City of Cape Town, South Africa, and other city representatives sent video messages, congratulating the achievements of the Guangzhou Award in the past decade and speaking highly of its contribution to urban innovation and sustainable development. 

It is reported that the Guangzhou Award, which is the first international award named after a Chinese city, is held every two years and has been held for five cycles so far. It has received a total of 1,361 initiatives submitted by 556 cities and local government in 96 countries (regions) and has now become an public good for cities worldwide to learn from each other. The Workshop for Thought Leaders, which was established under the framework of the Guangzhou Award, serves as a platform for studying the initiatives of award-winning cities. It has been held for three editions so far. This year’s Workshop for Thought Leaders and Guangzhou Award 10th Anniversary Celebration, themed “Innovative Cities, Shared Future”, will be held online and offline from December 12 to 15 at the International Hall of Baiyun International Convention Center. The event is intended to review, summarize and showcase the achievements of the Guangzhou Award. Meanwhile, several international exchange activities centering on such themes as “Green Cities and Climate Resilience” and “Urban Heritage and Cultural Conservation” will be held.