General Rules

1. The Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (abbreviated as the “Guangzhou Award” hereinafter) is discerned to innovative public policies, projects, business models and practices undertaken by cities and regions worldwide. Its objective is to recognize the importance of public sector innovation and local leadership in promoting the sustainability of cities and regions and in advancing the prosperity and quality of life of their citizens.

2. The Guangzhou Award is co-sponsored by the City of Guangzhou of the People’s Republic of China, the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and the World Association of the Major Metropolises (Metropolis).

3. The Rules and Procedures are drafted based on the objectives of the Guangzhou Award, in an effort to ensure its objectiveness and impartiality.

4. The Guangzhou Award is open to all city and regional governments around the world, including members of UCLG and Metropolis.

5. The Guangzhou Award strictly abides by the principles of impartiality, equitability and openness, in an effort to ensure operational transparency and independence. 

6. The Guangzhou Award Organizing Committee is responsible for the organization and implementation of all affairs related to the award. The Guangzhou Award Secretariat, based in the City of Guangzhou of the People’s Republic of China, takes care of the assessment organization of the Award and the daily work involved.

Award Set-up

7. Starting from 2012, the Guangzhou Award will be organized biennially, producing up to 5 winners each cycle.

8. Each Guangzhou Award winner will receive a cash prize of 20,000 US Dollars, making the total amount of cash prize 100,000 US Dollars.

9. Medals of Honor will be discerned to the short-listed cities which are not among the winners.

Assessment Criteria

10. The criteria that are applied to the Guangzhou Award assessment include: innovativeness, effectiveness, replicability/transferability, significance and relevance of the initiative to the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda (see Submission Guidelines for more details).

Institutional Framework

11. The Guangzhou Award Organizing Committee, jointly established by the City of Guangzhou, UCLG, and Metropolis, is responsible for the organization and implementation of Award and its assessment activities.

12. Following authorization from the Guangzhou Award Organizing Committee, the Guangzhou Award Secretariat undertakes the following responsibilities in the assessment activities:

i) Handle such daily work as liaison, database establishment and management, and others;

ii) Propose nominations to the Organizing Committee for the appointment or renewal of members of the Technical Committee and of the Jury;

iii) Plan and organize award-related activities, such as news conferences, award ceremonies, academic seminars, exhibitions, and others;

iv) Receive and handle consultations and suggestions relevant to the award;

v) Propose adjustments in rules and procedures relevant to the award.

13. The assessment institutions under the Organizing Committee consist of the following:

i) A Technical Committee, which is responsible for selecting a shortlist of initiatives to be submitted to the Jury for final consideration;

ii) A Jury, which selects the award winners from the shortlist to be submitted to the Organizing Committee. 

14. Qualifications of the Technical Committee and the Jury are as follows:

i) Members of the Technical Committee are experts in social, economic, environmental and governance affairs. They are nominated by the Guangzhou Award Secretariat and appointed upon approval from the Guangzhou Award Organizing Committee;

ii) The Jury is consisted of no less than five members as jointly identified by the City of Guangzhou, UCLG, and Metropolis. Jury members are recruited amongst, inter alia, former holders of political office (mayor, governors, etc.), academia and international multilateral organizations.

Submissions

15. To file a submission for the Guangzhou Award, applicants should complete and submit the Guangzhou Award Application Form. 

16. Applicants should be responsible for the authenticity and legitimacy of the completed application forms and other materials.

Selection Procedures

17. The Guangzhou Award short-listed initiatives are selected by the Technical Committee.

i) The Technical Committee formulates its own working methods in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Award;

ii) Following the selection procedures and guidelines, the Technical Committee selects a shortlist of up to 15 city initiatives to be submitted to the Jury.

18. The Jury will vote and select up to five (5) Guangzhou Award winners.

i) The Jury will review and vote on the final winner list based on the shortlist submitted by the Technical Committee; The Jury reserves the right to award less than five winners in any given cycle.

ii) The Jury’s decision is final and not contestable.

Award Presentation

19. The Guangzhou Award Organizing Committee organizes the award ceremony, on which occasion each winner receives a cash prize, a trophy and a certificate.

20. The list of winners will be announced at the award ceremony.

21. The short-listed cities which are not among the winners will each receive a Medal of Honour, also discerned at the Award ceremony.

Supplementary Articles

21. The Guangzhou Award Organizing Committee reserves the right to revise and interpret over the Rules and Procedures. 

22. The Rules and Procedures shall come into effect as of the date of promulgation.

Download: Guangzhou Award Rules and Procedures