The World Cities Summit (WCS) Mayors Forum and WCS Young Leaders Symposium held in New York City this week culminated with mayors and city leaders from 64 cities making a declaration that they will endeavour to make their cities more equitable, liveable and sustainable.

The declaration noted that they will do so by undertaking long term planning; supporting a culture of integrity in urban governance; promoting an inclusive and equitable economy; working towards providing affordable homes for all; planning and building accessible and sustainable transport networks; building resilience in our cities through systems and frameworks; promoting institutional capacity building, skills development and future sensing; working with communities, stakeholders and the private sector to build cities that are fair and inclusive; and sharing ideas, experiences and solutions with fellow mayors and city leaders. (See Annex [PDF, 202kb].)

“Cities play an increasingly important role in realising sustainable development, both at global and local levels. The Mayors Declaration reaffirms cities’ collective commitment to champion sustainability and liveability through strengthening various facets of urban governance and development, such as promoting inclusiveness in economic growth, providing quality housing and transport options, building resilience and capability of our cities, as well as working closely with the private and people sectors to realise our collective vision,” said Minister of State for National Development and Chairman of the Forum Desmond Lee in his closing speech.

Sharing with the forum on Tuesday on his office’s goals and commitment to make New York City more equitable and sustainable, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “I think those high and noble goals energize action, I think they reduce the bureaucratic roadblocks, I think they inspire new ideas, I think they create unity, I think they create public faith, because the public is looking to each of us again in many ways more so than national leaders, to be the decisive agents of change.”

The declaration will be submitted to the Habitat III Secretariat and serve as the WCS Mayors Forum input to the Habitat III agenda, which will be held in October 2016 in Quito, Ecuador.

World Cities Summit Mayors Forum will reconvene in Singapore from 10 to 14 July 2016.