Opening of the Daejeon UCLG Assembly, President Yoon Seok-yeol Attends On Site

Attendees of the opening ceremony of the 7th World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders (UCLG) are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Daejeon City

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The opening ceremony of the 7th World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Congress was held on the 12th at the Daejeon Convention Center.

The opening ceremony was attended by more than 1,400 prominent domestic and international figures, including President Yoon Seok-yeol, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Foreign Minister Park Jin, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, UCLG member cities, ambassadors to Korea, and representatives of international organizations, illuminating the event.

The city proceeded with the official congress schedule, starting with the opening declaration, followed by a creative performance themed "A City of Citizens Overcoming Crisis and Moving Toward the Future," and a demonstration of the theme video.

Mayor Lee Jang-woo of Daejeon said in his opening remarks, "I hope that during this five-day congress held in the science city of Daejeon, we can explore the future of global local cities through cooperation and solidarity and establish a milestone for a bright future."

The keynote speech was delivered by former Secretary-General Ban. In his keynote, Ban presented three pillars for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): people, planet, and government, emphasizing the importance of local cities for sustainable development.

At the congress, President Yoon emphasized the role of local governments in his congratulatory address. He said, "In these times when the role of local governments has become more important than ever to solve global crises and problems," adding, "I hope that the Daejeon Congress will serve as an opportunity to strengthen solidarity and exchange among local governments worldwide."

Meanwhile, the congress organizing committee is enabling overseas city officials who could not attend the congress in person due to COVID-19 and other reasons to participate through a hybrid meeting system.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.