Mayors of Major Cities Worldwide to Discuss "Future Cities" in Seoul

40th Anniversary General Assembly of the World Association of Major Metropolises
Delegations from Over 70 Major Cities Gather at DDP
Sharing Policies such as Stepping Stone Income and Seoul Learn

Mayors from over 70 major cities in Korea and abroad, along with representatives from international organizations, will gather in Seoul. The '2025 World Council of Major Cities 40th Anniversary Seoul General Assembly' will be held in Seoul to share economic development strategies and future visions among the world's major cities.

This general assembly, marking its 15th session, will take place at Dongdaemun Design Plaza from September 29 to October 1. The event commemorates the 40th anniversary of the founding of the World Association of the Major Metropolises, commonly known as 'Metropolis.'

Metropolis is an international urban network established in Montreal, Canada in 1985 to address common challenges faced by major cities, such as economic development and improving quality of life. Membership is open to cities or capitals with a population of over one million. Currently, 163 cities across 65 countries are members, with the secretariat located in Barcelona, Spain. Seoul joined in 1987 and was elected as a co-chair at the 14th General Assembly in Brussels in 2023, where it continues to play an active role.

'2025 World Council of Major Cities 40th Anniversary Seoul General Assembly' Poster. Seoul City

This general assembly will be attended by the chairperson, the Mayor of Rabat, Morocco, as well as delegations and mayors from over 70 cities in more than 40 countries, including New York, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Tokyo, Guangzhou, Johannesburg, and Istanbul. In addition, representatives from more than 30 international organizations, such as the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), Mori Memorial Foundation, and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), will join, bringing the total number of participants to around 300. Members of the 'Megacity Think Tank Alliance (MeTTA),' established under the leadership of the Seoul Institute to address urban challenges in megacities, will also participate, including the Institute Paris Region, Beijing City Planning & Design Institute (BICP), and UN-Habitat MetroHub.

At the opening ceremony on the first day, Mayor Oh Sehoon will share 'Seoul's vision for the future and key policies' with global cities, under the theme of 'The Future of Major Cities.' The event will also feature a keynote speech by renowned futurist Jason Schenker, Chairman of the Futurist Institute, and congratulatory remarks from Choi Hojung, Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council. Hiroo Ichikawa, Executive Director of the Mori Memorial Foundation in Japan, will deliver a keynote address, and mayors from over 10 global megacities, including Seoul, New York, Tokyo, Guangzhou, Istanbul, Johannesburg, and Bogota, will share their respective inclusive city policies.

On September 30, a forum will be held to share the achievements of the 'Metropolis International Training Institute (MITI),' which is operated by the Seoul Human Resources Development Center. A second forum on sharing outstanding policies will also be held, following the first day's session.

On October 1, participants will visit policy sites. At the Open Songhyeon Green Plaza and Bukchon Hanok Village, they will experience Seoul's urban architecture and traditional houses, while at Ttukseom Hangang Park, Hangang Bus, and Boramae Park, they will learn about Seoul's nature-friendly policies. Kim Sudeok, Director-General of Global City Policy at Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "This general assembly, held in Seoul to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the World Council of Major Cities, will be an opportunity to showcase Seoul's exemplary policies, such as 'Walking Together with the Underprivileged,' as well as the unique charms of Seoul, including the Han River and Garden City initiatives, to the world."

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