'UCLG ASPAC Goyang General Assembly' Opens... Discussing Visions for Sustainable Future Cities

The "2025 10th World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific Section (UCLG ASPAC) Goyang General Assembly," held in Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province, officially kicked off its main events, including the opening ceremony and the main forum, at KINTEX on the 25th.

Lee Donghwan, mayor of Goyang Special City, is delivering a greeting at the "2025 10th UCLG ASPAC Goyang General Assembly," the largest Asia-Pacific local government international conference held at KINTEX in Goyang on the 25th. Photo by Lee Jonggu

In his welcoming address, Mayor Lee Donghwan emphasized, "Cities are at the forefront of humanity's challenges, including the climate crisis, energy transition, and the digital divide," and added, "To respond to these challenges, we must move toward cities equipped with self-sufficiency and resilience, and we must open the path to prosperity for future generations through solidarity and cooperation."

Mayor Lee also stated, "As the first basic local government to host the UCLG ASPAC General Assembly, Goyang has taken on a central role in Asia-Pacific local government cooperation," and expressed his hope that "this assembly will serve as a turning point that leads to the prosperity of future generations by sharing each city's experiences and innovative solutions, and by strengthening solidarity and cooperation."

The opening ceremony brought together more than 600 domestic and international participants, including representatives of local governments and international organizations, as well as experts from 27 countries, exceeding the originally planned 22 countries. Lee Jangwoo, mayor of Daejeon Metropolitan City; Dakila Carlo Cua, president of UCLG ASPAC; and Ko Youngin, vice governor for economic affairs of Gyeonggi Province, each took the stage to highlight the role of local governments in building a sustainable future.

The main forum began with a video keynote speech by Jean Todt, the United Nations special envoy, followed by discussions led by Gao Jin, vice mayor of Yiwu City, China, and Daria Turley, vice chair of the Australian Local Government Association. Successful cases of renewable energy, circular economy, and smart infrastructure were shared, and participants explored directions for cooperation and implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During the sub-forums held simultaneously in the afternoon, key figures such as Sara Hoeflich, deputy secretary general of UCLG World; Adam Azik, mayor of Mal?, Maldives; and Christy Shala Jumi of the Swiss Embassy, participated to discuss five topics: job creation, youth leadership, energy self-sufficiency, family-friendly cities, and urban growth.

In particular, Dakila Carlo Cua, president of UCLG ASPAC, remarked, "This assembly is a place for a clear call to action along with our unity, and from the smallest villages to the largest cities, our voices can change the direction of the world." He added, "Let us reaffirm our solidarity and strengthen our cooperation to create a sustainable and just future."

The opening ceremony featured a North Korean performance, traditional dance by the Goyang Dance Company led by Kang Yunseon, and a demonstration by the Goyang City Taekwondo demonstration team. The event also included award ceremonies for essay, photography, and startup competitions, as well as the launch ceremony for the CLG (Institute for Cities and Local Governments).

The local government delegation is taking a commemorative photo after the opening ceremony of the '2025 UCLG ASPAC Goyang Assembly' held on the 25th at KINTEX in Goyang.

On the final day of the assembly, the 26th, a farewell banquet will be held, and the "Goyang Special City Declaration" will be announced. This declaration will outline the roles and responsibilities of local governments in addressing global challenges such as geopolitical instability, the climate crisis, and deepening inequality, and will present a shared vision for cities in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the "UCLGASPAC 2026-2030 Manifesto" will be launched and adopted as a strategic framework to institutionalize the development capacity of local governments.

The "Goyang Declaration" will present five visions: fostering entrepreneurship and the green economy; smart urban planning and climate-responsive infrastructure; institutionalizing youth leadership; expanding the transition to and investment in renewable energy; and creating family-friendly cities. It will also call for cooperation with national governments, international organizations, the private sector, academia, and civil society, and will urge improvements to the international financial system so that local governments can effectively implement sustainability strategies.

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