Weihai and Shanghai to co-host World Cities Day, promoting global urban sustainability

The main event of this year's World Cities Day in China will take place from Oct. 26 to 31 in Weihai, Shandong province, and Shanghai, officials announced on Monday.

Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the governments of Shandong and Shanghai, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the event is themed "Building People's Cities, Sharing a Better Life", said Li Zhe, deputy director of the ministry's planning, finance, and foreign affairs department.

Li said the event aims to promote the sharing of policies, experiences, and practices that foster sustainable urban development and improve living environments, aligning with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and global development initiatives.

The event will include an opening ceremony, a mayors' forum on high-quality urban development, a global conference on urban sustainability, and various forums and side meetings. Exhibitions will also be held in both Weihai and Shanghai.

Liang Hao, deputy mayor of Weihai, said the city will host a concurrent exhibition highlighting its progress in ecological livability, smart governance, and resilient security.

In Shanghai, the 2024 City and Architecture Expo, running from Oct 31 to Nov 2 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, will focus on "Innovation Driving Green Development, New Quality Empowering People's Cities," according to Jin Chen, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

The event will showcase key initiatives, including the "Weihai Initiative", the "Shanghai Index Application Report aligning with the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals", the "Weihai Handbook on Global Community Sustainable Development", and the "Shanghai Handbook: Urban Sustainable Development Guide for the 21st Century". A guide on using the "Shanghai Index Comprehensive Indicators" will also be presented.