Shanghai readies for World Cities Day activities

A global event to mark World Cities Day will kick off on Sunday in Shanghai, as the first high-profile international activity held by the city after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which ended on Oct 22, officials from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said on Thursday.

The three-day event, as well as the Second Sustainable Development Goals Cities Global Conference, will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Shanghai municipal government and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.

World Cities Day is celebrated on Oct 31 every year and was designated by the UN in 2013 and first celebrated in 2014 in Shanghai. It is a legacy of the World Expo Shanghai.

Offline and online activities of this year's celebration will include an opening ceremony, exhibitions and forums.

Themed "Act local to go global", the activities aim to call on cities across the world to take actions and make greater contributions to the achievement of sustainable development goals.

"The event will share policies and experiences across the world in implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, global development initiatives, promoting sustainable urban development and improving the human environment," said Hu Zijian, an official from the ministry.

Yao Kai, director of the Shanghai housing and urban-rural development commission, said preparations have been progressing smoothly. Forums will be centered on city green development, city governance, cultural promotion and other subjects.

Exhibitions will include city development cases and Shanghai's city upgrading over three decades.

"In recent years, more and more cities are joining in to celebrate and promote World Cities Day, which provides a platform for international communication and raises awareness of city development internationally," Hu said.

The ministry also called for authorities in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country to organize their own activities to mark the day, promote their accomplishments in advancing green and low-carbon urban development, and encourage residents to take part in urban development and governance.