I.Metshin to members of the UCLG Eurasian branch: “Challenging times will pass, but we will remain our resilience and experience”

The meeting of the Council of the Eurasian branch of the World Organization “United Cities and Local Governments” (UCLG) was held today by Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan and President of the UN Advisory Committee on Local Authorities (UNACLA). The meeting was held online and brought together representatives of 27 cities.

“This year was very tough for us. The world is facing an unprecedented situation. This also affected the UCLG's Eurasian division. The cities of our division stand firm in the fight for the life and health of their residents. However, the pandemic has claimed the lives of many people, including active members of our organization”, - Ilsur Metshin said, opening the meeting and expressing his condolences to family members of deceased.

The President of the UCLG's Eurasian branch noted that the COVID-19 pandemic forced to adjust plans and adapt to the conditions of significant restrictions. But the time of challenges opens up new opportunities. “By remaining a team and helping each other, we can become stronger and get out of the crisis at a qualitatively new level of development. Challenging times will pass, but we will remain our resilience and experience,”- he noted.

The UCLG Eurasian division remains an active and influential player in the implementation of the global agenda. As Ilsur Metshin noted, during the preparation of the UCLG report on the vision of the desired future by 2045, members of the regional organization highlighted the preservation of historical memory, support and development of suburbs and small towns, as well as improving the environmental situation among the crucial growth points.

“As the President of the Eurasian branch of UCLG and UNACLA, it is very important for me that we share experience and best practices in the implementation of the SDG. Most of them cannot be implemented without the participation of cities. Sustainable Development Goal 3 is becoming particularly relevant in the current conditions: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”, - said I.Metshin and offered as part of online meetings to share best practices in the area of sustainability in the context of the pandemic.

The experience of their cities was shared by the Chairman of the Moscow City Duma Alexey Shaposhnikov, Deputy mayor of Nur-Sultan Nurlan Nurkenov and Vice-mayor of Bishkek Aizhan Chynybayeva.