The future of the Metropolis network as the context for its eleventh world congress

  From 6 to 10 October 2014 the eleventh World Congress of the World Association of the Major Metropolises took place in the city of Hyderabad (India). The organisation celebrated its thirtieth anniversary on this occasion. The congress was also a good opportunity to discuss its strategy for the next few decades.   The guest city of the Eleventh World Congress of Metropolis, Hyderabad, was the perfect starting point for a series of debates about the main theme of the congress, i.e. “Cities for All”. Like many Indian cities in general, its vast experience, its achievements and its challenges only served to enrich the global dialogue on urbanisation with stakeholders from cities all over the world. The programme consisted of four topics: urban equity, metropolitan governance, financing cities and urban India.   A Brussels project competing for the fifth Metropolis prize The Brussels-Capital Region is an active member of the Metropolis network and was elected to the position of treasurer during the association’s general meeting. It also competed in the fifth Metropolis Awards, which recognises the efforts of member cities whose projects deserve global recognition. This year the award-winning project had to focus on improving the quality of life of people in cities, especially women, youth and people with disabilities. The Brussels-Capital Region submitted the project of the not-for-profit association Le 8e jour. The association gives people with mental disabilities the opportunity to live independently in urban areas in clusters of apartments in apartment buildings along with people without disabilities. An educational team is on hand to provide support. Besides this Professor Eric Corijn of Vrije Universiteit Brussel also moderated a debate on the future of Metropolis. Only politicians, mayors and presidents who were elected members of the network could participate. The debate aimed to encourage joint discussion and formulate policy guidelines that would give a new impetus to the development of Metropolis as an organisation at the service of its members.   Brussels reappointed as Vice-President of the FMDV The annual meeting of the Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV) was also held in the margin of the Metropolis congress. The mandate of the Brussels-Capital Region as Vice-President of the FMDV was renewed. The Region will continue its commitment to the REsolutions to Fund Cities Europe programme, with a dual perspective: pursue exchanges about the Community Land Trust (CLT) with the aim of creating a network of CLT platforms with the help of the FMDV on the one hand and the creation of a new platform for exchanges on financial management, in particular public debt, on the other hand.  

Further information : Site of the XI World Congress of Metropolis