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4th Partnership Conference between German, Latin American and Caribbean municipalities 2024
Partnerships for future-proof urban development
How can municipal partnerships contribute to future-proof urban development? This will be the theme of the fourth Partnership Conference between German, Latin American and Caribbean municipalities. You are invited to join us in Cologne on 4 and 5 September 2024 to exchange ideas with other individuals involved in the partnerships, and to meet your municipal partners. You can find up-to-date information on the programme here.
The next Latin America – Caribbean partnership conference will take place in Cologne on 4 and 5 September 2024. Photo: Martin Magunia
Every three years, municipal stakeholders from Latin American, Caribbean and German cities, districts and municipalities meet at our partnership conference to share good examples and challenges in practical partnership work. This year, together with the Cologne – Rio de Janeiro municipal partnership, we would like to invite you to Cologne on 4 and 5 September 2024. In addition to gaining specialist insights, you will also have the opportunity to contribute your own topics of discussion, and meet your municipal partners in person. We will also offer you the opportunity to work for a number of days with your international partners on your joint projects in an additional working meeting to take place either before or after the conference.
Partnerships for future-proof urban development
By adopting SDG 11 of Agenda 2030 in 2015, the international community committed itself to a sustainable and inclusive approach to municipal development in order to create “sustainable cities and communities”. In addition to this, the only way to implement the other 16 Sustainable Development Goals is by taking a local approach, not just in Germany but also in Latin America and the Caribbean. This makes partnerships between municipalities in these regions particularly important. These partnerships are working on the issues which will shape the future of municipalities, such as water supplies, waste management, environmental education and gender equality. Dealing with these challenges is essential to achieving the global SDGs. We invite you to join us at the Partnership Conference to discuss how partnerships can implement the global Sustainable Development Goals.
Programme Overview
Tuesday 3 September 2024 – Arrival
Arrival evening and opportunity for participating municipalities to meet informally.
Wednesday 4 September 2024 – Conference Day 1
The first day of the conference will be used to discuss the conference theme and to enhance the technical skills of the participants, all with regard to the framing of the 2030 Agenda. Parallel specialist forums will enable participants to deepen their knowledge of good examples of sustainable urban development in relation to the environment, urban planning and population, and to exchange ideas with other municipalities on practical applications of the latest findings on the subject.
Thursday 5 September 2024 – Conference Day 2
On the second day of the conference, peer-to-peer formats will offer further methodological and technical inspiration. The focus will be on practical collaboration in the partnerships. To this end, opportunities for discussion, and advice on the challenges of partnership work will also be available.
Friday 6 September 2024 – Departure
Please plan your departure for 6 September 2024 at the earliest, so that you are able to attend both full conference days.
Your hosts: the Cologne – Rio de Janeiro partnership
The municipal partnership between Cologne and Rio de Janeiro was officially begun in 2011. It was founded in part at the suggestion of Cologne citizens fostering close contacts with Brazil. The two cities have much more in common than carnival: The partnership’s agenda includes exchange of experience and expertise, as well as intercultural dialogue. In addition to economic and cultural relations, important areas of work include the environment and climate protection, youth/education/sport, and social issues: the establishment of a climate partnership and a network of LGBTIQ* activists are just two examples of the diverse activities organised.
