Mayors from across the globe convened an Urban 20 meeting on the margins of the G20 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 14-17 November 2024.

President Lula da Silva of Brasil, chair of the G20, declared at the Urban 20: “Following the pledges by national governments, cities will deliver.”

A call for action was made by mayors from all continents who, under the leadership of Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and Mayor of Rio Eduardo Paes, presented their solutions to help international and national institutions deliver on social inclusion, fight against hunger and poverty, sustainable development and the reform of global governance.

The Congress of the Council of Europe, represented by Mayor of Skopje Danela Arsovska and Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori, voiced the contribution of the Council of Europe and its Congress in delivering this global agenda.

During the bilateral meetings and speaking opportunities, Mayor Arsovska stressed the importance of a human rights-based approach to achieving true climate justice.  “Adopting a human rights approach to the protection of the environment and sustainable development and delivering a resilient and sustainable ecosystem is our shared responsibility for future generations,” added Danela Arsovska.

Congress Secretary General Mori focused on the transformative role of young people in building inclusive and resilient cities. Referring to the Congress’ work with youth, he reiterated the Congress' call to consistently include young people in the design of urban policies.

The U20 concluded with a Communique and a call to the G20 leaders to work together to ensure a resilient and inclusive urban future.

Convened by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), C40 and the host government, the U20 brings together mayors from major G20 cities to inform the discussions of national leaders at the G20, and establishes a platform for cities to collectively inform G20 negotiations.