City diplomacy, a conflict resolution tool for local
authorities
In his report on “city diplomacy”, rapporteur Onno van
Veldhuizen (Netherlands, L, IDLG) notes that cities have become major
political players on the international stage and help, via their
networks, to build and consolidate peace in distant parts of the
globe. City diplomacy is the tool used by local authorities and their
associations to promote conflict prevention and resolution and
post-conflict reconstruction.
In the texts adopted in Malaga, the Congress called on local
authorities to structure their activities in the field of diplomacy
and conflict resolution. It also undertook to continue supporting the
Local Democracy Agencies, the North-South Centre and the Municipal
Alliance for Peace in their efforts to use city diplomacy, and to
continue its work to establish a dialogue between European and Arab
cities.
The Congress also recommended that the Council of Europe’s Committee
of Ministers should encourage member states to support city diplomacy
activities and should also acknowledge the potential of city diplomacy
for strengthening intercultural dialogue in the White Paper it is
preparing on this issue.
An awareness of the growing role of cities in conflict resolution is
reflected in the holding of the first world conference on city
diplomacy, to be held in The Hague, Netherlands, from 11 to 13 June
2008 with the participation of the Congress.
Recommendation
Resolution
Explanatory report
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Onno van Veldhuizen:''City diplomacy is becoming an area
of excellence for the Congress''
(more...)
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Interview |