At such a complex time for the world due to the Pandemic, the look and work from the cities of the entire continent are essential to sustain the communities, as they are the closest spaces for interaction between communities and governments.
In this context, Mayor Miguel Lunghi, in his capacity as president of Mercociudades, was the sound voice of the body that represents more than 300 cities in the region in the 2021 Executive Bureau of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).
The World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments is an institution that works to promote global response and action through innovative commitments and agreements “that become common threads that transcend borders and communities as a whole, to elevate and empower the local level. “
From there, the communal chief, within the framework of a joint participation of mayors from around the world, raised the firm demand for the world to move towards the release of patents for vaccines against the coronavirus.
Lunghi called for a collective struggle to guarantee the right to health throughout the planet and betting on the international solidarity of the municipal movement to face the crisis that is being experienced in the territories.
“We must take advantage of the potential of local policies to create a society that cares, it has to do with walking towards the encounter, towards proximity, towards the enhancement of our local efforts to contain this global tragedy,” said the mayor.
In addition, he stated: “we must be protagonists of the transformation in our territories, because our cities will never be the same after this crisis. It is the local communities that are facing the pandemic, and its adverse effects on health, the economy, and social relations, therefore, it is necessary to value and make territorial action visible in the face of this global emergency “-
“This is a crisis that has challenged the paradigms and models of local governance, highlighting the shortcomings and difficulties that governments face. That is why we need to reformulate our vision of the role of the State, and its relationship with organizations of Civil Society, the Academy, and the Community in general, “Lunghi highlighted before a virtual audience of hundreds of participants.
“We live in our territories, where we raise our families, where we work, dream and project our aspirations and goals. We must walk together towards a sustainable future, wherever we can, through community co-creation and collaboration between the different Government spheres, build a path of justice, peace and equality, “he stressed.
In addition, he added that “every crisis means an opportunity. That is why it is necessary that we look again at the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, that we rethink it, and re-adapt it, so that it is viable in this adverse context, a consequence of what we leave the impact of the Coronavirus. Moving towards the future will not be easy. “
“Six years ago the UN, set its objectives for the year 2030, and established a guide where the fundamental dimensions of the agenda appeared: People, prosperity, planet, collective participation and peace. We have to concentrate our efforts, working in alliances, generating synergies and cooperating, in order to achieve these objectives within the next 10 years. In our region, we are on that path, working for a Latin America united in diversity, so that everyone has a voice and representation at this time, “he said.
Finally, he highlighted: “we need to be united and strong to move forward. National States are in severe difficulties to guarantee the right to vaccination, so today more than ever from the united cities of the world we reaffirm our request for the release of patents from Vaccines, so that they are accessible and universal, we want this right to be fulfilled, so that we can really build healthier territories for our well-being. It is the desire and the struggle of Mercociudades. “
Petrantonio at UNACLA
On the other hand, the Executive Secretary of Mercociudades and Secretary of Productive Development and International Relations of the Municipality, Marcela Petrantonio participated in the annual meeting of UNACLA (United Nations Advisory Committee on Local Authorities) within the framework of the Executive Bureau of UCLG.
In that space, Petrantonio maintained the importance of following the road map drawn up by UN Habitat (A2030) and the “prevailing need” to move towards locating the New Urban Agenda in our cities.
“Only if we follow the Sustainable Development Goals will we achieve fairer and more sustainable territories,” he stressed.
The United Nations Local Authorities Advisory Committee (UNACLA is a high-level group of mayors and representatives of associations of local authorities, “specially selected to participate and influence the implementation of the Habitat Program” which also “intends to revitalize the dialogue between local and central governments and the United Nations system. “
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