Antioquia, Bristol, Christchurch, Dakar, and Hangzhou are the winners of the 2014 Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation. The results were announced Friday 28 November during the award ceremony. This award, co-sponsored by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the World Association of the Major Metropolises (Metropolis) and the city of Guangzhou, was held within the framework of the International Conference on Urban Innovation.
Launched for the first time in 2012 by the city of Guangzhou, Metropolis and UCLG, the Award for Urban Innovation recognizes the implementation of innovative urban projects in cities and regions.
This year, more than 600 guests from all over the world attended the event, under the theme “My City, My Dream”. The opening session of the International Conference was chaired by the Mayor of Guangzhou and Co-President of UCLG, Chen Jianhua. Fathallah Oualalou, Mayor of Rabat and Treasurer of UCLG, and Jacqueline Moustache Belle, Mayor of Victoria and Co-President of UCLG, also represented UCLG in the event. Jacqueline Moustache Belle, as Deputy Treasurer of Metropolis, also represented the President of Metropolis. All three stressed the importance of economic and urban innovation to support the development of cities and territories and provide essential services to the population.
“The Guangzhou Award is not only a way to showcase excellence in cities around the world, it is also intended to foster exchanges and learning,” said Josep Roig, Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments.
The award ceremony was organized around five sessions. Representatives of the 15 programmes shortlisted for the award presented the experiences of their cities. They all stressed the importance of the Innovation Award, which strengthens cooperation between local governments, and pays tribute to the work of elected officials and innovative and sustainable urban projects.
The five winners were:
• The “Educational Parks for all” programme by Antioquia in Colombia
• The “Smart City” programme by Bristol in the United Kingdom
• The “Transitional City Program for Our Ever-Evolving City” by Christchurch in New Zealand
• The “Municipal Finance” programme by Dakar in Senegal
• The “Public Bike Sharing System” programme by Hangzhou in China
Each of them won a prize of $20,000 for their excellence.
This article was taken from the website of United Cities Local Governments.