From 8 to 10 October, members of all UCLG sections gathered in The Hague for the 2024 edition of the World Council meeting, to decide on the organization’s policies and strategies. Under the theme “A New Peace Agenda for Future Generations”, UCLG members attended to a series of policy debates, statutory meetings as well as the 3rd edition of the UCLG Municipal Peace Talks, hosted by Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and the City of The Hague.
The UCLG World Council in The Hague concluded with Mayor Jan Van Zanen officially taking over the presidency from Mayor Uğur Ibrahim Altay. With a strong commitment to advance the New Peace Agenda for Future Generations, Mayor Van Zanen reaffirmed his dedication to ensuring that local and regional governments remain crucial actors on the global stage, particularly in peace building, and defending human rights and local democracy.
3rd edition of the UCLG Municipal Peace Talks & The Hague Charter on Municipal Peace
Bringing together mayors, municipal leaders and peacebuilding experts from across the world, the World Council meeting presented itself as a unique opportunity to organize the 3rd edition of the UCLG Municipal Peace Talks on the first day of the meeting.
Hosted by Mayor Jan van Zanen, the Talks were opened by a session organized by the VNG and the City of The Hague, entitled “Peace Begins Here: Local Solutions for Conflict”. Through interactive thematic breakout sessions, participants engaged in constructive discussions on the various interrelations between local peacebuilding and radicalization, peace and conflict in cities, communities and migration governance.
The session concluded with Mayor Jan van Zanen receiving The Hague Charter on Municipal Peace, a comprehensive document that outlines an inspiring framework for local and regional governments to lead conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction efforts. The Charter, developed by experts and partners, guided the discussions during the session and was shaped by input from UCLG members by means of a global survey. The Charter builds on the principles from key international frameworks such as the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda, and the United Nations Future Summit, the UCLG Peace Prize, and forums like the Conference of City Diplomacy (2008, The Hague) and the Forum of Cities and Territories of Peace.
Mayor Jan van Zanen presented the Charter during the formal UCLG Municipal Peace Talks session and aims to bring the document further during his term as President of the World Organization.
Please find the Charter here.