Our aim, as United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA) is to establish cooperation among the local governments in our region, to become the united voice of the democratic governance, through protecting the values, aims and interests of local governance.

It is quite important for an international actor to assume a strong role in the international arena. It will be our most important goal to raise the synergy which it has created to become an important power in its region, altogether, by means of fulfilling the duties  it has undertaken in the Middle East and West Asia Region.

UCLG-MEWA is currently carrying out various works in spheres such as “Climate Change, Millenium Development Goals, Eradication of Poverty, Local Finance, Decentralization, City Diplomacy and Ensuring Peace, Alliance of Civilizations, Social Inclusion and Participatory Democracy, Gender Equality, Culture, Urban Mobility, Urban Strategic Planning, Sustainable Development, Immigration, Water” and the like, which are among the most discussed issues in the world, at local, regional, national and international levels, on which strategies and projects are developed, and solutions sought. These works are powered by the active participation of the UCLG members.  The principles, strategies and programs developed thanks to these works are adopted by not only local governments, but also national governments and international organizations.

UCLG-MEWA also pursues its activities as a think-tank, which carries out researches in order to provide solutions to the problems that the societies face. In this regard, it coordinates the Turkish Local Agenda 21 Program, which is considered to be one of the best examples of participatıory-democratic “local governance” practices in the world; thereby contributing to the process of democratization in our region, within the context of local governments.

While we are aiming at informing you, our valuable visitors, through our website, on all of our present and future activities, within the body of our organization; I would like to invite all the local governments in the MEWA region to gather under the same roof with us, in our endeavor to strengthen local governance and democracy, and to become a UCLG-MEWA member. Your participation will further strengthen us.

Kind Regards,

Mehmet DUMAN
UCLG-MEWA Secretary General



You can access UCLG-MEWA Secretary General Mehmet Duman's curriculum vitae from here.  

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 CONDOLENCE: TERROR ATTACK | ISTANBUL

United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA) strongly condemns the terrorist attack resulting in civilian casualties on November 13th in Istanbul, which also hosts the Organization's Secretariat. UCLG-MEWA stays firmly against any terroristic attempt that threatens or disrupts the region's peace, security, and stability. We offer our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish for a speedy recovery for those injured. In this regard, we express our sincere gratitude to our well-wishers and friends in the local governments for their condolence messages.

 UCLG-MEWA TRAINING ON URBAN RESILIENCE, NOVEMBER 1-2

“Training on Urban Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction for Arab Cities” organized by UCLG-MEWA, UCLG Learning, UNDRR, and ATO will take place on 1-2 November in Dibba Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

 UCLG-MEWA EXECUTIVE BUREAU TO CONVENE IN NOVEMBER

The Executive Bureau Meeting of the United Cities and Local Governments, Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA) will be held on 23-24 November 2022, hosted by Gebze Municipality at Bilişim Vadisi (Technology Development Zone).

 6TH TEHRAN GOLDEN ADOBE AWARD HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

The 6th Tehran Golden Adobe Award, organized by Tehran Municipality in cooperation with United Nations Human Settlement Program (UNHABITAT), will be held in Tehran on 31 October-1 November. The Award will focus on “People-Oriented Development, Social Dynamism and Cultural Inclusion in City.” The project entries can be submitted to the website until 7 October. .

 NEW ISSUE OF MEWA AGORA: DECENTRALIZED COOPERATION

The second issue of the UCLG-MEWA quarterly magazine MEWA Agora is out. The issue with the main focus on Decentralized Cooperation includes the Feature on cities’ development cooperation in the MEWA Region, the Opinion piece by Sogen Moodley from the Durban University of Technology, the Interview with Tayseer Abu Sneineh, the new president of UCLG-MEWA, and "Wastewater and Municipal Water Systems Management" good practice on decentralized cooperation.

 SUMMER SCHOOL ON URBAN MANAGEMENT IN IRAN

Tehran Municipality’s initiative Asian Mayors Forum, cooperating with Allameh Tabataba’i University from Iran, will be organizing its first international Summer School on Urban Management.

 UCLG-MEWA WILL BE IN GIRNE WITH GENDER EQUALITY AGENDA

UCLG-MEWA Committee on Gender Equality will organize its first program with the new committee presidency after UCLG-MEWA Congress’22. The program will be held on 5 August 2022, in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) under the auspices of the Municipality of Girne

 CALL FOR ACTION: EARTHQUAKE IN AFGHANISTAN

UCLG-MEWA expresses grave concern and sympathies towards the families of the victims of the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan that hit the country's Paktika Province on June 21 and resulted in more than a thousand deaths and many more injuries.

 Iran Smart City Expo 2022

You are all invited to the 3rd Iran Smart City Expo & Conference, which will take place between July 3-5, 2022. The program, hosted by the help of the Ministry of Interior of Iran, aims to develop participants’ networks and provides capacity building opportunities on “Smart City Policies/Practices”.

 Tehran Twin Cities Festival

Tehran Municipality invites its Twin Cities to participate in the 1st Festival and Exhibition of Sister and Twin Cities of Tehran between 5-9 July 2022, to share experiences and display their capabilities and opportunities for joint projects and bilateral or multilateral cooperation.

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