BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. Peace is built not only in courts or international institutions; peace and trust are also formed at the local level, the Mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, said during the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, held within the framework of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.
"We meet again in Baku at a very critical juncture—not only because 2030 is approaching alongside the ten-year review of the New Urban Agenda, but also because the international context itself is rapidly changing. What particularly strikes me today, compared to previous forums, is how much the distance between global discussions and everyday local reality has narrowed," he said.
Van Zanen noted that global challenges are forcing a rethink of multilateralism to make it a more inclusive, multi-level, and action-oriented system.
"Because the crisis has not affected everything. There is a system of multilateralism that is not only far from being in crisis, but continues to strengthen and develop. This is the system built by cities and regions. A system based on proximity to people, solidarity, and inclusiveness," the mayor said.
"The global municipal movement demonstrates that cooperation between territories is not only possible, but is capable of driving profound transformations," Van Zanen concluded.
