Bhupendra Patel, CM Gujarat, unveiled Urban-20’s logo, website and social media accounts on Monday in Gandhinagar as part of preparations for the G20 events that will take place in the state next year.
The U20 cycle will be held in Ahmedabad while India holds the G20 presidency. The U20 cycle will be presided over by Ahmedabad, said Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri while speaking virtually at the event.
“U20 is an important city diplomacy initiative which reinforces the role of cities in taking the sustainable agenda forward,” an official release quoted Puri as saying.
Senior officials of Gujarat government and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) attended the logo unveiling event in Gandhinagar.
The U20 cycle will begin in February of next year with Sherpas meeting and conclude with the U20 Mayors’ summit, according to CM Patel.
“U20 is a unique concept which focuses on urban development. This cycle will become a platform for leaders from across the world for discussions and collective action,” the chief minister said.
According to press release, Ahmedabad will host number of events including the City Sherpas’ inaugural meeting on February 9 and 10, 2023, in conjunction with C40 (Climate 40) and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). It stated that the U20 Mayors’ Summit would take place in July 2023.
One of the G20’s engagement groups, Urban-20 (U20) gives cities from G20 nations a forum to facilitate discussions on a variety of pressing urban development issues such as climate change, social inclusion, sustainable mobility and affordable housing and to offer coordinated solutions.
According to press release, this city diplomacy initiative fosters fruitful communication between the national and local governments and works to highlight the significance of urban development issues in the G20 agenda.