The European Union and UNDP proudly announce the forthcoming Future-Fit Cities Forum, scheduled for 4-5 October 2023, in Batumi, Georgia. This high-profile event is poised to delve into the future development prospects of the region's urban landscapes.

Organized under the joint initiative known as the Mayors for Economic Growth Facility (M4EG), the Forum is a collaborative effort between the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), UNDP, and various partners.

The Future-Fit Cities Forum examines the present urban landscape while concurrently outlining a strategic path towards building resilient, environmentally sustainable, and economically robust cities. It addresses critical issues related to leadership and finances, as well as the imperative of transitioning towards a greener future in the wake of crises.

Through the Future-Fit Cities Forum 2023, the EU and UNDP aim to:

• Facilitate knowledge exchange regarding urban transformation, inclusive and green economic development, innovative finance, systems transformation, complexity, and leadership in uncertain times.
• Accelerate learning among municipalities and stakeholders in the Eastern Partnership, the European Union, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia regions.
• Foster connections between the M4EG network and similar initiatives in the EU, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and other relevant stakeholders.

The Future-Fit Cities forum will offer participants a range of insightful presentations by top-notch international speakers representing prominent urban development institutions, such as  ARUP and the Creative Bureaucracy Festival. Speakers from renowned international organizations like the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and municipal representatives from the region’s countries will contribute their insights. 

The Forum will host mayors from Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. 

In total, around 50 speakers will offer their take on pressing urban challenges, focusing on urban transformation achieved through various financial mechanisms, the civic economy, and green and just transitions.

The two-day Future-Fit Cities Forum will kick off on 4 October at 9:00 AM, at Hilton Batumi, Georgia.

Media representatives are invited to register here. 

For technical inquiries contact:

Otar Konjaria, UNDP, otar.konjaria@undp.org 

For media inquiries, contact:

Sophie Tchitchinadze, UNDP,  sophie.tchitchinadze@undp.org 

Anton Sydorenko, UNDP, anton.sydorenko@undp.org.

Background

The M4EG Facility draws on the Mayors for Economic Growth Initiative, launched and funded by the European Union (EU) in 2017. Since 2021, the EU-funded M4EG Facility has been managed by UNDP in close cooperation with the EU, local authorities and a range of partners.