Hitesh Vaidya
Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs
As the Technical Secretariat for the Urban20 engagement group, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is proud to have had the opportunity to actively engage with India’s G20 Presidency, participating in global discussions surrounding urban development and creating a platform to learn from cities worldwide while showcasing India’s remarkable achievements and experiences in the domain of urban development.
Throughout the cycle, our objective has been to collectively translate “intentions” into decisive “action areas” and create a robust blueprint for global action on a number of priority areas. The U20 Communiqué is a testament to this effort, which was endorsed by a record 105 cities, including more than 50 global cities. This cycle is also notable for the incredible response we have received from cities across the world, both during the U20 Sherpa Meeting and the Mayoral Summit. The February 2023 U20 Sherpa Meeting was an unprecedented event, with over 200 delegates from 40 cities worldwide. The crowning achievement was the July 2023 U20 Mayoral Summit, bringing together 430+ delegates from 90+ cities and 132+ foreign delegates.
As the technical secretariat, our mission has been to promote widespread citizen participation and partner mobilization in addressing contemporary urban challenges. We have initiated several activities for facilitating Jan Bhagidari, mainstreaming gender within the urban discourse, and converging with other G20 streams, thereby solidifying the pivotal role of cities in shaping India’s growth narrative and the G20 agenda. We have empowered citizens, youth, and knowledge partners across the country to actively contribute to the discussions on innovative and sustainable solutions for a vibrant and harmonious future for our cities. We have created numerous opportunities for equipping young talents to excel on the international stage and thrive. NIUA remains committed to fostering opportunities for youth to play a pivotal role in driving sustainable and innovative urban solutions worldwide. This edition of the e-Gov magazine is an important initiative in this direction.
Our relentless pursuit of collaborative approaches has led to 105 Jan Bhagidari events in Smart Cities across India, more than 40 online webinars and thematic events, various strategic convergence initiatives, and engagements with Business20, Youth20, and Think20, etc. Our knowledge creation and dissemination efforts include 17 knowledge products, including White Papers on the six priority areas developed during the cycle. The Mayoral Summit also hosted the inspiring Urban Climate Film Festival and a thought-provoking exhibition titled “India’s Urban Story.” The exhibition highlighted the innovative initiatives in the urban sector, from eco-responsible practices to net-zero commitment, cultural heritage to water security, digital innovations to urban governance.
Looking ahead, Urban20 is determined to build upon its unprecedented success, fostering transformative actions and further consolidating the instrumental role of cities in shaping the G20 agenda. By forging strong partnerships and alliances, Urban20 aims to amplify the impact of collective efforts and drive meaningful change on a global scale. This collaborative approach reflects our country’s unique commitment to building inclusive, resilient, and prosperous urban environments for current and future generations.
