Mayor of Barcelona leads the international forum on Mobility, Migration and City Development

The mayor of Barcelona and vice president of METROPOLIS, Mr Xavier Trias, initiated an international dialogue during the United Nations meeting - Local Government - Taking the Migration & Development Agenda Forward, held in New York on October 2013. It focused on the role of cities in addressing the front line issues of human migration and important debate on human mobility for development of cities around the world.  Global Cities have successfully demonstrated the value of human capital and cultural mix as important factor in the economic prosperity of the city or region.

"The Call for Barcelona" is an international campaign bringing the city stakeholders to discuss and debate on the issues of human migration in context of urban phenomenon and economic integration.  Cities around the world are facing the daunting task of accommodating and integrating the migrants but have very little or no voice in national and international forums and policies.  The vast financial and knowledge contribution through mobility and migration is directly influencing the economic and social prosperity of the major cities and regions.

During the Mayoral Forum held in Barcelona on 19 and 20 June 2014, the mayor of Barcelona focused on the right political and economic dialogue about the human mobility and migration, for the prosperity and social integration of cities. Ambassador William Lacy Swing, Director General of the International Organization for Migration, emphasised on city leaders and political domain to consider the long term vision and use ‘migration and human mobility’ as strategic assets for the development and prosperity of their cities and regions. The forum was attended by Metropolis member and non-member cities along with major international institutions including European Union, UNITAR, IOM, World Bank and UCLG. METROPOLIS was represented by Secretary General Alain Le Saux and Advisor Sunil Dubey.

During the 11th Metropolis World Congress 2014, there would be further discussions and forum, led by the Mayor of Barcelona, on the "City leadership and Economic growth".  Join the largest gathering of city stakeholders during "Cities for All" in Hyderabad, on 7 to 10 October 2014. 

Read the declaration "Call of Barcelona" here

Watch the short video of the Forum here