The Seminar gathered in the City of Sao Paulo more than 230 leaders of Latin America that debated on issues such as economy, governance, environment and quality of life.

The Committee annual event organized by the National Confederation of Municipalities of Brazil (CNM) which holds the Vice-presidency of the Committee for Latin America, the Organization of American States (OEA), the Development Bank of Latin America, the Presidency of the UCLG Committee –held by the City of Bilbao- and the Latin American Federation of Cities, Municipalities and Associations (FLACMA) was held from September 30th to October 2nd in the City of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The opening ceremony was held on September 30th with the presence of representatives from the CNM, the OEA, the Development Bank of Latin America , the City of Bilbao and the City Sao Paulo and FLACMA. All of them remarked the importance of good governance in municipal management and the celebration of this kind of meetings for the exchange and share of knowledge among cities.

Economy, mobility, governance, citizen participation, environment and quality of life were some of the main subjects discussed along the Seminar. The debates took place in 6 panels in which representatives from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador and Bilbao shared their experiences and best practices.

The modernization of municipal management and the use of new technologies for boosting citizen participation centered most part of the debates. The so called “Citizen Laboratories –spaces where different people gather to develop joint projects- were also PRESENTED IN THE Seminar as instruments for the promotion of innovation and citizen participation.

The sustainable urban mobility and environmental management were also subjects of interest during the Seminar. As well as the importance of the Public-Private Partnerships as drivers for the development of cities.

During the Seminar, best practices of transparency in the municipal public administration and the right of access of citizens to the municipal information were also presented. The Seminar also allowed the exchange of experiences on the modernization of management and public purchase systems.

The second day of the Seminar also included a key-note speech of Ms. Mercedes Peñas Doming, Former Executive Director of Demuca Foundation and First Lady of Costa Rica. She spoke on the importance of women in politics, the bureaucracy of services and the democracy, among other challenges for the modernization of the nation.

Follow the links below to access the event report (in Spanish) and photos of the Seminar:


Photos of the Seminar

Presentations made during the Seminar