Over 100 Participants Join IURC “Road to Singapore” Webinar Ahead of World Cities Summit 2026

Over 100 Participants Join IURC “Road to Singapore” Webinar Ahead of World Cities Summit 2026

On 27 January 2026, the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme hosted the “Road to Singapore” webinar, gathering over 100 participants from cities and regions across Europe, Asia and Australasia to prepare for the World Cities Summit (WCS) 2026 in Singapore (14–16 June 2026).

The webinar featured a presentation by Ms. Laura Ho from the Centre for Liveable Cities, who provided an overview of the Summit’s programme, including mayoral forums, thematic tracks, and new features such as the World Cities Connection Stage and Expo Real Asia Pacific.

The session also included a presentation by Pablo Gándara and Jacqueline Chang from the IURC team, who highlighted the strategic importance of the Summit within the broader IURC timeline and cooperation framework. As outlined in his presentation, the WCS will serve as a key milestone for advancing Communities of Practice (CoPs), showcasing pilot actions, and strengthening region-to-region partnerships under the programme.

Participants were introduced to the role of the IURC Thematic Networking Event, which will take place alongside the Summit on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, from 08:30 – 13:30 Singapore time. The event will bring together IURC cities and regions to exchange knowledge, present results from the online collaboration, and foster new synergies through thematic discussions and networking activities. It will also include site visits, offering first-hand insights into Singapore’s approach to sustainable and innovative urban development.

In addition, the IURC team presented key participation requirements, funding arrangements, and timelines. Cities and regions were encouraged to secure high-level political participation, align study visits with the Summit, and finalise their Urban/Regional Cooperation Action Plans by the end of February 2026.

A key message emphasised throughout the session was the importance of mobilising political leadership. As highlighted by Pablo Gándara, the participation of mayors and governors is essential to elevate cities’ international visibility, strengthen strategic cooperation, and ensure that technical collaboration translates into concrete action and impact. Pablo made a call for action for cities and regions to mobilize their political leadership.

Ms. Viktorija Kaidalova from the EU Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) provided her views regarding the IURC event organisation as well as on the possible commitments / speaking slots for the IURC pilot cities/regions’ political/management leaders at the World Cities Summit (including the Mayors Forum).

The webinar concluded with a Q&A session addressing practical aspects such as logistics, eligibility criteria, and participation deadlines, with confirmations expected by early March 2026. The final deadline for IURC cities/regions to register their participation was set to 31 March 2026. An IURC event guideline will then be shared with registered participants.

The “Road to Singapore” webinar marks an important step in positioning IURC cities and regions to contribute to global urban discussions actively and to showcase their solutions at one of the world’s leading platforms for sustainable urban development.

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