IURC Strengthens Global Urban & Regional Cooperation at the Opening of the World Cities Summit 2026 in Singapore

Singapore, 15 June 2026 – The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme marked a strong presence at the opening of the World Cities Summit (WCS) 2026 in Singapore, bringing together more than 100 delegates from Europe, Asia, Australasia and Latin America to advance international cooperation on sustainable urban and regional development.

As one of Asia’s leading global platforms for urban innovation and city diplomacy, the World Cities Summit convenes government leaders, urban practitioners, industry experts and international organisations to address shared challenges and showcase integrated urban solutions. The IURC EU-Asia-Australasia programme is an official strategic partner of the Summit recognised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC).

Throughout the Summit, the EU-IURC programme is actively contributing to thematic discussions, networking activities and high-level exchanges focused on the future of cities and regions. An EU-IURC booth located at the Summit exhibition area is serving as a dynamic platform for dialogue and visibility, welcoming political leaders, city representatives, experts and institutional partners from across the world.

An IURC project video has been produced for the event, featuring progress since the IURC Global event in November 2025. In particular, the IURC Communities of Practice (CoPs) are being explained.

On the opening day, IURC delegates participated in the World Cities Summit Opening Plenary and joined several thematic tracks and panel discussions addressing urban resilience, innovation, sustainability, governance and regional cooperation. Representatives from IURC partner cities and regions are contributing expertise and practical experiences from ongoing Communities of Practice (CoPs) and pilot projects supported by the programme.

A major highlight of the week will be the 2nd IURC Global Thematic Workshop, taking place on Tuesday 16 June 2026 at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. The workshop will convene over 100 representatives from IURC cities and regions and build upon the momentum generated during the 1st IURC Global Thematic Networking Workshop held in Barcelona in November 2025.

The workshop programme includes:

• A high-level Leadership Dialogue on the Future of Cities and Regions;
• Interactive Communities of Practice (CoP) Marketplace sessions;
• Exchanges on pilot projects and innovative urban solutions;
• Discussions on international cooperation, peer learning and the Quadruple Helix approach;
• Networking opportunities to strengthen collaboration among IURC partner cities and regions.

The IURC Leadership Dialogue will feature distinguished speakers from Europe, Asia, Australasia and Latin America, including political representatives and regional leaders from Melbourne, Coimbra, Valencia Region, Cali, Chennai and One Gippsland Region. The session will explore how international cooperation can help cities and regions address common challenges related to sustainability, resilience, social cohesion and innovation.

The EU-IURC booth is also hosting bilateral meetings, media interviews and communication activities throughout the Summit, showcasing success stories and cooperation initiatives developed under the IURC programme.

The participation of IURC at the World Cities Summit 2026 further reinforces the European Union’s commitment to strengthening international urban and regional partnerships and supporting collaborative solutions for more sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities worldwide.

Selected Photos – Day 1

Photo credits: IURC / European Union

News Item created with AI Support