Author: indy

Launching a New Era of Cooperation: IURC Latin America & the Caribbean 2025–2027

We were excited to take part in the official launch event of the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) EU–Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC) 2025–2027 program. This initiative brings together cities and regions from Europe partnering with countries and regions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and selected Caribbean cities to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and long-term partnerships.Event Highlights:Welcome Address: Lutz Köppen,...

EU–Taiwan Launch of IURC II Project Strengthens City-to-City Cooperation

Taipei, 5 September 2025 – The International Urban and Regional Cooperation Programme (IURC) officially launched its Taiwan component today at the Taipei World Trade Center International Trade Building. The event marked a significant step in fostering collaboration between European and Taiwanese cities.Mr. Lutz Güllner, Head of Office of the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) in Taiwan, opened the event...

Launch of Second Phase in Australia with Six Australian Cities and Regions Joining the IURC Programme

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia & Australasia programme officially launched its second phase at Melbourne Town Hall on August 27, 2025. The event brought together the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, EU Ambassador to Australia Gabriel Visentin, and the European Union Centre of Excellence at RMIT University, alongside leaders from six selected Australian cities and regions. The IURC...

IURC Asia & Australasia Launches Thematic Cooperation Phase with Global Online Event

The EU-funded International Urban and Regional Cooperation Asia & Australasia (IURC AA) programme officially launched its 2025 thematic clusters with an Online Launch Event held on Wednesday, 3 September 2025, gathering cities and regions across Asia, Australasia, and Europe with 197 participants. This event marked the beginning of a new phase of cooperation focused on thematic clustering and pilot project development aligned with EU...

IURC Malaysia and Singapore Officials Engage ASEAN Forums 2025: ASUF, AGMF, MGMAC in Kuala Lumpur

The EU-funded International Urban and Regional Cooperation for Asia–Australasia extends its sincere thanks to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s Centre of Excellence – Urbanice Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (an IURC non-pilot city), and UCLG-ASPAC for establishing strategic engagement platforms for our IURC cities during the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanization Forum (ASUF), held alongside the ASEAN Governors and Mayors...

EU-Malaysia Urban and Regional Cooperation: Kick-off Meeting with Pilot Cities

The IURC Asia-Australasia programme launched its fourth kick-off meeting in the Asia-Australasia region on 17 July 2025, this time with Malaysian pilot cities: Seberang Perai, Penang (a graduate city) and Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Johor (a newcomer city). Ms. Viktorija Kaidalova, representing the EU Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (Regional Team for Asia and the Pacific), outlined the programme’s goals...

IURC Showcases Global Urban Cooperation at EU Cities Forum 2025 in Kraków

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme proudly marked its successful participation at the EU Cities Forum 2025, held last week in Kraków, Poland. As one of the key platforms for dialogue on sustainable urban development in Europe, the Forum brought together city leaders, policy makers, and practitioners to advance the goals of the EU Urban Agenda and Green...

Circular Economy and Biomining: Forging the Way

25 September 2023 As part of the IURC thematic network ‘Ecological Transition & Green Deal’, on 25th September 2023, IURC AA (India) delivered the thematic event Legacy Waste Biomining: Challenges & Solutions. The aim was to share best practices on how to manage legacy waste. Officials from Panaji, Leh, Jamshedpur, Patna, Porbandar, Gangtok, Kochi, Chennai, Trier, Messina and the Greek Cities...

Turku City, Finland, and Nagano City and Obuse Town, Japan hold an exchange and collaboration workshop

14 September 2023 Since the first phase of IURC (2019), Turku City, Finland, and Nagano City and Obuse Town in Japan, cooperated for “Integration of urban-rural circular economy in water-food-energy nexus.” Turku and Nagano shared a common interest in climate change action and renewable energies, in particular biomass.  Obuse, a small town surrounded by countryside, is interested in sustainable tourism and urban development harmonious with...

Albacete and Gangtok: Celebrating a Year of Partnership and Progress for a Greener Future

The partnership between Gangtok, India, and Albacete, Spain, has reached a significant milestone. The cities began their partnership in 2022 and have conducted two productive exchange visits, enabling them to share insights, best practices and ideas for creating more sustainable communities, with a focus on solid waste management awareness.  Based on the learnings of this partnership, a poster on waste...