David Zeller – International Urban and Regional Cooperation

IURC Convenes 100 City and Regional Leaders at the World Cities Summit in Singapore

EU-funded programme advances city cooperation and subnational diplomacy at Asia's premier urban platform, as a strategic partner of the World Cities Summit 2026. SINGAPORE — The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia and Australasia programme is bringing together 100 delegates from cities and regions across Europe, Asia and Australasia in Singapore on 16 June 2026, for the 2nd IURC...

This week: IURC Gathers 100 City and Regional Leaders at the World Cities Summit 2026 in Singapore

This week: The IURC Asia and Australasia gathers 100+ delegates from the EU, Asia and Australasia to participate in the World Cities Summit (WCS 2026) from 14–16 June 2026 in Singapore. Within this event, we are proud to host our 2nd Global Thematic Workshop on Tuesday 16 June 2026 — bringing together over 100 city and regional delegates from Europe, Asia, and Australasia to advance Communities of Practice (CoPs) and...

Brussels Times Reports on Expanding EU–Japan Regional Cooperation

An article published today by The Brussels Times highlighted growing cooperation between European and Japanese regions as both sides seek to strengthen local-level partnerships in response to shared economic and societal challenges. The article, titled “EU, Japanese regions boost ties as economic challenges demand cooperation,” reported on a high-level meeting held in Tokyo on 2 June, bringing together ambassadors from...

EU Ambassador Highlights IURC Partnerships on Christchurch Visit

During his recent visit to Christchurch City, the European Union Ambassador to New Zealand, H E Lawrence Meredith, met with Mayor of Christchurch Phil Mauger to discuss the city’s growing cooperation with the European Union and its active participation in the EU-funded IURC Asia and Australasia programme. H E Lawrence Meredith, EU Ambassador to New Zealand, with Mayor of Christchurch...

IURC Programme Featured in Korean Media for Global AI Urban Safety Cooperation

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme has received international media recognition following coverage by Consumer Times, a Republic of Korea-based news outlet, which spotlighted a landmark city-to-city cooperation initiative using AI to improve urban safety. At the heart of the story is the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZ), which is leading a cross-continental collaboration supported by the IURC...

European and Australian Regions Advance Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry Cooperation

Five European and two Australian regions are working together to strengthen sustainability in agriculture and forestry. Across the partnership, regions are experiencing the consequences of climate change, from increasingly volatile weather patterns and unexpected storms to longer-term drying trends and reduced rainfall. In their early exchanges, the regions have begun exploring practical cooperation projects in several areas: a) addressing the...

IURC Communities of Practice (CoPs) pave the way for joint pilot projects across continents

IURC is coordinating an intensive series of online Communities of Practice across Asia and Australasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America, bringing together EU and non-EU cities and regions in 22 thematic groups — 16 focused on cities and 6 on regions. Spanning ten thematic clusters, from agrifood and clean energy to circular economy, climate adaptation and urban...

Milan Strengthens Partnership with Zhengzhou Under Urban Food Policy Pact

Milan and Zhengzhou have made significant progress in their collaboration under the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP), building on momentum from their initial meeting in January. The latest online session on 23 January focused on operationalising cooperation on sustainable urban food systems and advancing Zhengzhou's path towards formal Pact membership. Milan's representative presented the MUFPP's achievements over the past...

European and Chinese Cities Launch Smart and Circular Cities Community of Practice

On 23 December 2025, European and Chinese cities officially launched a new Community of Practice (CoP) on smart and circular urban development, marking a new phase of structured cooperation under the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Programme (IURC) framework. The inaugural meeting brought together representatives from Madrid and Granada, alongside counterparts from Beijing, Zhengzhou, and Guangzhou, to discuss the structure,...

Granada and Zhengzhou Explore Tourism and Agriculture Collaboration

Granada Province and Zhengzhou City held their first coordination meeting on 22 December within the framework of the International Urban and Regional Cooperation Programme (IURC), marking the start of discussions on potential areas of collaboration and the development of a future partnership. The online meeting brought together representatives from both sides to exchange regional profiles, strategic priorities, and initial ideas for...

Author: indy