Program
Friday, may 2
| Schedule | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:30 | Participant registration |
| 10:30 | Conference I Citizen Participation and Intergenerational Dialogue (45 min) It will highlight citizen participation as a tool for political power. The conference will explore how local governments can effectively collaborate with communities to address violence and build peace through innovative leadership, negotiation, and co-management strategies. A key focus will be on intergenerational dialogue to ensure the voices of young people are heard in decision-making processes related to peace and coexistence. Concept note for Conference I |
| 11:15 | Coffee break |
| 11:30 |
Panels: This session will focus on how local and regional governments can combat intolerance, racism, discrimination, and extremism. Six key dimensions will be examined: access to justice, education, data and evidence, community participation, public policies, and international collaboration. The goal is to identify effective strategies for building inclusive and equitable societies while addressing the systemic issues that fuel discrimination. Concept note for axis 1 This axis, will focus on local and regional government responses to migration, diaspora, and violence. The sesion will explore the multifaceted challenges of migration, including violence as a driver, the experiences of migrants in destination cities, diaspora communities, and the impact of climate change. The aim is to identify effective policies and interventions that promote the human rights of migrants and foster peaceful coexistence. Concept note for axis 2 |
| 12:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 |
Workshops on Experiences and Lessons Learned: This session will focus on how local and regional governments can combat intolerance, racism, discrimination, and extremism. Six key dimensions will be examined: access to justice, education, data and evidence, community participation, public policies, and international collaboration. The goal is to identify effective strategies for building inclusive and equitable societies while addressing the systemic issues that fuel discrimination. Concept note for axis 1 This axis, will focus on local and regional government responses to migration, diaspora, and violence. The sesion will explore the multifaceted challenges of migration, including violence as a driver, the experiences of migrants in destination cities, diaspora communities, and the impact of climate change. The aim is to identify effective policies and interventions that promote the human rights of migrants and foster peaceful coexistence. Concept note for axis 2 |
| 15:00 | Mercociudades council (By invitation only, 120 min) |
| 15:00 | Parallel Partner Sessions The session presents the Urban Agenda for Peace and Nonviolence, highlighting its development in three phases, including pilot experience in Buenaventura, as well as the experience of Cali. It shares key lessons, methodologies, and recommendations for localizing peace policies and fosters dialogue to strengthen strategic alliances for building inclusive, safe, and resilient urban environments. Concept note for the parallel session "Urban Agenda for Peace and Nonviolence" This session focuses on the potential of peer learning among cities for advancing peace in their communities, and zoom in on the specific issue of urban violence. As a conversation starter the session will feature the approach of the Brazilian city of Recife. This will be followed by a talkshow setting with the opportunity for the audience to interact. The session will feature the global UCLG Peace Prize for local governments as instrument of the UCLG Peace Agenda of which the new call for applications will be launched at this Forum. Concept note for the parallel session "Preventing Urban Violence" The session aims to address discrimination, xenophobia, and hate speech in Latin America and the Caribbean by promoting constructive dialogue between governments, civil society, and academia. Its goal is to identify joint strategies and effective mechanisms to tackle these issues in urban and territorial contexts, contributing to the development of the Public Local Agenda for Coexistence and Peace. Additionally, it seeks to generate recommendations for the Montevideo Declaration, strengthen the Global Alliance against Racism and Discrimination, and establish strategic partnerships to build inclusive, just, and peaceful cities, contributing to the roadmap of the Latin American and Caribbean Coalition against Racism, Discrimination, and Xenophobia. Concept note for the parallel session "Networks for Peace" |
| 16:30 | Coffee break |
| 17:15 |
Opening Plenary |
Saturday, may 3
| Schedule | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30 | Visits to projects in the city: SACUDE, Espacio Modelo (120 min) |
| 10:30 | Conference II - Resources for participatory management for coexistence and peace This conference will focus on resources for participatory governance in building peace and promoting coexistence. It will explore various aspects of resource mobilization, including local budgeting, financing mechanisms, technology's role in managing urban violence, communication strategies, and international cooperation. The aim is to highlight how these resources can be effectively used to address challenges to peace and foster inclusive urban environments. Concept note for Conference II |
| 11:15 | Coffee break |
| 11:30 |
Panels: This segment will discuss the responses of local and regional governments to gender-based violence. It highlights the ongoing inequalities faced by women and LGBTQI+ individuals, emphasizing the need for increased participation and transformative cultural and structural changes to address these issues. Finally, it will outline strategies for prevention, response, and international collaboration to combat violence against women and advance gender equality. Concept note for axis 3 This segment will examine the responses of local and regional governments to various forms of violence, particularly those stemming from social, economic, and environmental inequalities. It will explore the consequences of structural violence, including its impact on youth and the need for holistic approaches, and highlight the importance of multi-stakeholder and multilevel collaboration, including international cooperation, to address these challenges. Ultimately, it will emphasize the need for effective and sustainable public policies to promote social justice and peace. Concept note for axis 4 |
| 12:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 |
Workshops on Experiences and Lessons Learned: This segment will discuss the responses of local and regional governments to gender-based violence. It highlights the ongoing inequalities faced by women and LGBTQI+ individuals, emphasizing the need for increased participation and transformative cultural and structural changes to address these issues. Finally, it will outline strategies for prevention, response, and international collaboration to combat violence against women and advance gender equality. Concept note for axis 3 This segment will examine the responses of local and regional governments to various forms of violence, particularly those stemming from social, economic, and environmental inequalities. It will explore the consequences of structural violence, including its impact on youth and the need for holistic approaches, and highlight the importance of multi-stakeholder and multilevel collaboration, including international cooperation, to address these challenges. Ultimately, it will emphasize the need for effective and sustainable public policies to promote social justice and peace. Concept note for axis 4 |
| 15:00 |
Parallel Partner Sessions This dialogue aims to strengthen the commitment of local governments to the development of equitable and sustainable care systems. It provides a space for exchange between local governments, international organizations, and key stakeholders to share experiences, challenges, and strategies in the implementation of comprehensive care policies, taking into account the territorial diversity of the region. It also seeks to position care policies as local policies for social cohesion, highlighting their link to coexistence and peace. The dialogue promotes strategic alliances between local governments and international organizations to strengthen and expand comprehensive care policies at the local level. Nota conceptual de la sesión paralela "Ciudades que cuidan" Memory that Transforms: Cities as Territories of Truth and Reparation This session proposes a reflection on the role of historical memory in the construction of territories of peace. Through a discussion based on concrete experiences, the goal is to identify how memory policies can become tools for reparation, resistance, and social transformation, contributing to the strengthening of local democracies and the prevention of new human rights violations. The dialogue is structured around five key dimensions: gender, art, international cooperation, heritage, and the pedagogy of memory. Concept note from the parallel session "Memory that Transforms" Working for Press Freedom and Journalist Safety: Comparative Experiences of Local and Regional Efforts As part of the 2025 World Press Freedom Day, this session will address one of the most pressing challenges for democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean: the safety of journalists. Organized by the Uruguayan Press Association with the support of UNESCO Montevideo, the event seeks to highlight and share concrete experiences from local and regional contexts that respond to the increasing violence, threats, and forced displacement faced by media professionals in the region. The main objective is to create a space for exchange on innovative initiatives that promote mechanisms for protection, assistance, and the sustainability of journalistic work in high-risk contexts Concept note for the parallel session "Working for press freedom and the safety of journalists" |
| 16:30 | Coffee break |
| 17:00 | Presentation of the book Montevideo to the World |
| 17:15 | Conference III - City Diplomacy and Strategic articulations(45 min) This conference will emphasize participatory management for peace and coexistence. It explores the dimensions of multilevel governance of security and justice, multi-actor collaborations to advance peace agendas, and multilateral cooperation among local governments. Ultimately, it will discuss the conditions required to strengthen global governance for peace through international collaboration. Concept note for Conference III |
| 18:00 | Closing Plenary: |