Skopje, 18 November 2023 (MIA) – Over a hundred mayors and numerous representatives of international organizations participated Saturday in the Annual Summit of the Global Parliament of Mayors which was hosted by the City of Skopje under the slogan “Empowering, Engaging, and Caring Cities: Delivering Democracy and Development with the Next Generations”.

In his address at the Summit, President Stevo Pendarovski recalled Skopje’s reconstruction after the 1963 earthquake, underlining that “Skopje wasn’t the first nor last city to have been struck by catastrophe, but for the first time in history, the reconstruction of a devastated city grew into an unprecedented act of international solidarity.”

“Unfortunately, 60 years later, the vision of Skopje as a city of the future is increasingly looking like an unattainable goal. The multi-decade process of centralization of services and unbalanced regional development in the country have accelerated migration to Skopje and led to overpopulation. Like many other cities in the world, Skopje has also, unfortunately, faced rapid and unplanned urbanization, aggressive construction, usurpation of public space and reduction of green areas. The rapid urbanization has also increased social inequality between the elite quarts and the marginalized islands of poverty that exist in the same city. The question we face is how to renew the trust between the citizens who live in the city, on the one hand, and between the citizens and their city, on the other,” said Pendarovski.

The Summit was also addressed by the Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Mathieu Mori, who highlighted the importance of youth in society.

“Young people drive the changes in our societies, our cities and within the international organizations. It is our duty and your duty, to give them the power they deserve,” said Mori, adding that the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has implemented this in practice, involving young people in its work for almost ten years now.

The Mayor of the City of Skopje, Danela Arsovska, welcomed the guests at the Summit, including over than 100 mayors, deputy mayors, as well as representative of urban municipalities linked to the Global Parliament of Mayors.

As part of the three-day GPM Annual Summit, panel discussions and plenary sessions related to local self-government will be held, as well as bilateral meetings.

Photo: MIA