Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday unveiled the logo, website and social media handles of Urban-20 or U20 in Gandhinagar as part of G20 programmes to be held in the state next year. Under the G20 presidency of India, Ahmedabad has been selected to host the U20 cycle.
Speaking virtually at the event, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri said the U20 cycle will be chaired by Ahmedabad. "U20 is an important city diplomacy initiative which reinforces the role of cities in taking the sustainable agenda forward," an official release quoted Puri as saying.
The logo unveiling event in Gandhinagar was attended by senior officials of the Gujarat government and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). CM Patel said the unveiling of the U20 logo heralds the launch of the U20 cycle, which will begin in February next year with the Sherpas' meeting and end with the U20 Mayors' summit.
"U20 is a unique concept which focuses on urban development. This cycle will become a platform for leaders from across the world for discussions and collective action," the chief minister said. Along with C40 (Climate 40) and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Ahmedabad will organise various events including City Sherpas' inception meeting on February 9 and 10, 2023, the release said. The U20 Mayors' Summit will be held in July 2023, it said.
Urban-20 (U20), one of the Engagement Groups of G20, provides a platform for cities from G20 countries to facilitate discussions on various important issues of urban development including climate change, social inclusion, sustainable mobility, and affordable housing, and propose collective solutions. This city diplomacy initiative facilitates a productive dialogue between the national and local governments and helps promote the importance of urban development issues in the G20 agenda, the release said.
