04 June 2026

Cities call for a stronger role in global governance at the Urban7 International Mayors Summit

More than 220 mayors, local leaders, urban experts and representatives of international organisations from over 15 countries gathered in Nancy, France, on 3–4 June for the Urban7 (U7) International Mayors Summit, held under the French G7 Presidency.

The Summit marked a historic milestone for Urban7. For the first time, cities participated in the G7 process as an officially recognised G7 Engagement Group, reflecting the growing recognition that local governments are essential partners in addressing the interconnected challenges of our time.

Over two days of discussions, participants explored how cities can contribute to strengthening democratic resilience, advancing climate action, fostering social cohesion and supporting sustainable economic development. These exchanges culminated in the adoption of the Nancy Declaration, a shared political statement setting out cities' recommendations to G7 Leaders ahead of the G7 Summit in Évian.

Developed through months of dialogue between the national city associations of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, together with international partners, the Declaration calls on G7 governments to recognise cities as custodians of peace, democracy and global solidarity; embed cities within integrated resilience frameworks; and mobilise local governments as engines of ecological, digital and economic transformation.

“Cities must be fully involved in the decisions that shape our common future. With the Nancy Declaration, we put forward concrete proposals and intend to make them heard by G7 leaders,” said Mathieu Klein, Mayor of Nancy, President of the Métropole du Grand Nancy and Vice-President of France urbaine.

The Summit brought together an exceptional range of local and international leaders. Participants included Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat; Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); Aziza Akhmouch, Head of the Cities, Urban Policies and Sustainable Development Division at the OECD; Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe; as well as mayors and political leaders from cities across Europe, North America, Asia and Africa.

Among them were representatives of Urban7 member associations and major cities including Freiburg, Heidelberg, Paris, Los Angeles, New York and Kobe, alongside Ukrainian local leaders who shared first-hand accounts of governing and rebuilding under wartime conditions. Their contributions reinforced one of the Summit's central messages: resilience is built locally and requires strong international cooperation.

A dedicated session on Ukrainian cities emerged as one of the highlights of the Summit. Mayors and deputy mayors from Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Lviv and other municipalities discussed the realities of maintaining public services, protecting communities and planning long-term recovery while facing the daily consequences of war. Participants emphasised the importance of ensuring that local governments play a leading role in Ukraine's reconstruction.

Throughout the Summit, city diplomacy emerged as a recurring theme. Participants highlighted the growing role of city-to-city cooperation in advancing peace, democratic resilience, climate action and sustainable development. The Nancy Declaration calls for the institutionalisation of city diplomacy as a recognised instrument of international cooperation, capable of maintaining dialogue and fostering practical collaboration even during periods of geopolitical tension.

The Summit also featured high-level political dialogues linked to the French G7 Presidency's Environment and Development Tracks, addressing topics such as climate resilience, sustainable urban transformation and global partnerships. Participants underscored the importance of multilevel governance and the need to align international ambitions with local implementation.

The Urban7 International Mayors Summit was organised by France urbaine, the City of Nancy and the Métropole du Grand Nancy, with the support of the Urban7 Executive Secretariat, co-led by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and the Global Parliament of Mayors. The Summit also benefited from the scientific coordination of the City Diplomacy Lab.

As Urban7 enters a new phase as an official G7 Engagement Group, the message from Nancy is clear: cities are not only implementing global agendas. Through practical action, international cooperation and city diplomacy, they are helping to shape them.

The Nancy Declaration has now been transmitted to the French G7 Presidency ahead of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Évian, where Urban7 is calling for cities and local governments to be recognised as strategic partners in addressing global challenges.