Opening of the Montréal Thematic Meeting on Metropolitan Areas

The goal is to adopt a declaration in the run-up to Habitat III

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 6, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Montréal Thematic Meeting on Metropolitan Areas opened this morning with representatives attending from over 50 countries, 100 cities and nearly 200 organizations from around the world. This event will provide an opportunity to discuss the role of major urban areas and the importance of cooperation between them.

The attendees will seek to adopt the Montréal Declaration on Metropolitan Areas, which will call for recognizing the importance of metropolitan action within the New Urban Agenda for the 21st century, which will in turn be adopted at Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador in 2016. The Agenda will provide a roadmap for all national governments with a view to setting out urban policies over the next 20 years.

The Montréal Thematic Meeting on Metropolitan Areas will be held today and tomorrow at the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Habitat III is the leading global urbanization conference organized by the UN. It is held every 20 years to adopt the global urban agenda. The Montréal Meeting was selected as one of 11 thematic and regional gatherings held in the run-up to Habitat III.

For the past few weeks, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) has circulated a draft Declaration on Metropolitan Areas for the purpose of gathering comments and suggestions online. An enhanced version of this document will be presented and discussed at the Meeting.

The Meeting will also feature a roster of acclaimed guest speakers.

The Montréal Thematic Meeting on Metropolitan Areas is organized by the CMM under the auspices of the UN. It is supported by various key partners, including the Government of Canada; the Government of Québec; the Network of Metropolitan Areas of the Americas (RAMA); United Cities and Local Governments; Metropolis; the Inter-American Development Bank; the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; the Canadian Commission for UNESCO; and the Global Fund for City Development (FMDV).

***

For further information, please consult the CMM's website:
http://cmm.qc.ca/evenements/montreal-thematic-meeting-on-metropolitan-areas/

SOURCE Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal

Maryline Charbonneau, [phone] -- [email protected]