From Dialogue to Action - Arab & European Cities Co-creating Inclusive Urban Living

The Networking Event proposed by AUDI along with its partners aims to advance interregional cooperation & promote City-to-City collaboration through sharing successful examples on inclusive urban living in alignment with the NUA & 2030 SDGs. Cities across regions face similar pressures, from housing & infrastructure demands to climate risks & digital transformation, yet cooperation remains fragmented. Without structured interregional platforms, cities struggle to exchange proven solutions & coordinate responses that reflect residents’ needs. In this context, the session promotes decentralized cooperation anchored in local governments ensuring continuity & alignment with multilevel governance frameworks. In addition, it spotlights the Arab European Cities Dialogue (AECD) as a structured & impactful model for interregional collaboration, aligning with the WUF13 vision of inclusive, innovative, & resilient cities. Launched in Riyadh in May 2025 under the theme “Bridging Cities, Building Futures,” the AECD brought together mayors & representatives from more than 80 cities from Asia, Europe & Africa, alongside over 50 international Orgs. & LGAs. The Dialogue anchors cooperation around thematic areas of urban living including community development & livability, economic prosperity, climate action, & digital transformation - ensuring that collaboration responds directly to residents’ needs. The proposed networking session draws on WUF13’s global audience from cities, organizations & practitioners, designed as practice-oriented format that prioritizes peer learning & direct exchanges. Structured interactive discussions, each participating entity showcasing concrete cooperation experiences aligned with themes. Facilitated exchanges then explore achievements, shared challenges, & emerging collaboration opportunities. Interactive dialogue replaces formal presentations, enabling participants to connect experiences across regions & identify transferable solutions. The session will expand partnerships, city networks & link dialogue to actionable cooperation pathways. The session shows how cities in different contexts address shared challenges through cooperation, aligning priorities & advancing joint action beyond WUF13. Draft Agenda: - Highlights of Arab European Cooperation. - Showcase C2C & Local-to-Local Cooperation as a Tool for Development - Interactive City Exchanges across the Thematic Topics - Moving Forward: Priorities & Opportunities for Cooperation