On June 14, 2024, the CityNet Secretariat held a special gathering for Korean members to discuss upcoming plans and better understand their needs. This event marked the first in-person meeting of Korean members since 2020 and included attendees from nine member cities/organizations: Seoul, Busan, Seoul Business Agency, Seoul Tourism Organization, Seoul Institute, Dobong-gu, and potential members attended from Pocheon Carbon Neutrality Support Center, Dongdaemun-gu Net Zero Support Center, and Sejong City.
The event began with opening remarks by CEO Jeong-kee Kim. CEO Kim proposed holding biannual workshops in each member city to improve understanding and promote active participation in CityNet activities among rotating officers.
Following the opening remarks, the first session started served by Ms. Jihyun Baek, Program Officer. She provided an overview of the CityNet Secretariat, covering its history, network status, CityNet clusters and legislative meetings. Emphasizing Seoul’s leadership in the SDGs cluster, she outlined the main agenda for the Executive meeting and General Council.
After Ms. Baek’s introduction, Mr. Chris DI Gennaro, Senior Program Officer, introduced the SDG Knowledge Platform and online courses developed in collaboration with the Korean members. He encouraged Korean members to submit their best practices on the platform and highlighted the opportunities and benefits of the SDG City Awards, held annually during the Executive Committee meeting. He also requested suggestions for ideal locations for site visits to showcase best practices.
Ms. Hui Qian, Senior Program Officer, presented the general process of city-to-city cooperation (C2C) projects and recent cases, such as the Dengue Fever C2C Consultation and Smart Resource Management between Dobong-gu and Iloilo City. She also explained EU projects, including IURC, ICP-AGIR, and the network’s strategic expansion through EU cities, showcasing the collaborative and positive impact of these initiatives.
In the second session, Ms. Eunhee Lee, Director of the Operations Team, and Ms. Jihyun introduced programs available to Korean members in the second half of 2024. Ms. Eunhee shared insights from last year’s Disaster Management Workshop in Kobe, Japan, part of the Capacity Building Program for Korean members. She highlighted the importance of citizen participation and the development of soft skills in disaster prevention programs. She also provided a brief overview of this year’s capacity building program on SDGs in Yokohama, Japan. Ms. Jihyun then introduced international seminars and programs available to Korean and international members.
Continued in second article instalment:
Highlights 2024 CityNet’s Korean Members Gathering – Part Two: SMG presentations
This article has been written by Jihyun Baek, who can be reached at programs3@citynet-ap.org.
CityNet is an association of urban stakeholders committed to sustainable development in the Asia Pacific region. Established in 1987 with the support of UNESCAP, UNDP and UN-Habitat, the Network of cities has grown to include over 150 municipalities, NGOs, private companies and research centers. We connect actors, exchange knowledge and build commitment to establish more sustainable and resilient cities. Through capacity building, city-to-city cooperation and tangible projects, we help our members respond to Climate Change, Disaster, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
