Gathering in Shanghai for the Global Mayors Dialogue and the 2025 Shanghai International Friendship Cities Cooperation Forum, mayors and representatives of 26 cities across 22 countries highlighted the significance of city diplomacy in international relations while enjoying a special boat ride on the Huangpu River on Wednesday evening.
They attended the event from Wednesday to Friday.
"I think that when we have opportunities like this to meet mayor to mayor and to share and learn mayor to mayor, I always think that is so hopeful, because it's the people-to-people relationships that will make the difference," said Victoria Woodards, mayor of Tacoma, United States.
"The world can be a messy place. Let's make it less messy by being friends. And that's what Shanghai does," said Gary Millar, former vice mayor of UK's Liverpool.
"It would be a stupid thing that every city would make the same mistake. So if you can share good solutions for the same problems, we all benefit from it," said Tom Verbelen, director of external relations and international affairs of Belgium's Antwerp.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of friendship-city relationship between Ireland's Cork and Shanghai, Cork mayor Dan Boyle joined a tree-planting ceremony at Shanghai University Wednesday afternoon.
"We believe we have strong traditions and histories that we can share with each other, and we benefit enormously by sharing them with each other and looking into a future where together we can bring about better cities of each other, as well as trying to bring about a better planet," said Boyle.
Mayors from around world highlight city diplomacy in Shanghai
