On 12 and 13 September 2024, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities hosted a Conference of national associations of local and regional authorities from the 46 member states, at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg. Organised on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe and the 30th anniversary of the Congress, under the auspices of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Conference brought together Presidents and representatives of some 60 national associations from across Europe, as well as Congress Bureau members and Heads of national delegations to the Congress, Congress Youth Delegates and guest speakers.
Over two days, they engaged in discussions on how local and regional authorities can respond effectively to the challenges facing European democracies, and on their role in supporting Ukraine, stopping democratic backsliding, protecting human rights, saving the environment and enabling young people’s involvement in democratic action, in the light of the decisions of the Council of Europe’s Summit in Reykjavik in May 2023.
The Conference opened on 12 September by Congress President Marc Cools, Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Interior Arnoldas Abramavičius, Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge and Congress Youth Delegate from Andorra Lisa Cruz Lackner. The opening debate on the role of national associations in strengthening territorial democracy and multilevel governance introduced by Ekrem Imamoglu, Mayor of Istanbul and President of the Union of Turkish Municipalities and Gunn Marit Helgesen, President of the Norwegi