Definition

Created in 1985, it brings together more than 140 cities and metropolitan areas with more than one million inhabitants throughout the world. Its objective is to promote metropolitan interests and improve the capacities of cities to face local and global challenges through urban diplomacy and capacity building. Its work is based on the following values: exchange, mutual learning, care and accountability.

At the same time, it is the Metropolitan Section of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).

The association is structured in regional sections: Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean, North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe.

The mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López, holds the presidency from July 2022 to December 2023.

The Mayor of Barcelona and president of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area occupies one of the co-chairs.

The General Secretariat is located in Barcelona.

Goals

• Strengthen metropolitan leadership, diplomacy and advocacy globally.
• Build adaptive capacities for metropolitan governance.
• Consolidate sustainable internal governance based on accountability.

Tools for achieving the objectives fixed:

• Co-leadership of World Metropolitan Day
• Gender equality strategy
• Metropolis Observatory
• Pilot projects
• Training proposals aimed especially at technical and managerial staff
• Community of municipal managers
• Online platform for policy transfer case studies
• Multi-stakeholder cooperation projects
• Innovation Award granted by Guangzhou

Participation of Barcelona

The Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, as President of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, holds one of the co-presidencies of Metropolis.