World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) 2026:
Democratic resilience and human rights
The World Human Rights Cities Forum 2026 took place from 13 to 15 May in Gwangju, Republic of Korea, under the theme “Human Rights Cities Against Authoritarianism and Populism.” Co-organized by UCLG, the Forum gathered cities, international organizations, civil society, academia and human rights practitioners to explore how local governments can defend democracy and human rights in times of democratic backsliding.
The Forum featured the participation of Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who highlighted the role of human rights cities as spaces of solidarity, care and democratic resilience:
“Human rights cities are a global network of solidarity and freedom. They are harbors of certainty where the organizing principles of kindness, care, and fairness still hold.”
Our Committee participated in the Forum, and reaffirmed the key role of local governments in translating human rights into concrete public policies, accountability mechanisms and participatory practices. The Forum also highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation between the Human Rights Cities movement, the United Nations system and global municipal networks.
The outcomes of the Forum will feed into the road towards the UCLG World Congress in Tangier, where human rights, social inclusion and local democracy will remain central to the municipal movement’s agenda.
▶ Source: UCLG CISDPDH June Newsletter
▶ Read more
World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) 2026:
Democratic resilience and human rights
The World Human Rights Cities Forum 2026 took place from 13 to 15 May in Gwangju, Republic of Korea, under the theme “Human Rights Cities Against Authoritarianism and Populism.” Co-organized by UCLG, the Forum gathered cities, international organizations, civil society, academia and human rights practitioners to explore how local governments can defend democracy and human rights in times of democratic backsliding.
The Forum featured the participation of Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who highlighted the role of human rights cities as spaces of solidarity, care and democratic resilience:
“Human rights cities are a global network of solidarity and freedom. They are harbors of certainty where the organizing principles of kindness, care, and fairness still hold.”
Our Committee participated in the Forum, and reaffirmed the key role of local governments in translating human rights into concrete public policies, accountability mechanisms and participatory practices. The Forum also highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation between the Human Rights Cities movement, the United Nations system and global municipal networks.
The outcomes of the Forum will feed into the road towards the UCLG World Congress in Tangier, where human rights, social inclusion and local democracy will remain central to the municipal movement’s agenda.
▶ Source: UCLG CISDPDH June Newsletter
▶ Read more