Candidate for UCLG President 2019-2022 Manifesto from Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan Dear colleagues, I have served as mayor for over twenty years of my life. Taking active part in the work of UCLG since its foundation, I have witnessed many events, initiatives and achievements. Much has been done over the 15 years of UCLG’s existence. Thanks to the effective work of UCLG’s leadership and support of its members, this organization has grown and expanded its geography. We have succeeded in achieving recognition of UCLG as the world’s key actor in engagement with local governments. Now UCLG is a global network supported by hundreds of authoritative partners worldwide. This means that we are ready to take concrete actions that will benefit concrete cities and concrete people. I am truly honored to declare my candidacy for UCLG Presidency for the period of 2019-2022. I hope I will receive your most precious support in this dignified pursuit, in order to serve you for the next three years. With my deepest regards, Ilsur Metshin 3 About Me and My Work I was born in Nizhnekamsk on April 24, 1969 to a working class family. My father was an engineer and my mother worked as a nurse in a local hospital. As a schoolboy, I at first wanted to become a surgeon, then a pilot. But when the time came to make a decision about my future, I chose to practise law. In 1992, I graduated from the law department of the Kazan Kazan was a winner of the prestigious Kazan Universiade 2013 WAS RECOGNIZED AS ONE State University. UN-HABITAT AWARD and served as the venue OF THE BRIGHTEST in the history of the Student for the world habitat day. Games. Kazan earned the title of SPORTS CAPITAL I met my wife when I was in the sixth of Russia. grade. She was a head taller than me at the time. She was my first love, and as it turned out, the love of my life. I have four children – three sons and one daughter. I am very attached to my family. We have breakfast and dinner and spend weekends together. It’s our rule. Since 2005, TOURIST FLOWS HAVE INCREASED Kazan ranks third in the list of Russian cities with the by 6 times and now there are more than 3 million BEST QUALITY OF LIFE. tourists a year visiting Kazan. The BIRTH RATE HAS INCREASED more than twice, Kazan ranks among the TOP “GREENEST CITIES in the natural growth rate of the POPULATION HAS Russia”. GONE UP BY 9 TIMES. The average life expectancy has improved by 9 years. In 2018, Kazan hosted the FIFA WORLD CUP. In August 2019 Kazan will host the WORLDSKILLS COMPETITION. “As a child I went to my grandmother for the whole summer. She lived in a village. The toilet there was outside and the water had to be collected from a well. My brothers and I always tried to outdo each other in terms of who would bring the most water. At the same time, I thought that in winter my poor old grandmother had to walk on slippery ice carrying heavy buckets. At that time, I promised myself 11 metro stations have been opened and a new Only in the last 5 years, more than 250 km of new train station constructed. The Kazan airport was roads have been built in the city, as well as 11 that when I grew up I would install a completely renovated, after which IT HAS BEEN flyovers along with a large number of bus lanes and water pipeline for my grandmother and NAMED THE BEST regional airport in Russia and cycle paths, which has SOLVED THE PROBLEM OF Kazan is a multinational and tolerant city. for other grandmothers, too.” CIS countries FOUR TIMES. TRAFFIC CONGESTION. 115 NATIONALITIES live in peace here. 4 5 Career and Initiatives My key priority is to benefit the city and I highly appreciate that Kazan has the honor its people. UCLG provides a unique to be the headquarters of UCLG-Eurasia. opportunity to benefit humanity. The secretariat of UCLG-Eurasia has been successfully functioning for more than 15 years constantly involving new cities. since since 2005 2016 CAREER TIMELINE: has thrice been reelected Deputy Chairman Mayor of Kazan of Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the I consider international cooperation as an important area of cities’ activity. The willingness to help cities 2007-2010 Council of Europe UCLG Vice-President. in this direction has motivated us to create the Research of Cities’ International Activity. This year the cities since that are engaged in international activity most intensively will be awarded a prize in the amount of 10,000, 7,000 and 5,000 dollars. since 2013 1993 Chairman 2019 specialist in the 2007 of the Member of the administration Member of the UN Association Governmental of the Sovetsky Advisory Committee of Volga Commission for the District of the on Local Authorities Region Voluntary National city of Kazan (UNACLA) Cities Review of the SDGS since since 1998-2005 2006 2015 the Mayor of Nizhnekamsk President of Vice-President UCLG-Eurasia of the Union of Russian Cities 2010-2016 was elected UCLG Co-President for two consecutive terms “Thanks to the high credibility of Ilsur Metshin only during the first year of his UCLG-Eurasia presidency, the section welcomed 49 new members”, Rasikh Sagitov, Secretary Eurasia has set a course towards working with regions. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has joined us. General of UCLG-Eurasia Negotiations are under way with the governments of the Republic of Tatarstan, Sverdlovsk Region and East Kazakhstan Region (Kazakhstan). 6 7 Vice-President of the Union of Russian Cities! To Align National Power and Local Actions Thanks to strong political leadership, Now that our voices are taken into account, UCLG has achieved recognition of the it is important to align efforts of local, key role of local governments. regional and national governments, to work together and develop a joint action plan. We have reached agreement with the Russian Government on joint preparation of the Voluntary National Review of the Sustainable Development Goals. Representatives of UCLG-Eurasia will take part in the work of the thematic working groups. Examples of the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals among our members will be included into the national review. “I highly appreciate the leading role and activity of Mr.Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan who has been the President of the Eurasian regional section of the World Organization for many years”, Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat 8 9 To Become a Learning Network We need to increase UCLG’s capacity in UCLG Retreats are undoubtedly useful becoming a learning network, supporting for learning. It is necessary to hold the implementation of local and regional them in every region. Besides, it is priorities within the framework of the important to develop distant learning. global development agendas. During the events of UCLG-Eurasia’s partners, Learning is one of the most important out staffers hold learning training activities on areas of UCLG’s strategy for 2016-2022. localizing the SDGs. Mayors and municipal officials are shown what contributions they UCLG is highly competent to be a consultant make to the implementation of the SDGs as part on development of international activity of their daily activities through case studies. and the localization of the SDGs. We should develop a simple and easy-to-understand Within the Eurasian region we deliver lectures guide for action on important issues. for students of international faculties where we tell about the activities pursued by UCLG. 10 11 UCLG – Communication Challenge One of the most important tasks behind the In order to facilitate the comprehension activities of UCLG is to inform its members on of information on international initiatives, projects, programs and processes that take UCLG- Eurasia has designed “The Handbook place in the international municipal world. of International Terms”. We intend to launch However, many important initiatives remain the mobile application available in different unaddressed as information is communicated languages so that it can be always near at hand. in foreign languages, in a confusingly excessive way or it is complicated for perception. Fostering relations with mass media and cities’ press offices is an important area for In modern times marked by ‘clipping involvement in the implementation of the SDGs consciousness’, the information that UCLG and raising awareness of UCLG worldwide. provides should be short and clear. We need to translate international jargon and aсtions into meaningful communications which a mayor can get hold of, give to an official and say “Get it done!” 12 13 SDG 9: Industry, innovation created a solution to dealing with heavy and infrastructure rains and flooding through its initiative The City of Winnipeg (Canada) is building “Development of a water retention basin”. pedestrian and cycling infrastructure SDG 14: Life below water for people of all ages and abilities. Many school and kindergarten children SDG 10: Reduced inequalities in Bergen (Norway) participate in the In Gaziantep (Turkey) the exhibition coasteering activity during which they of handicrafts of children with collect marine litter and learn about it. disabilities took place. SDG 15: Life on land SDG 11: Sustainable cities The Municipality of Belo Horizonte Many a Little Makes a Mickle: (Brasil) plants more than 15,000 trees. and communities A new green area of 10 hectares “Santiago SDG 16: Peace, justice Real Projects Towards SDGs Amengual Park” will improve the quality of and strong institutions life of more than 200,000 of Santiago (Chile).