FCM President Taneen Rudyk Attends Global Forum for Municipal Leaders in Korea

FCM President Taneen Rudyk Attends Global Forum for Municipal Leaders in Korea

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Vegreville Town Councillor Taneen Rudyk recently returned from an international global forum for municipal leaders in Daejeon, South Korea. She was one of 3,200 participants from 80 different countries in attendance at the forum that was held from Oct. 10-14.

Rudyk, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, (FCM) and North America (NORAM) section president of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) said, “This year’s gathering of the UCLG membershipwas a clear demonstration of what we already know in Canada: that local governments and regions play a key role in how countries succeed on the national and global stage. The past two years have only emphasized how important our municipalities are to societies and economies, our international partnerships and our citizens’ quality of life.

Taneen Rudyk, far left, addresses delegates.

(Taneen Rudyk/Submitted Photo)

As president of UCLG, NORAM and FCM, I was pleased to meet and exchange with municipal associations and local government leaders from around the globe.

With my capable colleagues Jonathan Cote of Metro Vancouver and Normand Dyotte, Mayor of Candiac and Board Member of the Union des Municipalités du Québec, we engaged in important discussions about the solutions we are driving at home as well as our priorities guiding our work with UCLG in the coming year. They include a focus on building sustainable, inclusive communities, tackling the housing crisis, closing the digital divide, and taking action on climate.”

Rudyk said it was also an important opportunity to add Canada’s municipal voice to the discussion about the global feminist municipal movement and the need to remove barriers for women to run and lead in their communities.

“We met with a number of FCM international program partners and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UCLG Asia Pacific Section, to support their actions to advance women in local government through our PMI-WILL program.”

She pointed out that, “Local governments are on the front lines of finding solutions to some of the most pressing needs around the world, such as alleviating poverty, ensuring access to basic services, addressing inequalities, supporting local economies and coping with the impact of climate change. The UCLG Congress remains an important forum for the gathering of global municipal leadership to speak with one voice and unite in our shared mission.”