Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan, President of the Eurasian Branch of the World Organization United Cities and Local Authorities (UCLG), took part in the VIII Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Eurasia. The event was held in Yakutsk, and participants from other cities joined the discussion remotely. The Congress brought together representatives of local and regional administrations, heads of major international organizations and associations of local authorities, entrepreneurs and members of public organizations.

The mayor expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Yakutia for holding the event at a difficult time for the whole world. "Yakutia is a region, which is successfully developing, despite the difficult permafrost conditions. Your resilience is known all over the world and inspires cities to work even harder," Ilsur Metshin addressed his colleagues.

The Mayor of Kazan emphasized that an open dialogue at all levels of government is important for building a sustainable future, and the capital of Tatarstan does not stand aside in this matter. As an example, Ilsur Metshin cited the participation of local government in the preparation of the "Voluntary National Review of Russia" on Sustainable Development Goals. "Local and regional authorities have been involved in such significant events as the UN Political Forum and the UN General Assembly for several years in a row," Ilsur Metshin said.

A multi–level dialogue is especially important for the development of the healthcare system, which is the fundamental principle of human well-being. "The creation of a favorable environmental situation, the development of infrastructure for sports, healthy nutrition for the younger generation, and timely vaccination against dangerous diseases are necessary to ensure human health," said the President of the UCLG Eurasian Branch. "Solving health problems requires an integrated approach and the participation of all levels of government and stakeholders."

According to Ilsur Metshin, significant progress had been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing mortality before the coronavirus pandemic. However, the virus has demonstrated the need to be prepared for emergencies. "UCLG, together with UN-Habitat, has developed a special training program on improving urban resilience, which will be presented to you during the congress. The implementation of the concept of resilience will require certain efforts from local and regional authorities and, perhaps, even changes in the structure, but it will definitely lead to favorable results," Ilsur Metshin emphasized and added that the pandemic has taught everyone a lot. "The lessons learned from the pandemic highlight the need for local authorities to be given sufficient authority to act at the local level, as well as to participate in decision–making at the national and global levels, so that the experience of local authorities contributes to a more effective recovery," Ilsur Metshin believes.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Eurasia of the World Organization "United Cities and Local Authorities" is being held in Yakutsk from 24 to 26 June. It is planned to discuss topics such as public health and the healthcare system, urban resilience and combating climate change, waste management, preservation of history and intangible heritage. During the sessions, participants will be presented with best practices in solving the issues under discussion.