In recent years, city diplomacy has emerged globally as a powerful tool for advancing sustainable development and enhancing urban resilience in the face of transnational crises. From climate emergencies to geopolitical tensions, local governments are increasingly called to play a proactive role on the international stage.
Yet, this practice is not without risk. In a context of growing global polarization, authoritarian regimes have begun leveraging city-to-city relations to pursue geopolitical interference and illicit acquisition of intellectual property. As documented in the City Diplomacy Lab’s report “Cities at the Crossroads,” even long-standing international partnerships may become vectors of foreign interference.
In light of these challenges, the event “City Diplomacy. The Strategic Role of French Cities in International Relations” aims to initiate a multi-level dialogue on how local authorities can navigate this evolving landscape while remaining engines of democratic cooperation and innovation.
Held under the patronage of Senator Gilbert-Luc Devinaz (Rhône), the event will take place at the French Senate, whose mission includes representing local and regional governments across the Republic. It marks the launch of a broader international process coordinated by the City Diplomacy Lab and characterised by open exchange among researchers, local elected officials and their associations, parliamentarians, and national policymakers.
This initiative will continue on 15 September with a twin event at the Italian Chamber of Deputies in Rome, and will be followed by high-level meetings at the European Parliament and within the Urban 7 process during France’s G7 Presidency.
This common ambition is made possible thanks to the support of key networks that drive international cooperation among local governments: Cités Unies France, France Urbaine, Association Française du Conseil des Communes et Régions d’Europe (AFCCRE), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), PLATFORMA, Eurocities, the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), and the Global Parliament of Mayors.
Participation is by invitation only.
Draft Agenda
14:00–14:10 | Institutional Opening
- Senator Gilbert-Luc Devinaz (Rhône)
14:10–14:20 | International context and perspectives
- Senator Ronan Dantec (Loire-Atlantique)
- Mr. Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
- Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, Director, City Diplomacy Lab
14:20–15:40 | Roundtable of French Mayors
- Ms. Sonia Zdorovtzoff, Deputy Mayor for International Cooperation and Solidarity, City of Lyon
- Ms. Céline Papin, Deputy Mayor for European and International Cooperation, Higher Education and Research, City of Bordeaux; Vice-President, Bordeaux Métropole
- Ms. Clare Hart, Vice-President, Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole; Municipal Councillor of Montpellier
- Mr. Benoît Pilet, Deputy Mayor for International Relations and Europe, City of Angers; Vice-President, Angers Loire Métropole
15:40–16:15 | Audience Q&A
16:15–16:30 | Closing Remarks
- Mr. Frédéric Cholé, Delegate for Local Authorities and Civil Society (DCTCIV) at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Secretary-General of the National Commission for Decentralized Cooperation (CNCD).