Building a high trust city that is liveable and sustainable was the focus of the 10th World Cities Summit (WCS) Mayors Forum held in Medellín, Colombia, from 10–12 July 2019.
Around 270 participants, including 54 mayors and city leaders from 53 cities, discussed the latest innovations and good practices in city governance that help build confidence in urban societies and institutions, and how cities should plan for economic and environmental security in an age of unpredictable economic fluctuations and extreme weather events.
Delegates recognised that putting citizens at the heart of all government policies and ensuring their participation in governance was of utmost importance in building trust. They discussed how public spaces help in building trust by fostering social cohesion, generating social capital and improving security by bringing people together. In turn, high trust leads to the creation of more and better public spaces, thus setting off a virtuous cycle.
Mayors and city leaders issued a declaration pledging to work towards the shared vision of building high trust cities by empowering communities, building social capital and leveraging on adversity. They recognised that good governance and rule of law are the foundation for social and institutional trust, and that greater trust between citizens and the government is fostered when communities are empowered in the process of rebuilding cities.
Emphasising the need for tangible action to build trust and achieve results, the Forum’s Chairman and Singapore’s Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance, Lawrence Wong noted: “These actions should not be done in an ad hoc manner, but…as part of a coherent action plan, and articulated as part of a longer-term vision in a coherent and integrated manner”.
View the WCS Mayors Forum 2019 Report 
