The Global Cities Dialogue represents a new step in networking between cities, being based on active co-operation. It is built on the belief that local government politicians must play a leading role in the ongoing implementation of Information Technology in all countries. The direct representation of mayors or local elected members guarantees the necessary credibility and political authority.
As a powerful and multilateral network, the GCD initiates and supports joint ventures between local communities, helps cities generate synergies with the private sector as well as with broader government levels, and tries to implement sustainable transfer mechanisms for the best practices in the field of Information Technology.
The main actions that are carried out are:
- Joint venture projects between the GCD signatory cities and other cities. The projects are open to all cities in the network, for studies and exchange of experience;
- Top executive summits, e.g. regular topic meetings, workshops or conferences involving both politicians and field experts. The “cross city” combination of top politicians and senior experts aims to facilitate international trend-tracking in the area of local use of Information Technology.
- Exploit the power of Local Leadership: increase awareness and visibility of the role of political leaders and of the public sector as motors of change, translating expectations and experimentation into concrete realizations, which bring real benefits for users, citizens, companies and administrations;
- Fight the Digital Divide: work together for the realization of an inclusive Information Society, contributing to an improved access to new technologies and services by all available means, not only the computer, but also mobile telephones, portable personal assistants and interactive television, with a technology-neutral approach and taking particular care of minority groups and persons with disabilities;
- Promote linguistic and cultural diversity in the Information Society, trying progressively to extend the GCD in all the regions of the world and promoting interaction in all geographic and cultural contexts;
- Promote confidence and security in the use of networks: collaborate in the attainment of a safe internet, which safeguards privacy and allows secure transactions in interactive services;
- Use increasingly e-public procurement as example and incentive for the wide deployment of e-commerce: aggregate demand to gain scale and scope economies; coordinate actions to obtain a greater impact in the stimulation of the market; promote the standardized use of electronic signatures;
Further priorities are:
- Stimulate the social dialogue: greater participation of the civil society, improvement of the democratic process and systematic dialogue; collaboration with the private and not-for-profit sectors;
- Provide increasingly true inter-active services: based on the principle of “one stop shopping”, user-oriented and centered on personal and business demands and not on the convenience of the providers;
- Modernize local government and administration: adapting to technological and societal change, introducing innovation and modernization on the base of the identification and exchange of best practices;
- Promote lifelong-learning and knowledge management practices and tools for the adaptation of the human resources in public administrations to the new knowledge society paradigm;
- Request support from national and international governments and organizations, in order to enhance the role of cities, where most people live and most economic activity takes place, and of local governments, as the most important interface with citizens and enterprises, in the realization of the Information Society.
The benefits to be gained from the GCD network are:
- The GCD facilitates joint ventures between cities, politically and at project level;
- The GCD opens doors to officials of international bodies and other top level politicians and experts on Information Society;
- The GCD provides relevant information and a continuous flow of knowledge about new and innovative practices in the field of implemented Information Technology;
- The GCD supports the implementation of sustainable transfer mechanisms for best practice of Information Technology;
- The GCD supports cross promotion of the participating cities and their particular expertise in relevant contexts and fora;
- The GCD establishes an efficient channel for each member to voice their views upon and debate sound policies for the local and regional interests in the Information Society.
