The Secretariat of Culture, Recreation and Sport of Bogotá and the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI) are offering the Ibero-American Diploma Course ‘The Art of Being Well: Culture and Health for Well-being’ (in Spanish).

This diploma course is a 100 per cent free training programme aimed at professionals, managers, creative practitioners and public policy leaders in the culture, health and education sectors across the Ibero-American region.

Participants will learn about:

• Global perspectives and policies on art, culture and health.
• Case studies from Bogotá, Mexico City, Madrid and Argentina.
• Inspiring projects from Brazil, Chile, Medellín and Lima.
• Practical methodologies for designing projects in civic culture, health and wellbeing.

- Diploma course dates: October 2026 to February 2027.
- Enrolment open until 29 September 2026. The registration form is available here.
 

For further information, check out this file and follow this link. 

Some days after the UCLG World Congress in Tangier, the GOLD VII Final Report on the Economies of Equality and Care was launched with the energy of a truly collective moment.

Over three years of shared work, dialogue and co-creation across territories, this process has brought together 50 local and regional governments, researchers, international organizations, and civil society networks from all regions of the world. Together, we have explored what it means to place care at the centre of public action - not as a sector, but as a transformative way of governing.

Through 340 experiences of 200 local and regional governments, GOLD VII shows that care is a cross-sectoral principle of UCLG's political mandate, and it is already happening in cities and regions: through public services, housing, mobility, social protection, climate action, cultural life and democratic innovation. It is a living practice of solidarity, proximity and collective responsibility.

Find the GOLD VII Final report:

• in English.
• in Spanish.
• in French.

Find an easy read version of the GOLD VII Final report in English.

In the context of the 7th edition of the UCLG – Mexico City – Culture 21 International Award, coorganised by the UCLG Culture Committee and Mexico City, the Award Ceremony was held on 8 October 2026 in Mexico City. The event was held alongside a Peer Learning exercise on cultural rights, care and gender equality, which took place on 7–8 October and the morning of 9 October.

This significant occasion brought together the Award winners – the cities of Ramallah and São Paulo in the ‘City’ category, and Nancy Duxbury and Amareswar Galla in the ‘Individual’ category – together with cities recognised as Special Mentions and/or good practices, members of the jury, experts and representatives of local governments from around the world.

Participating UCLG members and partners enjoyed three inspiring days of dialogue, learning and celebration.

Please see here the final programme of events.

Pictures of the Peer Learning exercise are available here, and pictures of the Award Ceremony are available here.

Check the news published by UCLG here, and by UCLG Women here. 

The resulting peer learning note of the events will be published soon.

UCLG adopted the New Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City at its World Congress in Tangier (25 June 2026). This work was carried out by our colleagues from the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights (CISDPDH). The Charter-Agenda is an updated global framework designed to guide local and regional governments in promoting human rights at the local level. It reaffirms the role of local and regional governments as guarantors of human rights and recognizes 37 human rights in the city, each with concrete steps for its implementation.

The Charter-Agenda offers an integrated vision of human rights in the city. In addition to the fundamental rights already recognized internationally, it incorporates new human rights, covering essential services and social, economic, cultural, environmental, and democratic rights – with particular attention to groups that continue to face discrimination and obstacles in exercising their rights. Above all, this is not just a declaration of principles, but a political and practical tool, providing concrete principles, commitments, and recommendations for local action.

This document is the result of several years of collaborative work, bringing together cities from every continent, international networks, civil society organizations, universities, and experts—a diversity of actors that constitutes its greatest strength.

It is with profound sorrow that the UCLG World Secretariat shares the passing of our dear colleague, Sara Hoeflich, Assistant Secretary General and long-standing Director of Learning.

Over the past months, Sara faced an incurable illness with remarkable grace and serenity. It took her from us far too soon.

Sara illuminated our movement with her creativity, generosity, and unwavering belief in humanity’s capacity to learn, to care, and to build a better present and future together. She joined the municipal movement in the early 2000s after a distinguished career in international development that had connected her with communities across continents. Wherever she went, she brought curiosity, compassion, and an extraordinary ability to bring people together.

Sara was a key person in the life of the UCLG Culture Committee: we enjoyed her generous company in the development of the Seven Keys, the Online Courses, the most recent reports and studies and, in general, the daily work of our programme. We will continue to love her by carrying forward the values she embodied. We will honor her work and her unwavering dedication by continuing to learn through collaboration, by nurturing peer-to-peer exchange and mutual learning, and, above all, by never losing faith that together we can make the world a better place.

Her beloved family has kindly allowed us to share this beautiful photograph, which captures the extraordinary light she brought into every room and every life she touched.

Today, the World Secretariat and the entire UCLG movement mourn the loss of a remarkable colleague, mentor, and friend. In the days and years ahead, we will continue to celebrate Sara’s life by strengthening cooperation, advancing learning, and fostering solidarity wherever we can. In doing so, her light will continue to guide us.