Pune News : This Industrial Town Emerges as Sole Indian Nominee for International Recognition in Urban Innovation

By: Pune Pulse

November 22, 2023

Pune: The city of Pimpri Chinchwad, is actively competing for the 6th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (Guangzhou Award). Pimpri-Chinchwad has been shortlisted from 15 cities worldwide, making it the sole representative from India in the finals.

As of now, Pimpri Chinchwad holds the second position with an impressive 8.55 lakh votes, while Xianning City in China is currently leading with a staggering 14.82 lakh votes. It is important to note that the deadline for voting is November 30, as stated by the civic administration.

The cities competing for the award are Antalya in Türkiye, Bogotá in Colombia, Cape Town in South Africa, Gwangju in Korea, Halandri in Greece, Iztapalapa in Mexico, Jakarta in Indonesia, Kampala in Uganda, Kazan in Russia, Mannheim in Germany, Ramallah in Palestine, São Paulo in Brazil, Tehran in Iran, and Xianning in China. These cities collectively showcase urban innovation on a global scale.

According to officials, the Guangzhou Award’s 6th cycle received valid applications from 193 cities and regions across 54 countries, totalling to 274 initiatives. Out of these, only 15 were short-listed, with Pimpri-Chinchwad being the sole Indian city on the list. The selection of Pimpri-Chinchwad is significant as it highlights the increasing global interest in urban innovation.

It is worth mentioning that this round of evaluation marked the debut of five nations, highlighting the growing global interest in the accolade. The Guangzhou Library hosted a group of esteemed international specialists who diligently assessed the entries from September 11 to 14. Their thorough vetting procedure was based on factors like originality, impact, relevance, and scalability, all of which were closely linked to the promotion of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the new urban agenda (NUA) at the local level.

According to civic officials, Pimpri Chinchwad’s inclusion in the final 15 shortlisted cities out of 45 deserving initiatives is a testament to its pioneering efforts in urban development. Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh expressed his pride in the achievement and stated that Pimpri-Chinchwad’s presence among the elite reflects their dedication to innovative urban solutions.

He further added that they are honoured to share their experiences with the world and remain committed to furthering the city’s progress. Pimpri-Chinchwad has been shortlisted for its novel initiatives, including citizen participation in the city’s development and environment-friendly measures. The Commissioner urged citizens to vote and help Pimpri-Chinchwad emerge as the winner.

Since 2012, the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (Guangzhou Award) has been jointly organized by the City of Guangzhou, UCLG, and Metropolis. It has become a worldwide platform for promoting knowledge creation and facilitating city-to-city learning in urban innovation. Over the past five cycles, more than 1,300 initiatives from around the world have been submitted, inspiring and promoting transformative urban development practices.

The administration of PCMC has urged citizens to vote for Pimpri-Chinchwad by scanning the QR code on their website, which will help them receive global recognition for their initiatives.