Registration for the 2027 edition is open

08:00 to 09:00

Registration and Morning Coffee
Delegate credentials are issued at the welcome desk, followed by coffee and pastries in the main foyer.

09:00 to 09:15

Opening Remarks
Welcome from the forum secretariat and an overview of the two days ahead.

09:15 to 10:15

Keynote: The New Geography of City Diplomacy
Ambassador Margaret Ashworth opens the forum with a look at how cities and states now negotiate directly with one another on issues once handled only by national capitals.

10:15 to 10:45

Coffee Break
Time to network with fellow delegations in the exhibition area.

10:45 to 12:00

Panel: Financing Cross-Border Infrastructure
Diego Ferreira, Jonas Vermeulen and Sofia Delgado compare notes on structuring multilateral grants for infrastructure shared across borders.

12:00 to 13:00

Lunch
A seated lunch served in the atrium overlooking the Ardennes Congress Centre gardens.

13:00 to 14:15

Workshop: Sister-City Partnerships in Practice
Ingrid Lindberg leads a hands-on workshop guiding delegations through establishing and renewing sister-city agreements.

14:30 to 18:00

Track Sessions and Welcome Reception
Parallel tracks on migration coordination and climate resilience financing, followed by a reception to close the day.

09:00 to 09:30

Morning Coffee
Coffee and pastries before the second day begins.

09:30 to 10:30

Keynote: Digital Public Services Across Borders
Amara Osei shares how Concord Institute helped three metropolitan regions unify their digital identity platforms into a single shared system.

10:30 to 11:00

Coffee Break
A short break before the disaster response panel.

11:00 to 12:15

Panel: Coordinating Disaster Response Between States
Klaus Reinhardt and Mayor Elena Castillo discuss the mutual aid protocols that let neighbouring states respond within hours of a request.

12:15 to 13:15

Lunch
A seated lunch with tables organised by region.

13:15 to 14:45

Workshop: Protocol and Public Diplomacy for New Delegations
Jonas Vermeulen leads a practical session on diplomatic protocol and public communication for delegations attending their first summit.

15:00 to 16:00

Fireside Chat: Multilateral Grants and the Next Budget Cycle
Sofia Delgado talks with Diego Ferreira about funding priorities for the next budget cycle and how smaller regions can compete for multilateral grants.

16:15 to 17:00

Closing Remarks and Awards
Closing remarks from the forum secretariat and recognition for the year’s most impactful cross-border partnership.