In concert with the U20 Summit, Mayors Sazonov and Mamdani discussed several issues, including that of strengthening cooperation and sharing information between their two cities. Sazonov also extended an official invitation for Mamdani to visit Helsinki.
“Mayor Mamdani showed great interest in the situation in Helsinki and in our city’s approach to housing policy, early childhood education and combating homelessness. Although the size of our cities differs greatly, we face many of the same challenges. This weekend’s meeting was an important step towards an even closer partnership between Helsinki and New York,” Sazonov said.
Over the weekend, Mayor Sazonov joined Mayor Mamdani on a visit to the Hunts Point wastewater treatment facility and took part in a series of discussions convened by the mayor, during which city leaders from around the globe exchanged views on the current challenges facing their cities and possible solutions.
Helsinki is a member of an important global city network
The Urban 20 (U20) is a top global network that brings together the major cities of the G20 nations and a number of other internationally influential urban centres. Helsinki is proud to be the network’s only Nordic member city and one of the few participating cities located outside a G20 country.
The U20 network aims to call attention to city perspectives so they can be better included in G20 government discussions. It also seeks to strengthen collaboration between cities on issues such as the climate crisis, sustainable urban development and economic growth.
During the U20 meeting, Sazonov also met with leaders from other major cities, such as the mayors of Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Toronto.
“The U20 Network is an important platform for Helsinki to share best practices and carry our city’s message to major metropolises around the world. In bilateral talks with my mayoral colleagues, we discussed, amongst other things, the promotion of tourism in Helsinki and cooperation on economic policy between cities,” Sazonov added.