UCLG
United Cities and Local Governments
Founded in May 2004, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is the united voice and world advocate of democratic local self-government. UCLG is the largest local government organization in the world. Representing over half the world’s population, the members of UCLG are present in 136 UN Member States. Over 1000 cities are direct members of UCLG, as well as 112 national associations which represent all the cities and local governments in a single country.
The main objective of the UCLG Committee on City Diplomacy, Peace Building and Human Rights is to promote the role of local governments in social cohesion, conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction.
www.cities-localgovernments.org

The Hague
City of Peace, Justice and Security
The first ever held Peace Conference took place in The Hague in 1899, followed in 1907 by the second. The first conference led to two important developments: the Permanent Court of Arbitration was established as the first world organisation for the settlement of disputes. And the Peace Palace was built. In 1922 The Hague became the seat of what is now the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Since then, many Peace- Justice- and Security-related international organizations have established their seat in The Hague: the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia, Europol, Eurojust and numerous NGOs working in related areas.
www.denhaag.com

VNG International
International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG)
Committed to strengthening democratic local government worldwide, VNG International supports decentralisation processes and facilitates decentralised cooperation, mainly in the form of capacity building for local governments, their associations, training institutes and decentralisation task forces.
www.vng-international.nl

The conference is organised in partnership with the Province of Barcelona, the City of Barcelona, and the Italian Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights. Specific working sessions are held in cooperation with organisations whose names are mentioned with the respective sessions.

The conference is financially supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the City of The Hague. Other sponsors include the Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten (BNG) and the organisations cooperating in specific sessions.