Brief project description: The Cities Forward program, a collaborative partnership of the U.S. State Department, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Resilient Cities Catalyst, and The Institute of the Americas, provides 24 selected cities in Latin America and the United States with an opportunity for peer exchange, capacity building, and diplomatic engagement, all focused on implementing projects that address critical urban challenges related to sustainability, inclusion, and resilience.

Implementation period: 2023-2025

Funders: United States Department of State

Implementing organizations: ICLEI, Resilient Cities Catalyst, Institute of the Americas

Territory(ies) where it was implemented: Ambato-Philadelphia, Cali-Baltimore, Cartagena-Denver, Fortaleza-Hawaii County, Freeport-Coral Springs, Guatemala City-Dallas, Hermosillo-Dubuque, Manaus-Stockton, Mérida-Austin & Travis County, Montego Bay-Hoboken, Renca-Evanston, Rosario-Chattanooga

Products developed: 

• Connect: Promote connections and partnerships between cities, program teams, and other experts to strengthen the success and impact of the initiative. 
• Align: clarify the timeline, objectives, and main activities of the program, including the roles and responsibilities of the cities and partners.
• Collaborate: Share common challenges and opportunities for the preparation of resilient, sustainable and inclusive projects

Key results:

• Three acceleration workshops were held in the cities of Mérida, Fortaleza, and Cartagena.
• The Financing Guide for Green Cities was launched, a resource for Latin American and Caribbean cities with information on multilateral financing. During the event, the GEF, the IDB, and the World Bank presented sustainable urban development initiatives, and at the close, the guide was shared with the participants.